Kassandra's Quinceañera

I am currently editing the photos I shot from Kassandra's quinceañera/sweet sixteen in the Bronx. Kassandra chose to merge both Puerto Rican and American traditions by celebrating her quinceañera on her sixteenth birthday. Her coming of age celebration was full of rituals and symbolism. Below, Kassandra relaxes in the banquet hall after her party has ended. Her grandpa pinches her cheeks and gives her a good night beso, or kiss. The doll in the foreground is her última muñeca, the last doll she will receive in her childhood, a symbol of both maturity and purity. The última muñeca, dressed identically to Kassandra, is pinned with leftover capias, or charms, that were given as recuerdos, or keepsakes, to the quinceañera guests.