"The Bigger, the Better": Quinceañera Expo offers options for girls' big day

Mar. 5—There were spots for DJ companies, venues, photographers, caterers, makeup artists and dress shops — all the angles needed to make the big day a memorable event.

One table offered nothing but tiaras.

By the time the doors were ready to open, a line — mostly mothers and daughters, but with plenty of fathers mixed in as well — was waiting in the lobby.

The event was the annual Quinceañera Expo and fashion show, held Sunday at the Clarion Inn Frederick Event Center.

A quinceañera, a Hispanic celebration of a girl's 15th birthday, can be just like a wedding, and sometimes even more lavish and expensive, said Saprena Brown, who organized Sunday's event with her husband Greg for their company, Once Upon a Time Events.

It's all about a girl's coming of age, she said.

"It's her party: her gown, her dresses, everything," she said.

Brown helped organize Brianna Romero's quinceañera in 2019.

On Sunday, Romero was back to help her younger sister's event.

Her own quinceañera was a really fun day, with a lot of great memories, she said.

It was "a little magic moment that I guess every girl wants," she said.

Helping a girl prepare her event can take a lot of preparation, said Augusta Anyanwu, of Touch of Elegance Event Design and Decor in Germantown.

She talks to girls about what they're looking for, but also more about themselves.

Are they flamboyant or more conservative, modern or more old-fashioned?

She asks them what their favorite colors are, what movies they like, what types of music they listen to, and other factors to try and get a sense of who she's dealing with.

"By the time we finish all that, I can tell who they are," Anyanwu said.

The events can range from $2,500 to $10,000 or more, she said.

She asks the girl to tell her what they're looking for. Even if it's more than their budget, she can usually find a way to meet them halfway, she said.

Girls usually have a color and theme in mind when they come to pick out a dress for the event, said Jay Jay Bidle, of TLC Bridal Boutique in Frederick.

"The bigger, the better," she joked.

Families often come together, with fathers and siblings joining in or at least observing the process.

Perhaps not surprisingly, sometimes a girl wants one thing and her mother wants another, Bidle said.

But she said usually the girl gets the final say.

That usually goes for food, too, said Michelle Bloxton, of Blu Sage Catering.

Dishes often depend on the family's country of origin, but pupusas, street tacos, carne asada and flautas are popular options.

But as with other areas, the girls take over the menu, often with very specific ideas of what should be served.

"They want what they want," Bloxton said.

Having their say is part of what makes the day so special, Brown said.

"You put a big smile on their faces. You hope that you capture their vision."

Follow Ryan Marshall on Twitter: @RMarshallFNP