Sweet 16 Party Ideas
Sweet Sixteen Themes To Help Create The Sweet 16 Birthday Party Of Your Dreams!

As a teen approaches the milestone age of 16, thoughts of sweet sixteen themes start to dance in the heads of all concerned. If you're thinking surprise, then his or her best friends will soon become your closest confidants. If it is not a surprise, then most definitely involve your teen in all aspects of the sweet 16 party ideas planning and selection process. Fortunately, there are many options for sweet 16 themes. You will only be limited by your teen's likes and dislikes, imagination, and of course, budget.

First of all, to help get you into the Sweet 16 birthday party frame of mind, here are some sweet 16 themes party packages to consider. If you would like a sneak preview, click on the links below to check them out and make a quick price comparison:

Sweet 16 Sparkle Celebration Supplies
Super Stylish Sweet 16 Kit-N-Kaboodle Kit
Sweet 16 Birthday Celebration Supplies
Aloha 16 Celebration Supplies


SWEET 16 PARTY IDEAS FOR VENUES

Venue options in part will depend upon the number of people you plan to invite to your party. In addition, the weather will certainly have an influence on whether you hold the party inside or out. Here are some options to consider:

THE HOME FRONT - Depending upon the size of your home, you might want to consider hosting the party at the good ole Home Sweet Home. Next you will have to decide whether it is better to have the party inside or outside. Done properly, you will be able to create a memorable Sweet 16 birthday party.

RESTAURANT - Another great option to think about, especially if no one is wanting to cook, is to hold your party at your favorite restaurant. You might even be able to reserve a portion of the restaurant or they might have a banquet room that you could use for your 16th birthday frivolities.

HOTELS - What teen wouldn't like for his or her Sweet 16 to be held at a nice hotel. Of course, this type of venue automatically lends itself towards a more formal affair or at least one that invites guests to dress up to coincide with the theme.

COMMUNITY CENTERS - Another option that you might want to consider, especially for larger gatherings, would be renting a community hall. Your local Vet's Building, city community center, or lodge locations like the Elk's Lodge are all possible options. At first blush you might think, "No way." However, these are all great choices and can be transformed into wonderful sweet sixteen themes with proper decorations.

LOCAL PARKS - This type of venue is perfect for a garden type party. If your park happens to have a large gazebo, all the better.

LAKE PARTY - If water skiing is your thing, what better place to spend your Sweet 16 birthday party than at your local lake. Perhaps you can turn it into a weekend event and incorporate a campout into the scheme of things. Another option to consider would be a house boat rental.


SWEET 16 PARTY IDEAS FOR PARTY ALTERNATIVES

If you've decided a sweet 16 birthday party is not for you, but nonetheless you want to do something special to remember this monumental milestone, here are a few ideas that you might want to consider:

A WEEKEND OF SPA FUN - Do it up right at a local spa retreat or travel a bit to find the perfect spa getaway. Usher your 16th birthday in being pampered from head to toe. What a way to greet Sweet 16!

DANCE LESSONS - Dance lessons are a great choice in lieu of a party or the perfect add-on to a party. You could invest in a series of line dancing, ballroom, or salsa lessons prior to your party date and then wow your guests with your new-found moves at your Sweet 16 birthday party.

DINNER AND CONCERT - Most teens enjoy attending concerts, so perhaps you might consider springing for an extra expensive concert of your favorite singer. Add a dinner at your favorite restaurant and you've got a great Sweet 16 birthday to remember.

HOBBY FUN - Whatever hobby you enjoy, do it with gusto for your birthday. For example, if you like snow skiing and the time is right, then hit the slopes for the day. Even better, if you can go to a really nice local and spend the weekend that would be a perfect Sweet 16 to remember.

THEME PARK - If you are a bit of thrill-seeker, then why not opt for a day at one of the theme parks. This is a great way to have loads of fun with lots of friends and truly make a day and night of it.

ADRENALINE JUNKIE EVENT - If a theme park is too tame for the adrenaline junkie, then you might want to consider doing something a bit more daring. For example, my sister-in-law decided to parachute out of a plane to commemorate her 50th birthday and says it was great and would love to do it again. I say she needs her head examined because she is downright craaazy! However, if that sounds like your cup of tea, then celebrate that 16th birthday in a fun and unique way. Another option to consider would be a bungee jump, perhaps the precursor to the parachute jump.


SWEET 16 PARTY IDEAS FOR SWEET SIXTEEN THEMES

If you have decided that you want your sweet 16 birthday party to have some kind of a theme and you are trying to come up with some good 16th birthday ideas, the following themes would be great options to consider for a 16th birthday celebration. Just click on the links below to discover some fun invite ideas, decor options, party food suggestions, cakes, favors and more to coincide with each theme listed.

BEACH PARTY IDEAS - If you are looking for an easy Sweet 16 theme, here are some Beach Party Ideas to help you create a fabulous beach party bash.

BLACK AND WHITE PARTY IDEAS - To create the glitz and glam of the infamous black and white ball, here are some Black And White Party Ideas to help you turn your Sweet 16 birthday party into a formal success!

BLACK LIGHT PARTY - A Black Light Party is sure to provide a glowing good time and is a great choice for celebrating a sweet sixteen.

FIESTA PARTY IDEAS - If you like to kick up your heels and enjoy lots of festivities, then take your Sweet 16 birthday party south of the border. Here's some fun Fiesta Party Ideas to check out.

LUAU PARTY IDEAS - One of the most fun Sweet 16 themes is a Hawaiian luau. Start creating a tropical paradise with these fun Luau Party Ideas.

MARDI GRAS THEME PARTY - If you have a lot of friends and family that you want to bring together in celebration of your 16th birthday, then a Mardi Gras Theme Party might be something that you would like to consider.

MASQUERADE PARTY IDEAS - If you enjoy a bit of disguise, mystery, and intrigue, then here are some Masquerade Party Ideas that you might want to look into for that special day.

MURDER MYSTERY PARTY - If you enjoy a good mystery coupled with a bit of drama and mayhem, then you might want to consider checking out this Murder Mystery Party page for some ideas.

OSCAR PARTY IDEAS - Roll out the red carpet and sound the trumpets. These Oscar Party Ideas will help you celebrate your Sweet 16 birthday party in Hollywood style.

SLUMBER PARTY IDEAS - Sometimes the best way to celebrate a Sweet 16 is having your Besties over for an all-nighter. Here's some great Slumber Party Ideas to check out if you're thinking along these lines.

SPA PARTY IDEAS - Most teen girls enjoy a little pampering and what better way to spend a Sweet 16 then starting the day in a spa atmosphere. Here's some Spa Party Ideas that will help you cut down on the costs of sending the gang to the spa.

TEEN POOL PARTY - If the weather is right, you might want to consider hosting a Teen Pool Party to make your 16th birthday extra special.


SWEET 16 PARTY IDEAS FOR SWEET SIXTEEN THEMES

If you've made the executive decision of not creating a sweet sixteen theme, but rather you are thinking about having your party focus around turning 16, then the following ideas for invitations, decorations, games, food, cakes, and favors might be of assistance to you.


SWEET 16 PARTY IDEAS FOR SWEET 16 BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS

SWEET 16 BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS - Make a large number 16 out of colored card stock. Decorate the front using glitter or stick on jewels and write your party details on the back of the numbers.

SWEET 16 PHOTO INVITATIONS - Create an invitation that highlights the last 16 years of life. Pick out several pictures and make a collage. Put all your party details on the reverse side.

DRIVER'S LICENSE INVITES - Make photocopies of your newly acquired drivers license onto a piece of card stock and put all your party info on the reverse side.

SWEET TREAT INVITES - Make your favorite cookie recipe and create extra-large cookies. Wrap one in colored cellophane and tie off with a coordinating bow. Type out the party details and print them out on large adhesive labels. Attach a label to each cookie and hand-deliver.

Alternative - Instead of a cookie, use a mini cupcake or a standard size cupcake and place in a decorate box with your party details attached.


SWEET 16 PARTY IDEAS FOR SWEET SIXTEEN DECORATIONS

If you've decided your sweet 16 birthday party is going to be one of fun and color, then you might want to think about incorporating some of these ideas:

• Alert your guests of the party local by tying a bouquet of balloons to your car, tree, or mailbox.

• Create some Sweet 16 birthday signs and put in your yard.

• Create bouquets of 16 balloons and use these bouquets to decorate room corners.

• Streamers on the ceiling will add instant color and pizazz. If you're feeling industrious, you could cover your entire ceiling with streamers by alternating the various party colors.

• Use colored ribbon or fishing line to hang fun birthday dangles from your ceiling. For added interest, be sure to hang them at various heights.

• Make large 16's out of colored card stock or poster board and hang them onto your walls.

• Don't forget to make or buy a special Sweet 16 birthday banner for the main party room wall.

• Add colorful confetti to your tabletops to give them a sprinkling of color. Another option would be to go a bit crazy and sprinkle it all over your party room floors. This will certainly transform any mundane room into a party atmosphere.

• Make a huge number 16 out of balloons and apply it to one of your party room walls. It could serve as a great focal point.

If you've decided that you want your Sweet 16 birthday to be a bit more formal, then here are some ideas for your sweet sixteen decorations:

• Time to put away the paper plates and break out the linen tablecloths, silverware and china.

• You will still want to decorate with balloons, except you will want to select ones that say refinement. Black, gold, gray, and silver are great color options. Refrain from the colorful Mylar balloons and the ones that have the number 16 or Sweet 16 plastered all over them. They are fun, but not refined.

• Make or have made a centerpiece using 16 flowers, which is of course, tastefully done.

• Tea candles are another great option to consider using. They can add a wee bit of light, ambiance, and an air of formality.

• Add some interest to the backs of your chairs with decorative wire bows made out of extra-wide wire ribbon or tulle.

• Fill your ceiling with helium balloons to give it a party atmosphere. Just remember to stick with the appropriate colors so you don't ruin your formal-looking party.

• Make a fun balloon archway out of balloons that you guests can enter through.

• Adorn your door frames, window frames, bannisters, etc. with mini white Christmas lights. They are a great way to set a formal mood, while adding light.

• Karaoke
• Dance contest
• Charades
• Hula Hoop contest
• Board games
• Scavenger hunt
• Twister
• Video games
• Football, volleyball, basketball, ping pong, etc.

Food bars are a great option. This way all your persnickety eaters can pick and choose what they want to eat. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Salad bar
• Taco bar
• Baked potato bar
• Burrito bar
• Hamburger and hotdog bar
• Pizza bar

You could also opt to serve any of the following old favorites:

• BBQ tri-tip, chicken, or steaks
• Sandwich platter of deli meats and cheese
• Macaroni or potato salad
• Chips and dips
• Fresh veggies and dill dip

PHOTO CAKE - Have a bakery put 9 small pictures of the birthday person at various ages or one large baby picture onto the cake.

16-SHAPED CAKE - Use two cake pans. One would be a number 1 and the other one would be a number 6. If you want the cakes to have a more casual look to them, then cover them with frosting. If a more formal cake is what you desire, then opt to cover it in fondant.

NOVELTY SWEET 16 CAKES - Whatever it is that the birthday person likes, make that into a cake. For example, a car-shaped cake, cell phone shaped cake, a high-heel, purse, etc.

GIFT BOX CAKE - Make a square or rectangle cake. Cover it with fondant. Top it off with a large fondant bow.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SWEET 16 CAKES - If the birthday person plays a musical instrument, then opt to top the cake off with that instrument design or better yet, have the cake made into the shape of the instrument itself.


SWEET 16 PARTY IDEAS FOR SWEET SIXTEEN PARTY FAVORS

• Personalized chocolate candy bars
• Personalized fortune cookies dipped in chocolate
• Personalized tin filled with mints
• Cellophane bag of fancy mixed nuts
• Cellophane bag of M&Ms, Skittles, Hershey Kisses, etc.
• Small decorative box of molded chocolates
• Personalized mini box of truffles
• Chocolate numbers 1 and 6 wrapped in cellophane

Here's some terrific Sweet 16 Sparkle Celebration Supplies that you can pick and choose from in order to create the perfect Sweet 16 birthday look.

Here's a great all-in-one Super Stylish Sweet 16 Kit-N-Kaboodle that would be a perfect complement to sweet sixteen themes.

Here's some great Sweet 16 Birthday Celebration Supplies that will certainly transform your home into a festive Sweet 16atmosphere.

Here's one final batch of Sweet 16 supplies. Since Hawaiian luaus are so popular, they've created the Aloha 16 Celebration Supplies.

Sweet 16 Party Ideas

Do you have some favorite Sweet 16 party ideas? Do tell! Please share all your party tips and ideas for invitations, decorations, games, etc.

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