How to Have a "Midsummer Night's Dream" Themed Quinceanera
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is one of William Shakespeare's most popular works. The play follows the adventures of four young Athenians caught up in a complicated love story. The lively story and fantastic setting of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" -- complete with enchanted woods, fairies and spirits -- can inspire the invitations, decorations, refreshments and dress code for a quinceanera.
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Instructions
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Choose a venue for your quinceanera, or quince, that will work with your "A Midsummer Night's Dream" theme. An indoor venue that stays open late is ideal for the theme. You can dim the lights so that the interior of your party resembles nighttime even if the party begins during daylight hours. Hold your party from the evening well into the night to add to the enchanted mood of the theme. Because a quince gives family and friends an opportunity to celebrate together, it's best not to try to orchestrate the party activities too strictly. Simply ensuring that there will be music and space to dance and socialize is sufficient.
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Select guests for your quince and design your invitations in keeping with the "Midsummer Night's Dream" theme. You may choose to use a paper invitation vendor instead of making invitations yourself if your guest list is long. Work with the vendor to select paper and envelopes for your invitations in a muted color, such as mauve, dusky blue or light forest green. Use a decorative serif font for the invitation text, and include dress code guidelines. Invite guests to dress as a forest sprite from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" if they wish, or to emulate the character Nick Bottom and rent a donkey costume.
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Plan your debut for your quince. Near the beginning of the party, the quinceanera is revealed to guests in a dramatic way that functions as her introduction as an adult into society. Choose a gown with fairy, pixie or supernatural detailing, and carry a wand and wear a matching tiara. Try to keep with the enchanted forest theme by selecting colors from an earth-toned palette with a few jewel tones mixed in for dramatic effect. Sequins, embroidery and beading details on your gown will heighten the magical effect.
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Choose a partner for one of your first dances of the evening as a quinceanera. You could choose your father or a close male friend, both traditional dance partners for the quinceanera, at the beginning of the party. Arrange for one of your partners to dress as a character from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to complete the theme of your quince. One of the play's characters is named Peter Quince, and he is a carpenter. If your dance partner dresses as that character, then his costume should evoke the clothing of a hardworking and down-to-earth man. Pants in a dark, muted color such as brown, a loose-fitting button-down shirt and tall boots would be appropriate. A lightweight tool belt would complete the costume.
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Select decorations for your quince that evoke the ambiance of an enchanted forest. Party supply stores carry tree and foliage decorations that you can use to fill your venue. Use dark, muted colors that conjure images of a forest at night, such as rich greens, browns and blacks, and add playful touches with paper or silk flowers in bright pops of color and strands of twinkling Christmas tree lights. Some venues have small stages where you can install a ready-made forest backdrop, or create your own on a large canvas with paints and your own creativity.
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Decide the quince's menu and serving ware as you keep the play in mind. Buffet-style menus are successful at quinceaneras, allowing guests to eat, socialize and dance as they please. Opting for buffet-style food selections also affords you greater control over a themed menu because plated meals are up to a caterer to plan and serve. In keeping with the "Midsummer Night's Dream" theme, plan to lay the food on wooden trays and dishes and to serve each dish with wooden utensils to reference the enchanted forest in the play. Include selections of nuts and berries or dried fruit, roasted meat and root vegetables -- items that would have been likely to appear on an Elizabethan dining table.
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