The court of honor is a tradition in quinceañera parties. They are friends who will participate in many traditional practices during your fiesta. Find out more about damas and chambelanes: who they are, their duties and how to make all the moments with them memorable!
Damas and Chambelanes: Who they are
You’re turning fifteen! In this moment, great changes are happening in your life. Your friends are the ones who understand you the most during this process because they are going through it too. So, your damas and chambelanes are those important friends who are close to you and who mean a lot to you.
In your quinceañera, they will be present in the entrance, during the dances and they will always close to you for supporting you. The court of honor is usually a group of 15 chambelanes and 14 damas, so that you have 15 couples. Another possible combination is having 7 damas and 7 chambelanes, so that you have a group of 15 people.
Nowadays, these numbers are not so important anymore. No matter if you have 5 or 20 damas and chambelanes, the important thing is that you have chosen your loved ones. Having couples is also not indispensable. Many girls choose to have only damas or only chambelanes and that’s totally fine. It will actually be much easier to choose your court when you are thinking about who they are, and not how many of them you need.
Choosing your damas and chambelanes
As it has been emphasized, your court is made up of beloved people willing to participate in your life. When choosing your damas and chambelanes, think of the people who you will want to have around you not only now, but also in the next steps of your life. When you are older and looking at your pictures, will you be happy to have chosen those ones?
You can also invite your damas and chambelanes with a gift or a special card to show them how important they are for you. But do not get sad if they don’t accept. There are duties for a court to be responsible for, so if this person doesn’t have time, maybe they’ll participate in another way during your quinceañera.
Damas and Chambelanes Duties
When accepting being part of your court of honor, your friends should know what their duties are. It is an important event for you, so they should be active in it. Make sure they know those duties:
Expenses: If there are any expenses, they should know it. You should tell them whether your parents are helping in their clothes expenses or not, if there are flowers or any accessory to be bought… They should be aware of all the expenses they’ll have, and they should talk to their parents about it, so that all of you don’t have bad surprises before the party.
Time: Your court will need to have time to practice the dances and the traditional practices they will be part of during your quinceañera.
Attending the party: When a friend accepts to be part of the court, they must be present in your quinceañera. They should know how important they are and their duty to be there.
Your court will make it easier for you to go in public and dance, besides doing all the practices of the ceremony. It is a ritual of passage, a religious ceremony, and a celebration of your life. Choose the best ones to be with you!
