Quinces fit for a queen - S.W. Florida businesses responding to growing demand for expensive, elegant traditional Hispanic coming-of-age parties

“Business owners have noticed a growth in price, production level and frequency of quinceañeras, or quinces, in Collier and Lee counties, and they’re responding by tailoring their businesses to the parties. As a result, local girls and their families are spending those dollars in Southwest Florida instead of at businesses on Florida’s east coast.

“Quinceañeras are better than weddings,” joked Isabel Albuerne, mistress of ceremonies, with one family at their final rehearsal, “because there’s only one family to please and she’ll only turn 15 once.”

Albuerne, who works out of her Naples home and has been in the business for 22 years, calls herself La Dama de las Fiestas, or The Event Lady. She began her work in the business as a quinceañera coordinator and created Florida Weddings and Special Events, a quarterly publication for weddings, quinces and sweet 16 parties, in 2006.”

Take a look at some photos of these awesome Quinceañeras
(luckily I have more than 7 years until my little girl needs one!)

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