Sephy's Quinceañera

Quinceañera, in some Latin American countries, is a coming of age ceremony held on a girl's 15th birthday, comparable to a Sweet 16 celebration. Persepheny Munguia's Quince Party is simply Solano 888 Productions' next event on the 19th of June at San Fernando Valley, CA. Expected number of guests: 200.

Let me give you a brief run on our program. First, a priest will be performing a Quinceañera ceremony a.k.a. "Mass of Thanksgiving" before the reception starts. Sephy's baptismal godparents will oversee the spiritual celebration, and her friends and relatives will attend to see the recognition she will receive as she makes the transition from girl to young lady in everyone's eyes.


With all the planning and event requirements, I would say that a Quinceañera is comparable in scope and grandeur to weddings, and the party atmosphere that follows the somewhat more subdued religious atmosphere. There is a significant dress, just as with a wedding, literally like a bride's wedding gown. Sephy's mom, Reada, being the most fabulous and supportive mom, even booked a Hummer limo for the Quince's grand entrance, like her own bridal car. Now, how fabulous is that??!

Flowers and decorations will match the 80's light turquoise and deep purple color scheme. There will also be a live band and DJ for the evening to create an energetic and fun atmosphere. Light production experts are also hired to set the perfect mood.

Here's a short list of the traditions and symbols that will be observed at the event:

Tiara
A tiara denotes a “princess” before God, a triumph over childhood, and the ability to face all challenges ahead. The mass will include a coronation ceremony, in which Reada, as the mom, will crown Sephy a beautiful tiara.

Bracelet or Ring
This represents the circle of life and the Quince’s future contributions to society. Sephy will be wearing both.

Cross or Medallion
This signifies the Quince’s faith in God and herself. A cross will be presented during the ceremony.

Bible and Prayer Book
These help encourage the Quince’s continuous religious growth. A bible will be used at the ceremony.

Rosary
This symbolizes the Quince’s love and devotion to the Virgin Mary. A rosary will be tied together with Sephy's bouquet.

Flowers/Bouquet of Roses
Flowers are a symbol of youth; Sephy will be carrying a bouquet of roses which she'll leave at the altar to honor the Virgin Mary.

High Heels
High heels mark the transition from girl to young woman. At the reception, right after Sephy's Court's traditional waltz, her father will change her shoes from flats to heels.

Last Doll
The last doll symbolizes the leaving of childhood. In my research, some Quinces carry the doll into the church during the Mass and then exchange it for a bouquet of flowers. But in this case, I suggested to have a doll toss at the end of the reception for the young girls in replica of wedding traditions.

Sephy's Guest Book

Bob's 16 Rules for $UCE$$

1.	Get and stay out of your comfort zone.
	I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."
2.	Never give up.
	Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn't have an opportunity.
3.	When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think.
	There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed."
4.	With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.
	Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert, if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."
5.	Focus on what you want to have happen.
	Remember that old saying, "As you think, so shall you be."
6.	Take things a day at a time.
	No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.
7.	Always be moving forward.
	Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.
8.	Be quick to decide.
	Remember what General George S. Patton said: "A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."
9.	Measure everything of significance.
	I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.
10.	Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.
	If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.
11.	Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing.
	When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.
12.	Never let anybody push you around.
	In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is legal.
13.	Never expect life to be fair.
	Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).
14.	Solve your own problems.
	You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."
15.	Don't take yourself too seriously.
	Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.
16.	There's always a reason to smile.
	Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!"

The Solano 888 Productions Crew

Meet the most talented individuals on earth (from left to right): Pak Coquia, James Wallington & Jonah Solano.

She Got Her Own - Joey's Music Video

This is so far the most challenging video I've ever made. A 3-hour shoot (plus 10-hours of editing) that almost got us in trouble. ;) Well, it was worth the risk... I've used some clips from Joey's dance rehearsal and most of the footage were taken at Chevy Chase Country club (indoor and outdoor) during the final dress rehearsal on April 17. I promised the kids that I'll make them stars for a day. It looked very casual during the shoot but everyone was in awe when I played it during Joey's debut. Enjoy!

The Phantom of the Opera Debut Theme

I met Joanne, the celebrant, through her mom, Elsa, when I was planning Dennis' 40th surprise birthday party last year (2009).

Upon realizing that I am an event planner, Elsa immediately hired me as a full coordinator for Joanne's Debut party. For those who are not aware of Filipino traditions, debut party is like the Quinceañera or Sweet 16 celebration in the Philippines, except it's celebrated when a girl turns 18 years old. I can still remember my own debut party in Manila. It was very stressful yet memorable! :) I had my cotillion de honor and we danced the traditional waltz. I even remember changing my gowns at least 5x, can you imagine?? It was one spectacular night with friends and family.

When I found out that Joanne wants to have the "Phantom of the Opera" as her party theme, a lot of things and ideas came into my mind. I started with her red & gold Venetian mask. It actually took me a week to find the perfect mask for the birthday girl. Luckily, I found the winner on eBay. As a final touch, I decided to add a red artificial flower on it to accentuate the look.

Since this is my first debut project, I wanted to use my skills and creativity to make it as fabulous as possible! So I decided to conduct a photo shoot with my good friends, Tomas and Agne Skaringa, on Valentine's Day. Tomas is a European professional photographer who specializes in fashion and portrait photography. Together with his wife, Agne, a professional model and a make-up artist, these two can just deliver nothing but excellent portfolio.

Two things that I have learned about graphic designs: simplicity and consistency. Here are the lay-outs that I made for Joanne's invites and stationery:

The Save-the-Date Magnet Card

The Formal Invitation

The Thank You Card

The Program Card

The Table Number





The Photo Guest Book

As an event designer, I have prepared these initial lay-outs for her presidential table. This is basically the GOAL:

OPTION A w/Mask Backdrop

OPTION B w/Fire Place

I truly believe that this will be one GRAND event if executed well. I have exactly 23 days left to make this work. I can't wait! :)

Now It's Official

After months of planning and business conceptualization, SOLANO 888 PRODUCTIONS Event Design & Coordination is now finally OFFICIAL! Yes, official as in recorded and filed at the Los Angeles County office as a partnership business as of today (March 24, 2010). I am very happy to have my hubby (Dennis Solano) as my business partner. :)

I can't believe that this is actually happening. My dream is now turning into a reality... It all started as a part-time gig for almost 2 years here in Los Angeles, CA. Thanks to my old job at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Tagaytay (Philippines) as Marketing Supervisor for giving me great wedding and event inspirations since 2006. Who would have taught that I'd end up doing weddings as a career??

I have learned a lot of technical and legal stuff today about putting up a new business in LA. First is the difference between a County and a City Hall.

If you’re residing in the City of Los Angeles and basically starting from scratch, you have to go to the LA County located at 12400 Imperial Hwy, 2^nd Floor, Norwalk, CA 90650 to file for your fictitious business name. I suggest that you download and fill-up this form online: http://www.lavote.net/GENERAL/PDFS/FICTITIOUS_BUSINESS_NAME.pdf before proceeding to the office to save time. The form will cost you $23 for one name and $4 for every additional name/ business partner. After filing for your business name, you will be advised to have your business statement published on local newspaper within 30 days for general circulation, that is four (4) times or once a week. Publishing fee would normally cost $80- $100 for 4 circulations. After completion, an affidavit showing the publication of the statement shall be filed with the county clerk within 30 days. The clerk would hand-out a list of publishers for you to choose from. Just beware of solicitors in the area because they are not County employees.

Next step is the business license. This one is filed at the Los Angeles City Hall located at 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Make sure that you bring your certified Fictitious Business Name Statement. Business license fee ranges from $150- $200 depending on the type of business. In my case, I hired someone to process it for me for an additional $25 on top of the license fee of $195 since I didn’t have much time to go back and forth, the County and the City Hall.

Upon receiving your DBA (Doing Business As) a.k.a. Fictitious Business Name statement from the County clerk, you will be eligible to any bank of your choice to open your business bank account. I’m still figuring out which bank has the best benefits and interests. But I would suggest that you go for Citibank, Bank of America or Wells Fargo. But before heading to the bank, you may need to apply first for your EIN (Employer Identification Number) online: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98350,00.html. Make sure that you print out the confirmation letter and bring it with you to the bank together with the other documents.

Once you have completed all the necessary paper and documentation, you’re all set to go and operate. I was actually advised that I can officially start doing business today since I have the certified copy of my DBA already. Now this is a CELEBRATION! Cheers!!

In a nutshell, this is history for Solano 888 Productions. March 24, 2010 -- the official birth date that will be celebrated in centuries. This is a start of a legacy that will be passed on to our future kids, grand kids and the entire SOLANO clan. To this day, I say, "Solano 888 Productions will be BIG & GREAT someday".

- Jonah Solano

Owner, Solano 888 Productions