Quinceanera Milestone

     What is a quinceanera? Well this is a very old tradition that has both religious and social emphasis in Latin America, the Caribbean, as well as in the United States that celebrates a girl’s 15th birthday. This milestone birthday marks the passage from girlhood to womanhood. Many choose to celebrate with a huge party or they may take an elaborate trip abroad. In the past, a quince signified a girl was ready for marriage, however, today it usually means she will be allowed to date. Whatever a girl chooses to do, this birthday is definitely an important moment for her and her family. 

     For my quince, I will not tell you how long ago…I wore a beautiful white dress and had a small house party with friends and family. My parents took me to get formal studio pictures with a known photographer in the area. For my daughter’s celebration we chose to take an 8-day cruise with family and friends. She wore her lavender quince dress on formal night and danced with her dad during her small party on the cruise. She looked like a princess; I always get emotional when I remember just how beautiful and grown up she looked in that moment. She also had formal pictures at the famous Vizcaya Gardens. 

     Most young ladies have some form of formal pictures either with the traditional quince gowns or with long dresses. This young lady chose to bring along two beautiful and unique dresses with a very cute casual outfit for the end the session. Her parents, siblings, aunt and I spent the late afternoon walking the picturesque St. Augustine Old Town. This area was the perfect backdrop for a quince photoshoot. Walking the streets of this historic area gave us the opportunity to create a variety of images. The final outfit, which was casual wear, we shot in almost darkness as the sun was setting in the horizon and street lights lit up the background.