Keeping Your Quinceanera Memories Alive

It's sad when it's all over, isn't it? You plan for so long, dream about it even longer, and then it's over and all you have left are the memories. What will you do to preserve them?

The best ways to remember your quinceanera are:

• Videos
• Photographs
• Scrapbooks
• Journals
• Personal Quinceanera Websites
• Shadow boxes
• Preserved Gowns

Before you begin planning for your quinceanera, it's a good idea to consider how you will manage the memories. If you know this from the beginning, you'll end up with a lovely completed project rather than a shoebox filled with scraps, notes, and photos that you just might organize someday.

The FREE Perfect Quinceanera Planning Worksheets that come with the Planning the Perfect Quinceanera guide book are an easy way to remember all of the planning steps for your quinceanera and can help others plan a great quinceanera. As you plan your quinceanera, keep these completed pages in a three ring binder nearly organized. Insert page protectors and drop in items that you can't hole punch easily like a sample printed napkin, photographs, the tags from your dress, small favors, etc.

If you chose a professional videographer you should end up with a very lovely finished product. Professional photographs can also be great memories if you bought the photo album. If you purchased loose prints, use them in a special quinceanera scrapbook or at least purchase an acid-free photo album and place them inside, neatly labeled. Do this as soon after the event as you can. Even though the event was such a dream come true you know you'll never forget one single moment, it happens all that time that lots of moments get forgotten. Even if you can't put them in a photo album or scrapbook right away, label the back of the photos with an adhesive label or in pencil.

Don't forget, at the church ceremony, the quinceanera rehearsal dinner, and the reception, your guests will probably also take photos

Scrapbooking is so popular and the tools are available everywhere for making the most spectacular scrapbooks. Visit a scrapbook or crafts store or check out a book on scrapbooking for great ideas on making your memories come alive on quinceanera themed pages.

It's also a great idea for the quinceanera, her mother or madrina, to keep a journal of the time leading up to the event. Even a video journal is a great idea. Either record or write down what happens along the way. Record set-backs and triumphs so that when time has passed, you can dig up your journal and savor every little step of the way. Even the things that seemed horrific at the time will most likely seem amusing once time passes and will help you appreciate the quinceanera even more.

Build a personal quinceanera website at a site specifically designed for this and add to it every week or so. Upload pictures and videos from the planning and give out the URL to all of your friends and family. You'll want them to be able to share in the fun even if they are miles away. But what if you don't want them to see your dress or know what the vals looks like until the actual quince? You can keep that information to yourself and load it up after your quinceanera is over, or you can build the site as you go, and don't add the surprise photos, videos, and journal (blog) entries until the event is over. Remind everyone to drop in after the quinceanera so they can get the scoop and see photos from the quinceanera reception.

Shadow boxes can also make excellent memory makers. Select a few items from the quinceanera and have them professionally framed together. The invitation, a favor, a photo, your last doll (ultima muneca) can all be arranged to make a gorgeous piece of art to hang on the wall and keep the quince memories alive for years.

No matter what you do, preserve your gown. Professional gown preservation will keep your gown looking as beautiful as the first moment you put it on and most gown companies preserve them in stunning display cases that show off the gown and are easy to store.

The Perfect Quinceanera is always a memorable one. Want to know more about how to create the perfect quinceanera? Check out Planning the Perfect Quinceanera for an insider's tips to everything you need to know for creating the quinceanera of her dreams.