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Planning a Sweet 16 Birthday Party
Whether for a typical American Sweet 16, Latino quinceañera, or 18th birthday, coming-of-age parties are a time-honored tradition. A child’s transition into adulthood is a landmark event in their own life as well as their parents’, so the pressure can mount when making sure the celebration is a good one. Take a look at the following tips to help you lay the foundation for a memorable coming-of-age celebration.
Budgeting
It’s recommended that the first step you take is determining your budget, as it sets up what’s possible for everything that follows. Then talk to your child to identify what they’re looking for in a party and set realistic expectations based on your budget. Perhaps there’s a certain theme they want or a particular dessert they’d like served.
Choosing a Date
The longer you wait to choose a date, the unlikelier it is that both guests and venues will be available. Choose a date far in advance to avoid this issue. That way, you also have a better chance of booking the party as close to the actual birthdate as possible, instead of what happens to be available.
Selecting a Venue
Consider the date you’re aiming for, the number of intended guests, budget, and theme when identifying your venue. If you’re a fan of the outdoors, then maybe a park or beach would be suitable, depending on the time of year and weather. If you’re going for something a bit more traditional and accessible, then perhaps a banquet or catering hall is best. Then there’s always the of simply hosting it in your own house or backyard. Whichever setting sounds the most appealing to you, you’ll have no shortage of options for hosting sweet 16 parties in Pennsylvania.
The Guestlist and Invitations
Finally, determining the guest list and creating invitations should follow. Before drafting your guest list, it’s important to ask yourself a few questions, such as:
- How many people can my venue hold?
- How many people is it in my budget to accommodate?
- Do we want a large crowd of a party or a more small and intimate group?
Once those are figured out and a guest list is drafted, it’s time to design invitations. You can have fun being creative whether you design the cards yourself or give ideas to a professional that make them a reality. You can select a theme or style of invitation to put that special personal touch on it.
Planning the Menu
Your venue is going to be a major determining factor in this. For example, if you’re hosting a small and intimate party at home, then maybe home-cooked food or takeout would be perfectly suitable. If you’re planning something larger at a banquet hall or outdoor setup, then it might be better to take the pressure off and hire caterers. Even if the location you chose doesn’t work well for an on-location catering staff, you can still hire a catering company to deliver gourmet box lunches in Philadelphia to your party ahead of time for something convenient, well-organized, and able to accommodate a large number of people.
Whatever setting, food, and decoration you decide on, Village Catering specializes in sweet 16 party planning and catering in the Philadelphia area. If you would like to schedule a consultation to begin planning out the details of your sweet 16 party, contact us today!