Girls turning 16 want their Sweet 16 party to be something they will remember the rest of their lives. A musical theme will not only give them the birthday party of their dreams, but be something all 16-year-olds can relate to. Musical Sweet 16 parties can also be simple and fairly inexpensive. Whether it's music from the past or present, put on those dancing shoes for a night of fun and excitement. Does this Spark an idea?
Hip Hop Sweet Sixteen
A hip-hop Sweet Sixteen party can retrace the origins of hip-hop in a way that will entertain guests for hours. Include elements of hip-hop such as clothing, break dancing, graffiti and rap to bring life to this party. Create invitations on the computer that have a graffiti-printed background. Tell guests to get creative and dress like their favorite hip-hop star.
To decorate, set up a stage area and either hire a disc jockey or have a family member be in charge of music. Play hip-hop and rap songs from all eras. Guests will get a kick out of older tunes from artists such as Salt-N-Pepa or Bel Biv DeVoe in addition to current club hits. Create a dance area and string white Christmas lights. Cover a wall with butcher paper and string colored markers from the ceiling to allow guests to create graffiti. To keep with the hip-hop theme, include posters and cardboard cutouts of hip-hop legends. Maybe even hire a break-dance instructor to teach various dance steps.
Rock 'n' Roll Sweet Sixteen
Rock 'n' Roll is a theme that will entertain music fans at any Sweet Sixteen party. Invitations can resemble a backstage pass, including lanyards so guests can wear them around their necks. Use any computer photo program to make the backstage passes. Make them 4-by-7-inch rectangles, in any color that will match the party decorations. On top of the rectangle, put a small picture of the birthday teen, and type party details underneath. On the left side, include a black strip about a half-inch wide that runs the length of the invitation. On the bottom of the black strip, have the words "Backstage Pass" in a font that is turned sideways. To the right of those words, add the words, "Access All Areas" in a slightly smaller font. Design a bar code image at the top of the strip by alternating white stripes. On the invitations, tell guests to come as their favorite rock 'n' roll star.
For decorations, place posters of bands from various decades around the room. You could use cardboard cutouts of Elvis or other stars. Choose colors--maybe red and black--that stick to the theme, and buy balloons, streamers and table linens in those colors. Black lights, a disco ball and a smoke machine will give the party that extra rock 'n' roll feel. Inflatable guitars can be strategically placed throughout the room: Guests can have a good time pretending to play them. For entertainment, set up a dance floor and play rock music from various decades. Guests can have fun doing the Mashed Potato to '50s music, and headbanging to '80s rock. Have a dance-off and let a guests compete to see who will be crowned best dancer of the night.
'80s Girl's Just Want to Have Fun Sweet Sixteen
An '80s theme is a popular party theme and will make a Sweet Sixteen party an event to remember. Make invitations out of fluorescent colored card stock. The design can be simple, such as adding fluorescent green circles to fluorescent pink paper. Ask guests to dress in '80s attire: Girls can wear skirts over leggings, matched with tank tops and ripped-up sleeveless sweatshirts. Boys could wear mullet wigs and neon-color T-shirts. As guests arrive, have Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" playing, and provide fluorescent hats, glow necklaces, glow bracelets and one lace glove.
Fill large bowls with slap bracelets, jelly bracelets and fluorescent peace-sign necklaces. Black lights are a must for setting an '80s atmosphere, and will help to show off all of the neon colors. Balloons, streamers and table linens can keep the party theme going. For decoration, hang large posters of various '80s bands.
Have a dance area set up complete with a balloon drop for later in the evening. Play dance, pop and rock music from the '80s, including bands such as Guns N' Roses, Motley Crue and Twisted Sister. Set up a karaoke machine so guests can have fun belting out '80s power ballads. An '80s Sweet Sixteen party wouldn't be complete without a game of Truth or Dare. Add a twist to make the game more fun. Blow up balloons and inside them, place a piece of paper that has a "dare" on it--anything from "Act like a chicken" to "Stand up and shout 'I love you.' " Write the word "dare" on each balloon and suspend them over the dance floor, using a net. At some point during the evening, let the balloons drop on the guests. As they grab the balloons, they will have to pop them and complete the dare inside.
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