Cuba is becoming a destination for lavish quinceañera parties — here's what they're like

Quinceañeras, which celebrate a girl's 15^th birthday and her official transition into adulthood, have been a part of Latin America tradition for centuries.

Now, thanks to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba, in addition to reforms that have permitted small-scale private businesses, trips to Cuba are becoming more and more common among girls who are finding that lavish parties can be had at a cheaper cost on the island.

Quinceañera celebrations in Cuba typically include photo sessions with dozens of elaborate ensembles and the chance to ride to their party in gorgeous classic cars.

A photographer with the Associated Press recently documented what the world of quinceañeras is like on the island, revealing the age-old traditions that remain as well as those that have shifted over the years.

SEE ALSO: We sent 3 reporters to Cuba for a week, and it was a wild adventure from the moment they arrived

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Here, Estefania Hernandez Perera, who lives in Cuba, has her photograph taken by FotoEcos, a studio specializing in quinceañera photography in Havana. According to AP, many studios are operated by former state sector professionals who were able to purchase cameras through the help of their US relatives.

Source: AP

Camila Lopez Rivas poses on a beach in Havana while an assistant lifts the train of her dress to make it seem as if it's moving with the wind. Currently living in Miami, Rivas left Cuba with her father at a young age. She wanted to return to get her photos taken, as is typical for 15th birthday celebrations in Cuba.

Gladys Barroso Quintana has her photo taken while tourists watch. While some of the older traditions — like the waltz — remain, the focus of quinceañeras in Cuba is the photographs.