The origins of Quinceañera can be traced as far back as 500 B.C.

Anna Marissabel woke up with butterflies in her stomach, remembering that TODAY was her day. Her freshly painted toes tapped the cold floor as she hurried to peak in at her parents’ bedroom to see if they were up. Anna’s Quinceañera was something the family had been looking forward to since she was a little girl. An added bonus was that Anna’s birthday fell on a Saturday so she was able to have her fantasy party on her exact birthday. The family opted for a traditional event… mass, dinner, Mariachis and a dance afterwards. Lupe, Anna’s mom, reminisces about how they would talk and talk about it, and before she knew it, her little girl was turning 15! From her childhood, Anna loved the dress Belle wore in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, with it’s feminine draped look; so much so that between Shera??(Nampa’s Downtown Bridal) and Lupe and Anna they designed and made a dress resembling it. For Anna Marissabel, turning 15 meant more privileges, and naturally, along with privileges, came more responsibilities. Anna’s parents now permit her to date, which is the fun part. However, Anna Marissabel is a very smart young woman and intends to use her intellect rather than depend on marriage to gain a place in this world. This means studying and getting good grades for college. Her strengths are math, science and biology. She is planning to study in the field of genetics. Her eyes light up when she talks about her future, as if she already envisions what path she may follow. In many ways planning a Quinceañera is like planning a wedding. Getting boys involved was the hardest part, especially in the beginning. Most 14-15 year old boys tend to shy away from these events, but they eventually warm up to the idea when the girls’ excitement rubs off on them. It was also nice that Anna’s younger brother, Andres, was standing in as a chamberlain as a part of the event. Lupe and Anna found the people who were asked to participate were very interested in learning about the details of a Quinceañera party. The nine young men and young women, which included Anna herself, went in for dress and tuxedo fittings, attended dress rehearsals for the traditional waltz, and constantly talked and planned out the event details. Quinceañeras always include every family member who can possibly attend. ...