Guide to Good Manners

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Now that you’re a lovely lady, get ready to hear the word etiquette a lot. Etiquette is all about minding your manners and showing you’re caring and considerate. The BEST place to debut your grown-up manners is at your quince. Impress your guests in five easy steps!

1. Make friendly introductions

If your court is a mix of friends and relatives, introduce everyone with a little fun fact. For example, “Nick, this is my cousin Juan. He plays on his school’s soccer team, just like you.” While you and your damas are getting hair and makeup done, the guys will be able to bond!

2. Speak smoothly during your speech

Giving a speech in front of a hundred or more people is nerve-wracking! But if you stand up straight, smile, and speak from the heart, you’ve got nothing to worry about. To avoid making lots of ums, uhs, and likes, practice your speech beforehand in the mirror or shower. Also, be careful with slang – it might confuse grandma!

3. Eat gracefully

We all know to chew with our mouths closed (duh!). It’s also good manners to put your napkin on your lap when you sit down. Most importantly, talk to guests sitting on both sides of you. As the belle of the ball, everyone will want to talk to you, so be sure to get up when you’ve finished your fajitas and work the room!

4. Leave your cell at home

See that girl chatting on the phone in the photo above? Tsk, tsk...her poor dama feels neglected! If you resist talking on your cell during your party, you’ll be able to focus 100% on your guests. Ask a family member to be in charge of taking calls from guests who need helping finding the party.

5. Write thank you notes

Knock your good manners out of the park by sending your guests handwritten thank you notes (not an e-mail) within a week. In two to three sentences, tell them how much the gift means to you and why you appreciate it.

Special thanks to Mis Quince’s expert, Cindy Post Senning, for this advice. She is co-director of the Emily Post Institute, where the most famous authors on etiquette in the US work. Her new book Teen Manners: From Malls to Meals to Messaging and Beyond hits shelves October 2007.

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