How to make the most out of your Sweet 16 Party

Here Is a List of Ideas for a Sweet 16 Birthday Party

- Photo Booth
- DJ
- Uplighting for the walls (As shown below)
- Lots of Assorted Candy
- Snack and Drink  Buffet
- Games

Why a Photo Booth?

1. They are fun!
Obviously, your event is going to be a blast! Having a photo booth escalates the fun to a whole new level!  For some reason, people let loose when they get in front of a camera.  In other words, do not rent a photo booth if you want everyone standing around with their arms folded and blank expressions on their faces during your party.

2. Remember the event
Throughout your event every group of guests is able to jump in front of the camera and capture the moment.  When the night is done you will have prints and a CD to forever remember how much of a success your event was and how much fun all your guests had!

3. Share the moment with those who can't attend
You'll be able to post your pictures on Facebook immediately, so those friends who aren't able to attend with you will be able to see all the fun you're having.

4. Great gift for your guests
Guests will go home with a great memento of your event. One that they'll most likely put on their refrigerator, post on their Facebook page & overall enjoy for years to come. So much better than any silly little trinket you could get them.

5. They become a destination
If you have never been to an event with a photo booth you would be surprised how quickly a table of props and a camera becomes a destination and event within itself!  Not only does the photo booth capture moments it helps to create them as well!

Why a DJ?

As the host of your Party this is imperative to whether your guests dance the night away or leaves right after the cake is served. I can tell you by experience that a friend who is attending your Party cannot give the attention to your Party to create that type of atmosphere. An MP3 Player most definitely cannot do this and you should not be getting up and down to check on your play list and just playing a long list of songs does not engage your guests which is what will make them want to get up and dance. Most important they will keep your Party moving for as long as you hired them. They can also help with Game announcements and any other special activities.

Why Uplighting?

Why up lighting for your party? A client came up to me one time and said she wanted a Party where her guests would feel like they were in a fantasy land. She wanted a fairytale themed Party and I told her, why not use up lighting for a dramatic effect. Uplighting can turn ordinary venues into something more dramatic and it is often used these days for Event lighting. Lights are fixed at key locations in the room and are projected to the wall or ceiling, creating vibrant columns of colored light. These will also create a Party atmosphere for your Guests to warm up to.

Why Games?

DUH!! Games are fun and keep your Guests entertained! Here is a list of games that are appropriate and fun for your guests.

• Lie Detector: For this sweet sixteen party game, pass out a piece of paper and pen to each of your guests. Have them write down 3 facts on the paper. Two of the facts must be truthful and one of the facts must be a lie. The lie can be as silly, outrageous, or as believable as you want it to be. Then, go around the group and have each person read off their facts. The rest of the group must then try and guess which of their facts is the lie! This is a great game to play prior to any of the other activities because it lightens the mood and gets everyone talking and laughing, especially if you have groups of friends from different social circles (school, camp, neighborhood) as it will help everyone get to know each other better.

• Fashion Show: This sweet 16 party game is perfect for an all-girls party or a co-ed event. Set up a cat walk down the middle of your living room. Have a box full of hats, makeup, and accessories for the guests to wear. Then each guest can have a turn strutting down the runway wearing their best outfits. Have prizes for most unique outfit, best dressed, best model walk, etc. Also make sure to have a camera ready to snap some great photos!

• Musical Chairs: This game is one you may remember playing when you were younger—however it never gets old! It is a great sweet 16 party game to get you and your friends laughing, having fun, and dancing to the music! To play, set up one less chair as there are people at your party. It is usually best to set them up back to back so that people can form a circle around them. Start playing music and have people walk or dance around in a circle around the chairs. Once the music stops, everyone must find a chair to sit in. The one person who is left standing is out of the game. Remove one chair from the circle and continue playing until there is one person left in the game.

• Karaoke: Rent a karaoke machine for guests to show off their singing and/or lip syncing skills. Some great songs to play are “Sixteen Candles” by Jackson 5, “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder, “Sweet Sixteen” by Beyonce. Of course, you can also have songs by your favorite performers. You friends probably already know all the words anyway!

• Balloon Truth or Dare: This is another fun sweet 16 game for your party. Before the party starts, write out 10 truth questions and 10 dares each on small index cards. Carefully place the card inside each balloon and then blow them up. During the party, each guest can take a turn popping a balloon and either answering a truth question or completing the dare.

I hope this was helpful in your Sweet 16 Party planning process.