When young Latin and Latin American women turn 15, it’s typical for families to shell out wedding-like allowances on an extravagant quinceañera. These coming-of-age celebration mark the transition between girlhood and young adulthood, but they are highly divisive. Some view them as a part of Latino tradition that connects them to their culture, while others see them as frivolous and unnecessary.
But regardless of where you stand, it’s hard to argue that quinces aren’t a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And as such, people go all out. That’s why we’ve rounded up the most over-the-top quinces known to man. From DMX two-stepping in Timbs to Chayanne dancing to his classic “Tiempo de Vals,” here are 10 quince moments that will go down in history:
1
The $6 Million Dollar Quince
In Texas, super rich guy/owner of “one of the biggest plaintiff’s firms in Texas” Thomas J. Henry spent SIX. MILLION. DOLLARS. on his daughter’s quinceañera. Maya’s lavish event took place in a 55,000-square-foot venue decorated with cherry trees and walls of roses, and counted on Pitbull and Nick Jonas as special guests. Maya wore two dresses valued at $20,000 and she and her family reportedly rolled up in nine Rolls Royces.
The Henrys caught a lot of hateration for the excessive extravagance, but Thomas says he and his wife, Azteca, “wanted to give [Maya] an unforgettable night to mark her transition into young adulthood.”
2
The Quince That Unintentionally Went Viral
When Crescencio Ibarra uploaded a video inviting everyone to his daughter Rubí Ibarra García’s quince, the internet turned it into a larger-than-life event. Originally a party meant for Rubí’s family and friends, the quince spawned out of control and ended with an estimated 30,000 people in attendance.
After the video went viral, offers came flooding in, including those who offered her a dress and cake for the occasion. On the day of the actual event, Marco Flores de la Banda Jerez is the only musician who made it out to La Joya. He traveled eight hours on a bus from Zacatecas to perform and deliver a stuffed animal to the teen. San Blas’ controversial mayor, Hilario Ramírez Villanueva Layín, made a big scene when he arrived in a red car. He gave her a Chevrolet Spark Classic 2017 – decked out in white lettering that read “¡Felicidades Rubí! El Amigo Layin ¡Regalo!” – so that she could get to school. Additionally, San Luis Potosí Governor Juan Manuel Carreras-López also arrived with gifts in hand. He gave Rubí books and a computer to help her with school.
Rubí looked visibly overwhelmed at times, and the family even had to ask for a little peace and quiet in the midst of the circus. The quince also, unfortunately, took a dark turn, with one person dying after a scheduled horse race went horribly wrong.
3
The Quince Where Chayanne Danced to His Greatest Hit
While many a teen has danced to Chayanne’s “Tiempo de Vals” during their special day, not many quinceañeras can say they danced to the song with the man who made it famous. But that’s exactly what happened when Chayanne’s daughter, Isadora Sofía Figueroa, turned 15 in 2015.
4
The Quinceañera Who Turned Her Event Into Hogwarts
If you thought quinces were unimaginative, then you’ve never come across Tania Meza’s Harry Potter-themed bash. Though it’s surprisingly not modeled after the Yule Ball – aka one of the only parties Harry, Hermione, and Ron attended – it’s incredibly on-point. In order to enter the building, guests naturally had to go through Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Inside, the space was styled to look like the Great Hall. So instead of circular tables with one large centerpiece, the hall featured long tables with house banners hanging above. Golden snitches adorned every champagne flute and each guest received a wand.
5
The Quince Where Guests Accidentally Ate Weed Candy
Quinces are a time to get lit with your fam, but probably not as lit as 19 partygoers who accidentally ate weed-infused gummy rings. At a quinceañera hosted at the Women’s Building in San Francisco, things got dark when guests – most of them aged 6 to 18 – got sick after eating the candies. 12 of them had to be hospitalized. According to NBC Bay Area, they experienced the side effects of THC poisoning such as rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, and dilated pupils.
Up until the San Francisco Public Health Department tested the guests, the cause for all the sudden sickness was unknown.
6
The quince where DMX two-stepped in Timbs
You probably thought that DMX singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was peak DMX. But if you have never seen the video of him dancing with his daughter, Sasha, at her quince, you’ll learn that you were wrong. In November, a Timbs-clad DMX two-steps to Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father,” at one point going full Simba/”Circle of Life” on the “my father would lift me high” lyrics.
7
The Cat Quince That Was Better Than Your Quince
In Charlotte, North Carolina, the Olavarria family threw their cat, Luna, a quince better than all the rest. The family spent a full week planning the three-hour event, which had a cake, decorations, Luna balloons, and an iconic cat quince dress. “My mom found the dress on Amazon,” Angel Olavarria told The Dodo. “I totally thought my mom was joking when she said she was going to order a dress for her, but my mom never jokes about our pets.”
8
The Quinceañera Who Basically Had J. Lo As Her Godmother
Hosted a Quince style session w/ an incredible young woman Alyssa Linares, the winner of @VerizonWireless #MFQ2013!! pic.twitter.com/3A95yyqfNJ
— Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) September 23, 2013
Jennifer Lopez made a quinceañera’s dreams come true when she basically served as her madrina. In 2013, Alyssa Linares won My Fabulous Quince, a contest put on by Verizon. As part of the content, Alyssa flew to Los Angeles and had J. Lo style her. Verizon also hooked her up with a party planner, a special guest performance, a cake, a dinner, and more.
J. Lo and Alyssa bonded over the dress shopping experience. “Alyssa knew exactly what she wanted, which always helps. It made the whole process easier. She had a real vision for herself,” she said, according to E! News. “This is so up my alley. I’m always the Barbie doll, and they’re always dressing me up and doing my hair and makeup, but I love dressing people up, too. This was a pleasure for me! This was the easiest thing they could have asked me to do.”
9
The Quince Where Justin Bieber Was the Chambelan de Honor
https://youtu.be/t9yQCopXMEs
The most touching moment in quinceañera history happened on Fox’s Knock Knock Live. Justin Bieber threw Ashley, one of his biggest fans, a party of a lifetime. She planned the party for years, but was unable to have the party because she was diagnosed with meningitis. In a sweet video, Justin gave her dress options and complimented her before surprising her with her party. He then danced with her as he sang along to “Pray,” her favorite song.
10
The Quince With the Narco Theme
In Mexico, one quinceañera had a completely narco-themed dance routine. Her chambelanes were dressed up as capos and gunshots blasted through speakers.