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I have this idea floating around my head....tell me what I can do to improve it, or what will be wrong!
Invite 3-5 friends, ask them to wear a prom-type dress, tell them there will be lots of pictures taken.
Have white christmas lights leading up to the front door, and all around inside. Have lots of mirrors (borrow some from neighbors) around the room, and music. A get-to-know you trivia-type game, where each girl will get an appropriate Miss America type sash and tiara. What else?
the rest would be a surprise-
A limo (2 hours?) will pick them up. It will be around Christmas, so I'm thinking of taking them into "the City" where there are lots of holiday lights and people walk around. I have a friend who is a model and I think can get me a photographer (who is affordable) to meet them and do a little photo shoot. Then they can drive around a little, and the limo will return all the girls home.
I'm hoping/thinking it can be done for less than $500! Opinions, suggestions??
We did something simlar for our daughters at 14. Only it was more low budget (no limo or photographs). We had a formal tea party where they all dressed up formally, had tea, and watched My Fair Lady. They loved it.
I'm sorry but I really think that these Sweet 16 Parties are nuts!
Have a party, music, food, soda, let the kids figure out what they want to do or what they want to wear. Leave the limos and the gowns for the prom! There isn't anything particularly important about being 16 other than some folks have figured out how to make a lot of money out of parents.
Signed,
Father of an 18 year old daughter who didn't have a Sweet 16 Party (she didn't want one anyway).
Lolagranola,
I think that is a fun idea! It's not like your spending a large amount on an "my sweet 16" MTV style. That's just too crazy to even watch. When I turned 16 we didn't have much and my birthday is right after all the holiday's so I always found cheap ways of just having friends over. I went iceskating at our local indoor iceskating rink. Then all the friends came over to my house for pizza and a movie.
PS - I apologize if I came off to critical, but the whole escalation in the cost of childhood events as reached obscene proportions, so I may have been venting unfairly.
I would add dinner at a fine restaurant and if the budget doesnt allow for everything - take out the prom dresses or maybe not the highest end restaurant but something very grown up. Have fun!
^
My daughter was in a pagent last year, so she has the perfect dress, I wouldn't buy one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ovcatto
PS - I apologize if I came off to critical, but the whole escalation in the cost of childhood events as reached obscene proportions, so I may have been venting unfairly.
ITA about kids' parties going over the top... in the past we almost always write "please no gifts" in the invites, I tell them that having a party is about THEM getting to play host and have fun with friends. I also rarely do "favors", I figure I'd rather put the $$ into something else. Usually my kids have a movie night, or games and cake at home....that's part of the glamor here, it is unusual for us.
I'd love to take them to dinner, but I think it would be too costly....I don't want to exceed $500, and if the budget allows they could have a horse-carriage ride.
Since you want to make this so special could you ask the parents to maybe chip in so that you could do the dinner thing as well . I mean I think you have a great idea here and it does not sound upity at all . Maybe if you could get the parents of the girls that are attending to chip in say 20.00 a piece that may give you enough to include a nice dinner . I wish you luck and it sounds like a very nice party . There were 9 kids in my family money was just too tight to do anything really did not get to go to prom (could not afford a dress ) . good luck .
Have you asked her about it? Neither of my older daughters would have gone for that at all. Dress up is just not them, but I know it is for lots of other girls.
We don't do the big parties as it is, however a night in the house with movies, food, music and games was right up their alley.
I'm 21 and I never wanted any kind of fancy party when I was 16. I live in Tennessee so my family threw me a surprise fish fry and it was a blast!!! I'll never forget it!
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