There are many similarities between celebrating a Sweet Sixteen and celebrating a Quinceañero. One similarity is that the purpose of this party is to celebrate a girl growing up. They both acknowledge a young girl going from childhood to becoming a woman. They also both have shoe ceremonies. The ceremony involves starting the party in flats and then sitting down and having your father remove your flats and put on heels. Also, both a Sweet Sixteen and a Quinceañero have a tiara ceremony. The tiara is usually given in both parties by a parent or grandparent.
There are also differences between a Sweet Sixteen and a Quinceañero. One difference is the age that you celebrate. During a Sweet Sixteen, you are obviously celebrating your sixteenth birthday.