9 Things you need for a successful Sweet 16
Turning 16 is a coming-of-age milestone for teenage girls. It’s a time to celebrate a young woman entering adulthood. It’s the most important birthday for teen girls, this means throwing a big party with their friends and relatives!
A sweet 16 party is usually held at a dance hall, and there are often special ceremonies like the father-daughter dance, candles lighting, and more. There are also gift ceremonies where the birthday girl receives special gifts from her parents, ranging from sentimental trinkets to her first car. Sweet 16’s are mainly celebrated in the USA.
As its name suggests, this event happens in an adolescent’s sixteenth year. While some parents throw large formal celebrations, others choose to celebrate like it were just any other normal occurrence. This can be either formal or casual, depending on their daughter’s wishes.
1.Party Themes
The most significant thing to keep in mind when picking a sweet sixteen theme is to make sure it reflects your daughter’s personality.
If she loves the arts, create an artistic-themed party with balloons and creative decorations.
Be sure to include her favorite things in the celebration! She can also pick themes around fantasy stories; like Cinderella or Beauty in the Beast. The options for party themes ideas are endless!
Don’t forget to match the elegant, festive birthday dress with the party theme; We have a guide here on how to buy a sweet 16 dress.
2.Food
It’s time to start planning the food! Serve her favorite foods and drinks at the party, and be sure to have plenty of snacks and desserts for everyone.
You may want to cook these yourself if your budget is a little tight, or order from a catering service if you don’t have the time to cook. Most halls do offer food service for extra fees.
This could be very time-saving as you have one less thing to worry about on the event day. You have to decide yourself what are the pros and cons of these 3 options.
Get a local baker to bake a decorative cake around the party theme.
3.Decorations
It’s time to think about decorations!
Balloons, streamers, flowers, will set the mood for a magical night. You can do this yourself, and this is the most common for most Sweet 16’s.
The parents decorate the hall themselves, after getting balloons and other supplies from places like a party city or Amazon.
You can also get the decorations from decorators who rent out their decorations by party themes. These decorators can also offer to decorate the hall for you. This can be the best option for a big sweet 16 party.
It will look the best and the decorating crew will remove all the décor and balloons themselves at the end of the evening. An event coordinator can also help you with decorations and theme ideas.
4.Birthday Girl Music
Music is an important factor for a sweet sixteen party.
Make sure to include your daughter’s favorite songs on the playlist, and keep in mind that there will be dancing throughout the night. You can ask your daughter what kind of music she prefers.
Many new-age online tools can help you make the perfect playlist for the party, like Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora Radio.
Hiring a DJ is the best way to have an awesome Sweet 16!
He will do special announcements when it’s time for ceremonies, and get everyone hype.
It’s not required but recommended that you book this service since they can make your night go smoothly with all their expertise.
5.Party Favors
It’s time to think about party favors! These can be anything from small trinkets or sweets to personalized photos taken from a photo booth.
You can also have games with prizes for guests. Be sure to order enough for everyone attending the party.
Ceremonies
There will be four main ceremonies that will be occurring at the party. Sometimes there is a fifth with the official entrance of the birthday girl in the hall.
6.Shoe Ceremony
In this special meaning, the 16-year-old girl wearing flat shoes sits down in her chair while someone, often her father, approaches her with high heels on a decorative pillow. The dad helps put them onto his daughter’s feet, symbolizing her becoming a woman.
7.Father-Daughter Dance
The girl and her dad take it slow during their first song together as everyone else watches.
The mother sometimes takes part in this dance by taking over for the dad and dancing with her daughter after a few minutes.
There will be certain situations where a father may not be present for any number of reasons.
The ceremony can still happen, with several close family members taking turns dancing with the birthday girl, like dancing with the grandparents or siblings.
8.Tiara Ceremony
A female figure (typically the mother) approaches with an elegant crown and places it on the head of the birthday girl, symbolizing her becoming an adult woman.
9.Candle ceremony
When a girl celebrates her Sweet Sixteen, she gives out 16 small candles.
These represent the special friends and relatives who have been there with her throughout life’s joys as well as sorrows.
Example, the first candle goes to an older brother and the second candle to a close friend. Each candle recipient gets a drawn-out story from their favorite memories with the birthday girl.
You’ve got all the balloons bought and invites sent out – now it’s time for the big day! Make sure to take plenty of pictures and enjoy the night; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event for your family!
