• Color-coordinating candles and accents helps tie decorations together.Maren Caruso/Lifesize/Getty Images
  
  In Latin culture, a quinceanera is the formal celebration of a girl's 15th birthday. This rite of passage often is filled with choreographed dances, intricately designed cakes and perfectly decorated reception halls. Using candles as centerpieces and ambient lighting is a lovely way to decorate the party space. Whether your party adheres to a specific theme or a color scheme, there is no shortage of ways to customize candles to fit your desired look.
  
  

Theme-Based

• Although not required, it is common for the guest of honor and party planners to choose a theme for the celebration. Possible themes include princess, Hollywood, Mardi Gras, butterflies, the beach or the garden. Your candle decorations should enhance your chosen theme. For example, if you decide on a classic Hollywood theme, you might center tea lights in small star-shaped dishes down the length of each table. You also could roll out a red carpet for your guests lined with votives on tall candle holders to illuminate the intimate space.
  
  

Color-Coordinated

• If your quinceanera doesn't have a specific theme, use color and texture to unify the decorations, including the candles. For example, the guest of honor might choose gold and purple as the party colors. Position gold and purple candles of various heights on mirrored glass to create warm, colorful centerpieces for the party tables. Similar candles could surround the cake, guest book and other common areas. Instead of candles in different colors, choose one candle color and embellish the candles with bright accents such as sequins, beads, artificial gemstones, ribbon or paint. As an example, in working with purple and gold, you could place purple candles in gold holders and accent them with flowers and other decorative touches.
  
  

Lighting Considerations

• The warm glow of the candlelight, more than the style of the candles, will have the most effect on the ambiance of your quinceanera. For this reason, you can choose a large or small number of candles according to your desired lighting effect. For example, use candles only in covered wall sconces to produce lower light and create a cozier environment. For a brighter event, go with a large assortment of candles; use them as focal points of centerpieces and in candelabras throughout the space.