The Sweetest 16

So my daughter turns 16 next month.  She and her best friend have decided they would like us to take them on a vacation together as a 16th birthday celebration rather than throw an elaborate Sweet 16 party.  Works for me!  (Ever hear the story of the Shoemaker's Son?) But of course we will have a party for her at home... and of course because she's turning 16, I expect a full house; and of course because I'm an event planner, I have some ideas.  Now remember, the we're paying for a trip so the real money is being spent there, so my budget party for about 40 people looks like this:

Since her real gift is the trip to the Caribbean, we thought we would do a Caribbean theme, and since she originally wanted something at a planetarium (if we did a real Sweet 16), we're doing a "Caribbean  Under the Stars" backyard barbecue.  We will borrow a few grills from family members so we can cook all of the food at once.  The menu will include some Caribbean favorites like crab dip and coconut shrimp appetizers, jerk chicken and fish taco main dishes, and rice and beans and mixed greens with tropical fruit salad.  To drink there will be buckets of beer and soda and of course, rum punch!  I plan to borrow chalk boards from family members to create menus all over so guests can help themselves, saving us from having to serve or hire servers.

We'll make a playlist of Caribbean music to start with and switch to a list of popular dance songs for later in the night.  My daughter has requested that the attire be Caribbean Chic (khakis and a shirt for men, sundresses for women) because she wants to wear a dress.  We'll find some appropriately Caribbean favors for guests, perhaps shell necklaces or small bottles of hot sauce, and other small touches that add to the theme like invitations, etc.  Now for the decor.  We will transform my backyard into a Caribbean party under the stars with a few tricks. 

Fist, I plan to camouflage some trouble spots with ribbon.  I have a part of my yard with trees that just don't let anything grow underneath, so it's a bare spot along the edge of my property.  I plan to hang spools and spools of ribbon from the trees to make a little curtain, add some festive color, and create some privacy.  I think it will make for a very pretty addition for the cost of some sale ribbon, and it may be a great spot for some pictures!

There will also be a dance floor (surprisingly inexpensive to rent) on the opposite side of the yard with a little "roof" over it of strung lights and matching ribbon.

I plan to fill the yard in between with some basic round tables dressed in white linen with white chairs, very Caribbean, and simple and also inexpensive to rent.  I will probably dot a few high top tables around, also draped in a white table cloth, to add some visual interest and give people a place to lean on while talking, too.  


And because inspiration hits me everywhere I am, I saw this centerpiece at Neiman Marcus and snapped a picture, I think I'll top the tables with this, so cheap and easy to recreate at home with various glass vases I have lying around.

The back of the yard will be reserved for some games, cornhole, croquet, badminton.... games guests can play before the food comes out. 

Finally, the part of the decor that will add the flair and the effect of "Caribbean Under the Stars" is the lights.  I plan to string lights over our patio, around the shed, on the trunks of trees, over the dance floor and along the edge of the deck.  all of those Christmas lights will come out in April and decorate our yard for our little girl, creating the magic of a fun party that will last into the night.

So you see, you can have a party on a budget that is still special.  Now I've got to go so I can rake up the leaves and plant some annuals!