Tips for planning your child’s Sweet 16
If your teen has ever watched reruns of MTV’s My Super Sweet 16 they may want a flamboyant party to mark this special birthday.
Or maybe (hopefully) they want to keep it simple by having a sleepover with all their friends where all you’ll need to provide is a romantic comedy, fuzzy blankets and a large bowl of popcorn.
Whatever your child decides, you need to help them plan it so they have a beautiful birthday regardless of the setting. They’ve reached a milestone in their lives and deserve a day they won’t forget anytime soon. And most 16-year-olds simply want an experience that’s filled with taking selfies, eating delicious food and making memories that’ll stay with them a lifetime.
Here are seven tips on how to help your kid celebrate their Sweet 16 in style.
Music
If your teen is throwing a big party, you could hire a DJ for the function. They’ll bring their own equipment, sound system and lighting. Hiring a DJ for the party will bring it to a whole new level and you won’t have to worry about the music. They’ll create the perfect playlist combining your teen’s favourite tracks with the latest hits that’ll get the crowd dancing the night away.
Food
You could hire a caterer for the function or cook the food yourself. If you’re doing the cooking, choose a menu that’s hassle-free so you won’t spend hours preparing the food. You will have to take into consideration people’s different diets so no one is left hungry. But keep everything simple as you’re not hosting a fancy dinner party, your teen and friends won’t care about your perfectly created flans.
Stainless steel pots are perfect for cooking with as the food won’t stick in the pots and they produce better tasting food. The linings of other pots tend to leach off into the food and cause the food to not taste as good. They have many other benefits such as they’re durable and won’t easily crack.
Cupcakes
Choose to have cupcakes because they’re less messy than cutting a cake for everyone. And if you buy a cake not everyone may get a piece but if your order the right amount of cupcakes everyone will be satisfied.
Photo booth
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and your child will probably want to capture every moment of their party. You can hire a photographer who’ll take photos during the whole event. However, you might consider setting up a photo booth so everyone can take photos throughout the party. You need a backdrop and a digital camera. Your backdrop could be created to match the theme of the party or keep it simple by having a black or white background. You can add props as part of the photo shoot that’ll make for some interesting shots.
Invites
The invitations should be sent to guests a few weeks before the actual event. Last minute invites usually lead to people not attending functions because they’ve already made plans. Ensure you invite the right amount of people to the party. If you’re hosting it at a venue that only caters for 50 people make sure you stick to that number. Or else you might land up with an overcrowded and uncomfortable party.
Decor and venue
Your teen needs to decide on the theme they want for their party they could want to celebrate it in style by having a glamour sweet sixteen or maybe they want to settle for a beach theme. If they decide on having a theme you’ll need to budget for the props and costumes to decorate the place.
And they also need to decide if they want it outside or inside. If it’s summer your might consider a pool party. You could use your home for the venue or the local community’s pool. If they want a party indoors, you can hire out a hall or have it at your house.
Security
Make sure you have invited other adults who are willing to attend the party as they can help with supervision.
If your child is turning 16 soon then all you want is for them to have a wonderful day they won’t forget anytime soon. Whether you’re going for a lavish setting or a simple dinner, the goal should be for them to feel happy and special. And you can create the perfect birthday party by planning early and searching around for perfect components to make their day amazing.