Quinceanera Invitations: Timelines, Wording, DIY Quince Invitations

Well it’s finally the big year, 15! Time to gather all your friends and family to celebrate your girl’s big day. Time to throw a party that she won’t soon forget. Time to start organizing, figuring out themes, sending invitations, locating a caterer, and finding that perfect dress. What music does she like? How many people does she want to attend? What should the theme be? Although Wesley Center of Clermont can’t answer those questions for you, we can make help make planning the big day easier! First things first… the quinceanera invitations!

Select a  Quince Theme

Before you can start picking out colors and designs for invitations you must figure out a theme. The invitation will be the first clue guests will have about the party and you want it to match! Some parties follow a color scheme, while some take on more complex themes. For tips on selecting a theme be sure to check out our article on the Top 30 Quiceanera Theme Ideas.  The invitations do not have to be an exact replica, but they should have some commonalities when announcing the theme so guests can begin to plan outfits, presents, etc.

Timing of Quincenera Invitations

In order to avoid a last minute rush to get invites out in time it is important to have a timeline in your head. Here is ours!

Nine Months Before – Decide on a theme/color. If you are making your invitations begin to plan out the design. Begin ordering what you will need to make the invitations, and order a little bit extra in case a couple don’t turn out the way you want. Start thinking of a guest list.

Six Months Before – Choose and order Quinceanera Invitations. If you are making you invitations, have the supplies in by this time (order them seven months prior) and begin construction. Throw family in the mix to get them done quicker while making them feel included in the process!

Three Months Before – Finalize the guest list, known how many people your venue can fit and plan accordingly. Start addressing all the invitations. Double check that you have everyone’s up-to-date addresses and enough stamps!

Two Months Before – Begin mailing quinceanera invitations. If some of your guests live far away or in another country it is wise to send their invitations out three months prior to the big day. You want to give everyone plenty of time to make travel arrangements.

One Month After – Within one month following your quinceanera is an acceptable length of time to send thank-you notes! They don’t need to follow the theme; they just need to be heartfelt!

Wording of Invitations

Traditional quinceanera invitations have a couple different things on them. In order to being printing or making your invitations you will need the following….

• Full names of your quince court and padrinos
• Name and address of church and/or reception banquet – if you are having a smaller group of people coming to the church then make a list of which guests should receive invitations of the church and reception address and which guests should receive information on the reception only.
• Time of event
• RVSP information

After you have decided what the invitations need to say, you need to decide what you want them to look like. If you have decided to order invitations this will be as simple as picking out a template and changing the colors to match your theme. If you are making your invitations it becomes a bit more complicated, and fun! Our suggestion is to keep the invitations as simple as possible while still being able to reflect your theme. By going with a more basic one-sided card over a bi-fold you can save money that you can keep in you in pocket or invest somewhere else in the party. Choose matte over glossy. Keep with smaller dimensions to save on cost and postage.

Purchasing Invitations

Shop around before choosing what company/materials you want to use. In most situations, the first page on Google isn’t always the cheapest. Do you research! Make sure to set a price and confirm before ordering so no surprise charges appear. Decide where to save money and where to splurge. Is it important for the invitations to be extravagant or can they be similar? Cut corners where you can without having it compromise your vision for the invitations and the big night!

DIY Quince Invite Ideas

If you have decided to make your own invitations, great! Although it may seem daunting, it can also be fun.

Stumped for ideas or searching for a creative spark? Start by researching ideas online and take advantage of the many Pinterest “boards”  when planning a quince! Here are a few to get you started:

http://www.pinterest.com/thewesleycenter/quinceanera-parties/

http://www.pinterest.com/myperfectquince/quinceanera-diy/

http://www.pinterest.com/prntdcreations/planning-a-quinceanera/

Check out local craft stores. Craft stores carry stock DIY kits and basic invitation cards. If you don’t like them, pick the brains of the employees. Even if they don’t make invitations they have probably helped a customer that has, and remembered a thing or two about they picked out!

Get Creative! Nothing is off limits when making invitations. Invited the quince court over for a craft night and have everyone make an invitation that matches the theme and see what works and what doesn’t!