“They’re budgeting and looking for deals together,” Wall says. “It brings mother and daughter closer together.”

Many experts suggest that party planners begin by slashing the guest list. That’s what Norma Furriel of Bonita, California, did. She cut her daughter’s original list of 400 invitees in half.

“I wanted people who really knew Patricia,” says Furriel, 45, a Mexican American, referring to daughter who is holding her quince in August. “We have to be selective. I don’t want her to invite all of her high school.”

Experts estimate that, depending on the menu and type of party, the cost for each guest can exceed $40 per person. The money saved from inviting fewer people is allowing the Furriels to splurge on other items, such as hundreds of fresh flowers.

After checking the guest list, say experts, survey the frills. The most expensive item for a quinceañera is the dress, says Wall, followed by the cake.

“The dress and cake alone—that’s almost $1,000,” says the Dominican American. The more princess-like the dress, she says, the more it usually costs.

Another growing trend is buying an elegant and intricately designed camouflage cake: essentially a fake cake that’s made to look beautiful for presentation at the event, Wall says. When the cake is ready to be cut, though, you take it back into the kitchen and come out with plates of less-expensive sheet cake.

Ferree, who bought Lauren’s cake for $400, decided to cut the cake cost for youngest daughter Amanda’s event by making their own. They ended up spending about $60 on a cake decorating class at a local craft store; the cake itself cost about $30.

Next, look at where you’re holding the event. The Furriels shopped around before committing to a venue; they’ve found there’s so much competition in today’s recession that vendors should be able to compete and offer good deals. “If they don’t lower the price you can go somewhere else,” says Furriel.

Amanda’s quince was held at a park community center, which charged her $640 for four hours for the party, an hour for set-up, an hour for clean-up, and security. Lauren held hers at another park community center for $450, including chairs, tables, security, and after-hours extension. Patricia Furriel’s will be at a private reception hall, at a cost of around $3,500 for 150 to 200 guests, including a DJ.

Another pricey expense depends on your theme. Experts suggest choosing a less-expensive theme, such as a beach party, which can cut down on the costs of decorations and dress fabric.

Even if you have a formal theme, you can save in other ways. For her dance club-themed party, Amanda wanted black and strobe lights, which she borrowed from friends of friends who had them left over from previous haunted houses. And though she wanted a lounge-feel to her club party—and had her heart set on renting nice couches for the party, at $150 a crack—she settled for a few borrowed couches, eight tables for $2 each, and 50 chairs at $1 a pop.

In addition, consultants try to cut the costs of invitations and RSVP cards. Amanda made her invitations herself, much cheaper than a formal invitation prepared by a printer, but e-mail invitations may also work for a less-formal affair, says Wall.
 
Ferree says one of the most important ways to save money was to recruit the help of friends and family.

“I couldn’t do this all myself,” Amanda says.