Economy has Latinos downsizing quinceañeras

S.D.U.T.
By Leslie Berestein
2:00 a.m. April 26, 2009

The current recession was years away when Nayely Casas' parents began saving for their oldest daughter's 15th birthday. Like many Latino parents in the United States, shortly after their daughter was born, they began dreaming and making plans for the ultimate party – her quinceañera.

Over the past few decades in this country, the Latin American coming-of-age tradition that was once a homespun celebration marked by a church service has evolved into a gala, generating business that rivals the wedding industry with specialized dress shops, photographers and emcees.

But as the economy has tightened, so have parents' budgets. And much as the wedding industry has slowed, so has spending on the cascading pastel dresses, Humvee stretch limos and elaborate ballroom banquets that have become trappings of the modern American quinceañera.

“My quinceañera was celebrated at home,â€