HOW TO PLAN A SUCCESSFUL SWEET 16 ON ANY BUDGET

PERSONAL NOTE FROM OWNER: Tejal Patel

Happy Monday everyone! I’m so excited to announce that we hosted a magnificent Sweet 16 this Saturday at The Washington for a lucky young lady!

While observing all the fun, it took me on a trip down memory lane and made me realize how fast our lives go by. One day we are 16 and the next we are 40. As the birthday girl enjoyed Shirley Temples in her special cup, posed for pictures, engaged in conversation with her friends and let loose on the dance floor, I could sense her elation. By watching these energetic teens, I appreciated the simpler times when we all were high on life, we danced without inhibitions and the  need of alcohol and we believed friendships lasted forever.   For most of us, where did that free spirit, confidence and passionate love for friends go? These teenage girls definitely exuded the inner confidence, lightheartedness and innocent fun we may sometimes forget to connect to.  As these girls start to find who they truly are, I realized we have something to remember from them. Laugh loudly with friends, dance as if nobody is watching and enjoy each fleeting moment to the fullest.

At the end of the night, the birthday girl came to me with all smiles and gave me a big hug. To see her smile, feel her happiness and to know that we helped her in making this lasting memory, is the best part of owning and operating a banquet hall. Life is about creating happy memories and happy lives… So blessed that I have The Washington as a platform to serve and touch the lives of others…

If you have an upcoming Sweet 16 for your daughter, you will find today’s blog helpful.

HOW TO PLAN A SUCCESSFUL SWEET 16 ON ANY BUDGET

One of the most celebrated turning points in a young woman's life is her sixteenth birthday. For most girls, turning 16 means freedom to date, freedom to drive and the first step toward womanhood. All parents want to throw a grand party for their daughter's true coming out party, but if you aren't a family precariously positioned in the upper echelons of society, you may need to be creative. First, throw out your pre-conceived "My Super Sweet 16" notions, as most people do not have a reality TV show based on their own turn at the sixteenth birthday party. We are here to tell you that at  The Washington, it is possible to host a night your daughter will never forget at an affordable cost.  Here are a few simple tips that will make the part a blast for adults and teenagers!

1.       Serve food that is catered toward Teenagers

      Bourbon Glazed Salmon and Prime Rib Au Jus may sound chic and appetizing to you, but your teenage daughter won’t care for this and this kind of menu will blow your budget. At The Washington, we had the needs of teenagers in mind when we made our menus. We created two specialized menus catering food options, table displays and stations completely to teenagers. So from live Taco Stations, Baby Burger Sliders to Gourmet Cupcake Displays, we have picked selections that are not only appealing to teens but appetizing to adults.

2.      Hire a Professional DJ

      The next most important thing that goes hand in hand with food is having non-stop music that appeals to teens! As much as we think we know the main stream music teens listen to, you’ll be surprised of how many songs you probably have never heard. It’s safe to say there will be no Journey or Bon Jovi on the playlist.  It’s always beneficial to hire a professional DJ. This is critical for the success of any party but especially a Sweet 16. A professional DJ will make necessary announcements to keep the flow to the event and keep the teenagers engaged with the latest songs. Your DJ will take song requests to make sure the music is non-stop so that the party will feel like Studio 54 without the booze.  At The Washington, we work closely with your DJ to make sure that the event runs timely and smoothly based on your event specifications and timeline. From pre-event setup to making the flow of your event exactly as you envisioned, we work with the DJ so all you have to do is book the DJ and let loose with your daughter and her friends on the dance floor!

3.      Involve your daughter in the decoration process.

           At The Washington, we give you or your decorator adequate amount of time, prior to the event, to come decorate our elegant ballrooms to the theme of your daughter’s choice. Need some suggestions about décor ideas? Don’t hesitate to ask us! I’m always looking up current trends, creative and unique ideas for event décor.  Tell me your theme and I can suggest different décor ideas that will make your event truly remarkable.  

4.      Capture the Unforgettable Memories

      Time always flies when you are having fun. There is no way you can remember all the details of your event and be at all places at once. We at The Washington try to capture the beautiful details of your event that you may not remember years from now. In my free time, one of my hobbies is photography. By no means am I a professional but slowly but surely I am learning more about my Nikon D5100. While our Maitre D’ and professional servers make sure your event is running smoothly, if I have a free moment, I will take some candid photographs that I will send you after the event  to help you remember your special event.

 If you are looking for professional, talented and reasonably priced photographers, we can recommend the names of premier South Jersey photographers that can capture all the moments of your event. Just ask and we will make the search less stressful.

5.      Guest List

     If you leave it to your teenage daughter, she would invite all her 30 “best friends” and their boyfriends and the 30 acquaintances in her school and the 10 girls who they want to impress by rubbing their Sweet 16 party in their face. It is important to have your child create their guest list and then review it to see who is really special and absolutely must be invited to the event. The worst thing is having teenage drama at a special occasion. The best way to avoid that is being surrounded by friends and family who you truly care about and you. 

With these simple tips and the professional support and help from all of us at The Washington, you can rest assured your event will go without a hitch.

If you are interested in learning more about The Washington’s Sweet 16 Packages, it would be our pleasure to schedule an appointment with you to discuss how we can create your daughters dream Sweet 16 event.  

CALL US TODAY AND TAKE A TOUR OF OUR NEWLY RENOVATED FACILITY: 856-845-6145.