Photographing a Quinceañera or Milestone Birthday

A quinceañera is planned like a wedding, and it should be photographed like one. The same goes for a sweet sixteen or a fiftieth that fills a hall. There is a portrait session, a ceremony or entrance, a party with set moments, and a family that will want the pictures for the rest of their lives. Here is how we plan it.

The portrait session

Do it on a separate day, before the event. The dress, the hair, the makeup and the light all get full attention, and the pictures are ready to display at the party. On the day itself there is never enough time, and the guest of honor is already tired by the time portraits would happen. A separate session also gives options: a park or a field at golden hour, the studio, and a downtown stop.

On the day

1. 1.Getting ready: the dress going on, the family helping, the details.
2. 2.The mass or ceremony, if there is one. We coordinate with the church on where we can stand.
3. 3.The entrance and the presentation, including the court.
4. 4.The set moments: the waltz, the shoe change, the last doll, the toast, the cake, the surprise dance.
5. 5.The party. The candids from the dance floor are what the family will laugh at for years.
6. 6.Group photos with every table or family group, which need a plan and a spot.

Video

The waltz, the father-daughter dance and the toasts are the moments people replay, and they need clean audio from the DJ's board to be usable. A highlight film cut to music is the usual deliverable, with full recordings of the dances and the speeches kept separately. If you are weighing photo against video, read what the different coverage levels actually mean; the same logic applies.

Extras that suit these events

The 360 booth is popular at quinceañeras and sweet sixteens because it gives the court and the guests something to do and it sends branded clips out all night. Uplighting and speakers are available through 32 Rentals if the venue does not have them. Invitations, a welcome sign and a custom backdrop graphic can be designed to match the theme.

For the family

Older relatives come to these events from far away. A portrait of the guest of honor with each set of grandparents, and one with the whole family, are the images that get printed. Plan five minutes for them early in the party, before the dancing, while everyone is still fresh.

Sweet sixteens and milestone birthdays

A sweet sixteen or a fiftieth, sixtieth or seventy-fifth in a rented hall follows the same shape: an arrival, a moment with the family, a program of some kind, food, and a party. The guest of honor is the subject all night, and the picture the family wants most is the one with everybody. Plan it early in the evening, name the spot, and have someone gather people. For a surprise party, we arrive before the guest of honor and stay out of sight until the reveal, which is one of the best moments there is to film.

Invitations and printed pieces

Invitations, a welcome sign, table cards and a banner for the hall are designed together so the whole event matches, and a portrait from the pre-event session on the invitation is the usual choice. Our graphic design side handles them and they are ready well before the mailing date if the session happens early enough.

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead should we book? When the venue is booked. Spring and early summer weekends fill first.

Do you cover the church and the hall? Yes, both, with the travel in between planned into the timeline.

Do you speak Spanish? Send the details of the event and we will make sure the day is coordinated clearly with whoever is organizing it.

Can you do a photo slideshow for the party? Yes, from the portrait session and family photos, ready to play at the hall.

32 Productions covers Douglas, Coffee County and South Georgia. Call (912) 592-3376.

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