Planning a quinceanera involves looking at loads of quinceanera decoration ideas and choosing the ones that fit your personality and theme. Many quinceanera decorations include Mexican family culture and quinceanera traditions, but they should also reflect the unique qualities of the birthday girl.
Quinceanera Color Scheme Ideas
The two easiest places to start with decorations are to either choose a quinceanera theme idea or to choose a color scheme. You can use your selection to dictate what all the decorations at the event will relate to.
Colors of Mexico Color Schemes
Look to the Mexican flag and traditional Mexican fabrics for a classic color scheme.
- Green and white: Green stands for independence and white stands for purity so this scheme represents both the girl and the woman she'll become.
- Red and white: This traditional color combo represents the flag and is reminiscent of the white tops and red skirts that make up a china poblano dress.
- Mexican rainbow: Incorporate equal amounts of green, red, blue, orange, pink, and purple with black and white accents to mimic traditional striped Mexican fabric.
Fiesta Color Scheme
In Mexican culture, reds and yellows symbolize a fiesta. To make Mis Quince stand out, decorate in various shades of yellow with small accents of primary red. Then the hostess can wear a bright red dress and stand out from the background while still coordinating.
Faith and Royalty Color Scheme
Celebrate the colors of the Catholic faith in your color scheme. Purple represents royalty in many cultures, but in the Catholic religion it also represents faith. Pair purple with gold, which symbolizes life in the church and send the message that you will live your life as a faithful woman.
Pure and Sophisticated Color Schemes
White represents purity and the girl while black represents sophistication and the woman.
- Black and white: Decorate the entire venue in equal parts black and white then have the hostess wear a bright color to stand out.
- All white: Decorate in all white and ask guests to wear white as a symbol of purity then have the hostess wear a gown with a white base and bright embellishments.
- All black: An all black decoration theme feels sophisticated and elegant. Use a variety of textures on the decorations to keep it visually interesting.
Princess Color Scheme
If you're throwing a princess quince, rose pink and rose gold are sophisticated colors for a blossoming woman. Pair these two similar hues for a modern, monochromatic princess scheme.
Modern Mexican Color Scheme
Create an ombre effect at your event using various shades of a prominent Mexican color. Shades of red or green are ideal, but shades of blue can work too. Keep darker shades near the floor then add lighter shades as your eye moves up to the ceiling.
Quinceanera Table Decorations
Quinceaneras typically include at least some party decorations with bling to represent the quinceanera ring that will be presented to the hostess. Look for unique ways to display flowers, Mexican art, and other traditional items as table decorations. Your elaborate quinceanera cake also serves as a decoration on the dessert table.
Quinceanera Centerpiece Ideas
Quinceanera centerpiece ideas incorporate the theme, color scheme, and concept of growing from child to woman. Centerpieces for a quince can resemble those at a wedding and typically all match.
- Set one new, clean high heel shoe in the center of the table and line the interior with large flower blossoms. Place a flat shoe under the arch of the heel and fill the interior with closed flower buds.
- Place an elaborate queen crown in the center of the table then hang a princess tiara from one of the points on the crown.
- Stand Barbies of different ages dressed in elaborate gowns to match the hostess in a circle back-to-back in the center to show growth from little girl to woman.
- Drape flowers over an open bird cage to symbolize a girl gaining her independence.
- Place gems under an upside-down margarita glass and top it with a flower ball. Add a tiny crown to the top of the flower ball.
- Cut a hole in the top of a child's sombrero and set an arrangement of cacti in the hole so they stick out the top.
Main Table Decoration Ideas for a Quince
The main table is where the birthday girl and her quinceanera court will sit. This table should stand out from the rest at the event and highlight Mis Quince with things like her name and a throne for her seat.
- Swag the front of the table with Mexican prayer flags featuring silhouette cut-outs of the hostess.
- Make a photo frame swag by attaching light picture frames holding images of the birthday girl to a wide piece of silky ribbon or fabric.
- Use real or silk flowers to make the number 15 and hang it behind the table.
- Create a narrow set of stairs like you'd see on the traditional quinceanera cake and place them against the wall behind the table. Add photos of the hostess from birth to age 15 in ascending order on the steps.
- Use elaborate napkin folds like a peacock napkin fold perched on a margarita glass or flower napkin folds that sit atop glasses or plates and each place setting.
- Celebrate the transition into womanhood by using the quinceanera doll in her box as the centerpiece for the main table.
Quinceanera Photo Backdrop Ideas
Once quinceanera traditions is taking group photos of the hostess, her Chamberlains, and her Damas. Since the quince court all wear coordinating outfits, choose a photo backdrop that contrasts with their colors so they stand out.
- Create a giant faux chalkboard like you see people use on the first day of school. Write information about the birthday girl in white such as her favorite color and goals for the future.
- Make a giant scroll with Spanish words written on it using free calligraphy templates to create beautiful lettering with black paint on a wide, white backdrop.
- Get inspired by Instagram and create a giant collage of black and white pictures of the birthday girl.
- Cut plywood into a large cutout in the shape of Mexico, then paint and hang it as your backdrop.
- Set up three large doors next to each other, one to represent her past, present, and future.
- Build a live flower wall with the shape of a sugar skull in the center of it using white and brightly colored flowers.
- Get a giant piece of pegboard and paint it black then poke little lights through the holes to look like a starry night sky.
- Place two standard photo backdrops angled together to look like an open book then decorate to look like a fairy tale.
Unique Quinceanera Arch Decoration Ideas
An arch is a staple decoration for any quinceanera, but you can make yours unique with creative arch decoration ideas.
- Cover the arch in a mix of small, medium, and large balloons in various shades of the same color for a textured, cloud-like arch.
- Hang picture frames with photos of the birthday girl all around the arch so it's completely covered.
- Tie colored glow sticks to the arch structure then cover it with a translucent tulle for a flowing arch.
- Cover the entire arch structure with large and small plastic sugar skills.
- Put large sombrero on top of the arch then cover the rest of the structure with smaller sombreros.
- Wrap the sides of the arch in silver silk fabric then add a giant gem on top to resemble a ring.
- Add a mannequin upper body to the top of the arch then drape fabric like a dress on the mannequin and down the arch leaving fabric hanging down over the openings to create a giant doll.
- Cover the arch in giant tissue paper flowers or tissue paper pom poms to give it volume and color.
- Tie strips of fabric in color-coded rows to resemble the texture and look of a pinata.
Celebrate Your Quince in Style
The decorations at a quinceanera take a tremendous amount of planning to get a coordinated and give an elegant look. Look for ways to create small and large versions of the same decorations so you can use them in different places around the event space.