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On Monday, February 23rd, MTV Tr3s is airing a Victorian quince episode of "Quiero Mis Quinces"! I wrote a post about how to have a Victorian quince on a budget earlier, so I wanted to republish it in case you're inspired after watching Arlene's party on MTV Tr3s! Get the scoop on Arlene here on mtvtr3s.com.

Imagine a Victorian quinceañera, inspired by the movie Titanic, with lots of lace dresses, and a waltz to the theme song "My Heart Will Go On." But watch out, because Victorian themes don't go well with folding chairs! That's because the Victorian era, in the 1800s, was a time of great luxury for the British people. This theme goes well with big-budget quinces, especially those at lavish mansions, hotels, or rose gardens.

That is, unless you're really creative! You can still have a Victorian quince on a reasonable budget.

Venue: Consider your local park or your church's hall. Or, you can usually save lots of money at a nice restaurant if you have your quinceañera on a Friday or a Sunday, as opposed to Saturday.

Invitations: These will set the mood for your party right from the start. Think floral borders and ribbons. One idea is to start drying roses and other flowers. Then in about five weeks, you can glue them on your homemade invites with your hot-glue gun. Use paper doilies to give the invitations a delicate edge.

Damas dresses: Your damas can wear high-necked dresses with lacy sleeves. You may add touches like feathers on the hair, big hats, feather boas, and gloves. The chambelanes can wear classic tuxedos with tails and top hats, and they can wear their hair slicked back.

Cake and centerpieces: By adding roses and ribbons to your cake, you can make it look Victorian. See the example pictured. Use candelabras as centerpieces, or arrange white candles in various sizes together and adorn them with rose petals in the center of the tables. 

Decorations and favors: Think pearls, buttons, cameos, lockets, and brooches from a craft or vintage store. Put little mint candies or jelly beans in small containers. Finish them off with tiny bows and a meaningful thought printed on a sticker on the bottom of the container. 

Food: If your party starts mid-afternoon, you can have a tea-party-style menu, with miniature sandwiches and scones (a Scottish biscuit, typical of Victorian parties), served in lined baskets, and decorated with ribbons and roses. Also serve a variety of pastries on pedestal cake plates.

Your dress: Finally, the most important element! Go for lavender, pink, gray, white, ivory, or off-white, with as much lace as possible. Enter wearing no jewelry and then have your parents add jewelry as part of the ceremony. The dress should have a fitted bodice, be laced up in the back, with a full skirt supported by a wire petticoat for more fullness. Choose one made out of tulle, silk, organza, lace, gauze, or linen. A big hat, with a small Battenberg lace veil, would be appropriate and beautiful. Later the hat can be removed and replaced with the classic quinceañera tiara by mom in the coronation ceremony. Other accessories may include a lace umbrella, short lace gloves, laced-up boots, and a fan.

Do you have any other creative ideas? Here are some related blogs I've written with additional information about Victorian style and other party themes:

Consider the Quinceañera Fan Tradition

How to Choose Your Perfect Shade of Pink

Five Superfun Party Themes

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