Your Cheat Sheet for Planning a Beach Quince

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• The Dress Code: All the guests should wear casual summer clothes, i.e. swimsuits, T-shirts, sundresses, shorts, sandals. Greet everyone with a flower necklace (either real or paper flowers), like in Hawaii.
• The Room: Use an open, enclosed space, such as the patio of a hotel with a swimming pool, as this offers a perfectly relaxed atmosphere, with lots of whites and cream colors. For the lighting, paper lanterns are a good choice, and candles, either white or colored, add a nice touch. (When no one is swimming, place floating candles in the pool.) Another option is to decorate the place in a Jamaican reggae style, with green, orange, and yellow colors, or using the vibrant colors of the rainbow. You can even include a couple of surfboards and inflatable furniture in bright colors.
• Music: You can't do without reggae, reggaeton, ska, and the Beach Boys, as well as some general Caribbean music like samba, merengue, and salsa.
• Food: You should include all the things you like to associate with the sea, so go for a menu based on fish and seafood. They could be cold dishes (ceviches, shrimp) or hot food (fish rissoles, piles of fish and seafood). For drinks, a good idea is to have a bar with at least two professional bartenders capable of preparing a wide selection of drinks (mocktails for you and your friends, of course!). Serve drinks with fruit slices and umbrellas.
• Activities: Organize a hula hoop competition, a beach tennis or volleyball game, or Twister. Get everyone barefoot and moving to prepare for swimming and dancing!
• Favors: Beach wraps for the girls and caps for the boys. You can also add other items, such as decorated flip-flops, disposable cameras, chocolates, or gift certificates.

Arlene Angard, a native of Venezuela, is a quinceañera and wedding planner in New York City. See photos from her events and contact her on chicweddings.net.

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