Frequently Asked Questions
Over the past five years we have received hundreds of questions form
people from all over the world. Here are the most frequently asked
questions. If this does not answer your question, please
Ask the
Expert!
What if it rains?
Who should we invite?
How should the invitation be worded if the party is being held
at a friend's or relative's house?
How far
in advance should invitations be mailed?
What should the RSVP date
be?
Can my
teen
hand deliver the invitations?
How long should a
Sweet 16 party last?
What is an
appropriate gift for friends?
What is the
proper amount of money to give as a gift?
When invited to a
Sweet 16 party for two teens and you don't know one of
them, is it okay not to give a gift to the one you don't know?
Is
it proper to open birthday gifts during the party or should you
wait until the end?
Should I ask
someone to help me during the party?
What is
appropriate to give as a thank you for those, such as family
members, that help you during the party?
Is it okay to serve alcoholic beverages to parents attending the
party?
Where can
I buy birthday-themed party decorations?
Is
there a good way to calculate how much food to have?
For a
Sweet 16 party held at a restaurant, is it customary for people to
pay for their own meals?
Q What if it rains?
A Renting
a tent for an outdoor party is like buying weather insurance. Call
early. It’s a simple case of supply and demand. While you're at it, look
at some of the other cool things you can rent like a slushy machine. See
a big list to get inspired at
Party Rentals.
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Q Who should we invite?
A Everyone has a different opinion on this
one. We recommend erring on the side of over inviting, as we don't like
to leave anyone out of the fun. There are no set expectations, but it
should be up to the guest of honor. For more
details see our
Invitations
page.
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Q How should the invitation be worded if the party is being
held at a friend's or relative's house?
A We suggest: "Hosted by Bill and Barb
Smith" and their address. Or "At the home of Bill and Barb
Smith". It depends on how they feel too. Some people
interpret the word "host" to mean they are paying for everything, but it
could also mean they are participating in some way. If they are
close friends or related, you could add "Hosted by our dear friends, the
Smiths" or "Hosted by Sue's Godparents, the Smith's". Either
way, you should definitely include their names with the address.
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Q How far in advance should invitations be mailed?
A We recommend mailing invitations
through the U.S. Mail 3 weeks prior to the party. If you are
inviting out of town guests, contact them with the date as soon as
possible so they can schedule their trip. Many people send a "save
the date" e-mail to alert their friends. This helps to avoid close
friends hosting parties at the same time.
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Q What should the RSVP date be?
A Unfortunately people usually do
not respond to RSVP. Don't take it personally if
people don't contact you. It's frustrating, but you just have to
estimate for food, beverages, etc. If you invite 100 people,
expect 60 to come.
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Q Can my teen hand deliver the invitations?
A Do not rely on your
teen to pass
out invitations to parents of friends. It is best to mail them.
We've heard many stories of invitations never making it to the parents.
Feelings were hurt on both sides. Address the envelope so the
parents know they are invited. Options include: "The Smith
Family" (in which case they may bring the whole family) or "Jon, Mary
and Ashley Smith".
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Q How long should a Sweet 16 party last?
A
We recommend a three hour window for your celebration. Go to our
Choose a Date webpage for tips and hints on how to select the best
date and time for your party.
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Q What is an appropriate gift for friends?
A This is a very personal decision. Gifts
we've seen vary from a picture frame with a group photo in it, home made
bars, candy, supplies for college, and the easy one - money. One of our
favorite ways to write a check for close friends is to use the
teens' age for the amount (e.g. $16.00). We've
prepared a list of popular gift ideas. Check them out at
Gift Giving and Receiving.
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Q What is the proper amount of money to give
as a gift?
A
There is no right or wrong answer with this one. It depends on so
many things ... where you live, your financial
situation, how well you know the teen, etc. Any amount would
be appreciated. Go with what makes you feel good and with what you
feel you can afford. Having said all that, an amount equal to the
teen's age (eg: $16.00) is a popular amount.
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Q When invited to a Sweet 16 party for two and you don't know
one of them, is it okay not to give a gift to the one you don't know?
A There is absolutely no need to give a
gift to the teen you don't know.
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Q Is it proper to open
Sweet 16 gifts during the party or
should you wait until the end?
A Most teens do not open gifts during the
party. Most gifts are money, so there is little for your guests to
see. However, sometimes one of your guests will ask you to open
their gift (maybe they want to see your reaction). If this
happens, open the gift and express your gratitude (or laugh, as the case
may be). But do not open other gifts. For other gift related
tips & ideas, visit our
Gift Giving & Receiving page.
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Q Should I ask someone to help me during the party?
A Absolutely! This is critical. You cannot
cook the food, serve drinks, clean up empty glasses, clean up spills,
reset the DVD player, and still be the congenial host and introduce your
friends and neighbors. Don’t have your head in the oven when the door
bell rings! Ask for help! If you try to do it all, you won’t have any
fun at all! We suggest two friends or neighbors who may have a
Sweet 16 party of their own coming up. You can help them. For more
suggestions on managing your "help" look at
"Ask for Help".
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Q What is appropriate to give as a thank you for those, such as family
members, that help you during the party?
A We've heard of several fun thank you
gifts. One of our friends
that served a Mexican taco bar with the help of two neighbors bought
them both these red hot chili pepper aprons. My sister-in-law gave me a
photo of the grad party kitchen crew (we had a great time!) and a
flowering plant for my garden. A gift certificate to a nice local
restaurant would be appropriate.
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Q Is it okay to serve alcoholic beverages to
parents attending the party?
A We recommend not
serving alcohol. Design your sweet 16 party so it is free spirited, but
"spirit-free". Keeping the teens entertained at parent-sponsored and
supervised parties can prevent a tragedy. Do not serve alcohol to
minors. Even if no one gets
injured, adults that provide alcohol to minors can be charged with a
gross misdemeanor and go to jail for up to one year and be fined
thousand's of dollars.
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Tip:
If you host your party during the day, your adult
guests won't even miss alcoholic beverages. |
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Q Where can
I buy birthday-themed party decorations?
A One of our
affiliate sites,
Shindigz.com,
has a great selection of birthday-themed party decorations at reasonable
prices. They have paper products, table decorations, balloons,
banners, and much, much more. Just go to
Shindigz.com
and search on whatever theme you're interested in.
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Q Is there a good
way to calculate how much food to have?
A This is the magic
question... If your Sweet 16 party is an open house it is
impossible to predict how many guests will come and even harder to
calculate their appetite. We have prepared a food planning guide. See
Menu Planning.
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Tip:
Most people have way too
much food and end up with a lot of leftovers. So, stock up on disposable
containers to share your leftovers. |
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Q For a
Sweet 16 party held at a restaurant, is it customary for people to pay
for their own meals?
A Most people
would expect the host to pay for the meal. If some people offer to
pay, great. But you should be prepared to pick up the remainder of
the tab.
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Read through all our FAQ's but still can't find the answer? Why not ask
our Sweet 16 Party Expert? Submit your question and we'll get
back to you within 48 hours!
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