Our first Quinceanera photoshoot in Elizabethtown, NC

Quinceañera Lynn

Our first Quinceañera photography event just took place two weekends ago and we were delighted to experience first-hand how Lynn celebrated this rite of passage from little girl to now a young lady. Lynn is a very sweet and respectful young lady, very close to her parents, grandmother and aunts. They were all crucial in the making of her lavender color quinceañera dress, decorating the venue, and doing her hair and makeup for her dreamy quinceañera party. Let’s learn about the details and how you can get ready for your “Sweet 15” party.

Find a Venue

We were first approached by Lynn’s dad a few months ago as they were finalizing the details on securing the venue, Lu Mil Vineyard, known for their festival of lights located in Elizabethtown, NC, for the Quinceañera reception. If you are looking at venues, include in your search a vineyard that is family-friendly and has a multi-use space for receptions and parties like this one. They have grown to over 78 acres in the last five years and we were able to stop by a few months before the event to take a couple of portrait photos of her. The family chose their favorite portrait and we ordered through our preferred vendor, a large acrylic print which was used as part of the decor for the reception. Also, check to see if the vineyard can make and bottle the cider they produce, which you can personalize for the Quinceañera and use as part of the centerpiece decor. The cider can also be chilled and served throughout the night creating an unforgettable experience for all guests to savor. This is a great way to tie the theme of the venue with your event!

Limo Ride, Photo Locations & Lots of Laughs

Before we arrived at Lu Mil Vineyard which is an hour and a half from Raleigh, we stopped at the Fayetteville Rose Garden, about 30 miles from the venue. Although we were a few days shy from the flowers blooming, we were still able to take beautiful photos with the court of honor (corte de honor), who arrived in a beautiful white Hummer limo. The two white gazebos, the water fountains near the garden gave us a lot of memorable moments to capture as it also helped the court of honor and quinceañera to have fun. This is so important when choosing a location to take photos prior to the event as you want for them to have these moments to ease into the afternoon. All of them were taking selfies and TikToks before a long evening of being the center of attention with choreographed dances.

The decor

Upon arrival at the family-friendly Lu Mil Vineyard, the spacious reception hall, located next to the tasting room was decorated with hanging vine-like floral arrangements in purple, lilac and lavender colors with touches of greenery and silver. This matched the quinceañera’s lilac lace floral dress that her grandmother made for her and gave a nice contrast to the silver and white outfits worn by her court of honor.

Trends and traditions

Let’s talk a little about the details during the event. Lynn was given 12 white roses, all tagged with biblical verses and a few words of advice from her pastor. She then turned this moment into an even more interactive activity as 12 of her guests were also then gifted these flowers who have played a special role in this event and in her life. I (Daniela), was given one of those roses, making me feel so special and surrounded by love as we recover from losing our baby Ethan, where you can read more about it on our blog. Lynn was also gifted a bigger crown which was exchanged for the smaller tiara she was wearing throughout the day. These exchanges all exemplify her rite of passage, just like the shoes she was wearing into high-heel stilettos, new jewelry, a new bible, and a surprise vanity mirror table set with lights. The dances with daddy and the choreography with her court of honor were breathtaking, full of emotions as we see this beautiful young lady enjoy her well-deserved.