Create a memorable Sweet 16 party for your kid.
A 16th birthday is a special time for young women. Often, as the birthday nears, both the parents and the girl think about spending time celebrating with family and friends, with a Sweet 16 birthday party. But a Sweet 16 party isn't a run-of-the-mill birthday party. It should be as memorable as the milestone that it celebrates. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Select the location. One of the first items to consider when planning the perfect Sweet 16 birthday party is the location of the celebration. This will help you to determine the maximum capacity and how many people are appropriate to invite. Given the special time for your daughter, include her in the selection of the location. Choices range from a full-blown rave at a large banquet hall to a favorite restaurant that offers private party rooms to a more intimate affair in your own home. Other options include holding the party at a place such as a bowling alley or local amusement park. This, of course, depends on where the birthday girl's interests lie.
2. Send out invitations. Once you have found the perfect location and know how many people to invite, put your list together and send out the invitation. Make sure to include the location address; the date of the celebration and RSVP so you have a head count for the party. Be sure to use invitations that let everyone know that this birthday celebration will be a Sweet 16 party.
3. Determine the menu. Most Sweet 16 celebrations are either formal or casual and this will also tie into the venue choice determined in Step 1. A smaller budget should have casual menu items such as sandwich platters, salads and chips. With a larger budget, you can plan a more elaborate sit-down dinner, which could feature various courses and an elegant birthday cake for dessert. If it's not a surprise party, have the birthday girl help plan the menu. Many restaurants and banquet halls have party packages that offer an array of menu options that will help make things less complicated.
4. Plan activities. Again, this will be predicated on your budget. If it is a low-cost informal affair, you may want to provide music for dancing through pre-made CD mixes or downloads played over your home stereo. A high-end party could feature a DJ or even a live band. A 16, teens are usually beyond the silly birthday games they played as a kid, but it doesn't mean they don't want to have some fun. Plan some age-appropriate games. Consider a trivia contest in the format of a TV game show such as "Jeopardy!" or "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Questions could be based around the birthday celebrant to see which guests know the most about her. If your holding the party at a bowling alley or amusement park, you'll already have built-in activities at your disposal.
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