Latin American traditions of the Quinceanera
The honor corporation is one of the beautiful Latin American traditions of the Quinceanera celebration. The Corte of Honor celebrate them on their way from girls to women and support their hopes and dreams in their lives.
Family members and close friends of the celebrant’s family members are usually chosen to be in their Corte de honor. They take part in a special waltz for the celebration.
How many should be in your Corte de Honor?
The tradition was for the party to consist of fourteen boys and fourteen girls, plus the Quinc girl and her escort for their celebration. Each couple represents a year of life in the girl’s.
Many Hispanic families in the United States prefer half a dish. With 7 girls and 7 boys. Now each person represents a year of their life and the Quinceanera adds the fifteenth year. Families have a reduced number of participants in the Corte of Honor to make it easier to work with them. They found that the main advantages of the smaller court were lower costs and the challenge of organizing dance rehearsals.
Some families choose to only have one corte of boys. The number of boys in the corte can range from four to fourteen boys. The reason for this idea is that the all-boy Corte of Honor allows the Quinceanera to be the only crowned princess at her own ball.
Some families choose the Corte de Honor to be just girls. Often every girl is accompanied by her father. The young lady and their family can choose from an unlimited number of options.
- Of the other options where the individual is accompanied by their honorary escort or Dama de Honor, or their parents may accompany them. Or the Quinceanera may only be accompanied by her father. There is no right or wrong way that the Court of Honor should be. The final decision is for the debutante and their parents to decide what the Honor Correspondence should look like.
- When choosing who to invite to attend your Corte de Honor, it is very important that those who wish to become involved in a part of the Corte of Honor do so willingly. It’s a big commitment for everyone involved. Commitment involves much more than just time and money. The boys and girls who undertake to be in the Corte must honor and respect everyone else in the Corte with good behavior and be on time for rehearsals.
Things to Consider Before Inviting Someone to Join the Corte of Honor:
Before the birthday girl and their families invite the boys and/or girls to participate in the Corte de Honor, they should determine the amount of time and money that would be required to fulfill the role of the Court.
Other areas that need to be addressed are the number and location of each rehearsal, the length of rehearsal, the estimated cost of dress and shoes for the Damas, and the estimated cost of renting a tuxedo or other outfit for the Damas and Chambelanes.
It is very important to write down this information and distribute two copies to everyone you invite to be on your corte. The participant must keep one copy for himself and the other copy must be returned with the signed authorization and permission of his or her son or daughter to participate in the Corte de Honor.
The honor corporation, like any other part of the Quinceanera celebration, requires planning and dedication in order for the result to be what you want it to be. Therefore, it is much better to let everyone know in advance what is expected of them. Avoid embarrassment for those involved or awkward moments later. It also prevents you and your family from having to find last-minute replacements.
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