Planning Ahead For Your Sweet 16 (8-12 Months Prior To The Big Day)

Things You Should Plan For Nearly A Year Ahead Of Time To Reduce Stress and Potential Friction.

Anywhere from 8 months out to a year prior to your princesses big birthday is typically and ideal time to start the planning process. It is time to begin talking about and imagining the type of Sweet Sixteen you and your family want to have. Will it be formal in a hotel ballroom or banquet hall, a restaurant with a banquet hall, possibly even a house party depending on the vibe?

Is a casual get-together at home more the tastes of your soon to be Sweet 16? Do you want a big celebration or small gathering? Do you want it to be fun and exciting or serious and thoughtful? Answering these question will aid in identifying what itinerary seems ideal.

Regardless of what you may or may not be thinking, everyone needs help getting started.  It is never too early to start working with a party planner who can show you pictures of past parties and suggest Sweet 16 venues and other vendors like caterers.  However, our Ultimate Guide to a Sweet 16 Party can also do much of your heavy lifting.

It is also time to start thinking about your budget.  If you can set an overall number you want to spend, it will help you as you navigate through all of your options for where you want to splurge and where you want to be more frugal.

Select a couple of dates and times and check with family calendars, school calendars, and special guests of honors.  Begin interviewing party planners if you will need one.

Organization and unification of all parties involved moving together together is very necessary. Get a notebook or favorite app for your laptop or phone to house all your Sweet Sixteen planning paperwork in one place. This will relieve a lot of stress when looking for a phone number or contract. This will also serve as a fun means of collecting ideas in as well. 

Begin working on a preliminary Sweet Sixteen guest list and decide on your Sweet Sixteen’s approximate party size.  This will be important if you are thinking of bringing your guests in a Sweet 16 Limo, Sweet 16 Party Bus or Sweet 16 Mini Bus. More often than not many guests live local and will be getting dropped off by their parents or riding together which also can be accounted for but isn’t particularly critical.

Visit any venues you are interested in to ensure that it accommodates the number of guests you want to entertain.  Book it as soon as possible to ensure you get your preferred date.  

A great tip to remember is a plain room is often more budget-friendly freeing up funds to spend on the decorations to make the venue look like you want it to look.

Start selecting a caterer (if applicable) and your party planner might be able to recommend one (if you are using one). Talk with them about the price per head and the type of menu. 

If you plan to have a website or social media account for the event to provide information and get everyone involved as well as to share pictures and videos afterward, now is the time to set it up.  Certainly, a dedicated Facebook or Instagram account might be great options.

Choose a Sweet 16 theme and color scheme.  Review our list of suggested themes later in this guide.  Finalize the guest list.  Decide on the type of music you want and start thinking about special songs. Audition bands or DJs and sign a contract once you decide.

A great tip to ensure every detail is being covered it to verify the venue contract has the same date as the band or DJ contract.  Discuss style and pricing options with various party planners, decorators, or florists.

Discuss services and price lists from photographers and videographers, especially if it is not part of the package of the venue.