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Sweet 16 Planning Guide 
 What to do first? Make an invitation
list (use one of our custom candy bar
wrappers for the invitation), find a
place that holds the appropriate
number of guests, hire a caterer
(if one doesn't come with your party room), hire a DJ or choose the music, decide on the
theme, choose invitations, and come up with decorations and party favors . For theme ideas,
check out www.party411.com/themes.html
or write to the Party Girl.
Another important aspect to the parties has become the candlelighting ceremony. It's
not necessary, but I've been getting more and more questions about how to organize one.
What is it? A candlelighting ceremony is a way to honor those guests that have made a
difference in the celebrant's life. The traditional way to arrange a candlelighting
ceremony is to do the following:
- Pick the most important 16 people in your life that are attending the party; people who
have influenced you while growing up. If relatives and friends are invited, this list
should include all grandparents, siblings and parents (or extended family). The list would
then move on to important aunts and uncles, cousins, other family and friends. If it's
just friends, the list should be considered carefully since you don't want anyone's
feelings to be hurt. As if I have to tell you, 16-year-old girls are very, very sensitive!
- Now comes the hardest part. Part of the ceremony is saying a little something about each
person as you introduce them and call them up to light a candle. Thus, you have to write a
paragraph or two about each, you may want to make it a poem, you may want to tell a
favorite story or anecdote about something that happened to you, or you may want to
mention your favorite thing(s) about that person (like Grandma's meatloaf or what it's
like when your Mom and you go shopping).
A word to the wise--do not go on too long or your guests will be bored and fidgeting
while you are trying to carry this off. So keep it short and to the point, but
entertaining if you can.
 Sometimes people do unusual things instead of using candles. For instance, they may go
to a sign company and have a puzzle made. Then each person puts up a piece of the puzzle.
When the puzzle is finally done, it has message like "Happy Birthday," or it's a
picture of you as a baby or even now. There are all sorts of creative things you can do.
- Finally, if you are using candles, you need to make sure that you tell the party center
to have a table available to set them up. You need to buy the candles; they can be tapes,
they can be ball-shaped or they can be creative representing one of your favorite things
(like rose-shaped candles). Go to a local candle store and you'll see what they have
available...it's amazing!
- Schedule the ceremony at the beginning of the evening; otherwise, it's an excuse for
your guests to beg out early! Do it before dinner is served or between dinner and dessert.
Make sure to tell the DJ or band beforehand so they can work it into their evening
schedule.
So, now you have the basics for a great party. If you need further help, don't hesitate
to contact me. I'm happy to help. Happy Sweet
16.
The Party Girl
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