Sweet Sixteen Planning

Guest List and Helpers

Call your teen's close friends and ask them to help you come up with a guest list. A quiet and reserved teen may only want a few people on the list and her best friend would know who to pick. Ask these friends, as well as family members, to help at the party. If cost is a factor, ask people to bring food, decorations and other items based on what they can afford. Some of your teen's friends may also want to help make invitations and decorate for the party.

The location heavily depends on the size of the guest list and theme of the party. A dance party won't work well in an outdoor setting, but a low-key nature-themed party can work in a park. A soccer-loving 16-year-old might really enjoy a soccer-themed event in the park because he can play soccer with his friends throughout the day while also enjoying cake and just having a good time. You can host the party at your house, unless your teen has a friend who has a pool or larger house to accommodate more guests.

Buy food and cake fit for a very special 16-year-old. Finger foods such as chicken salad sandwiches, chips and salsa and sliced veggies work well. Decorate the border of the food tray with your teen's favorite flowers. Place rose petals or daisy flower heads around the tray and serve food on heart-shaped trays. She might like elegant desserts such as caramel turtle brownies, chocolate-covered strawberries and cupcakes with pink frosting and raspberries on top. Order or bake a large sheet cake or a three-tier cake that matches the theme of the party. Make a soccer cake to look like a soccer field with goals and players for your male teen or make a cake shaped like a giant basketball. Decorate the food table with balloons that say "Happy Sweet Sixteen."

Choose a theme with decorations to match that your 16-year-old will enjoy. Ask one of your teen's friends to help choose a theme, if the party is a surprise. A ballroom or dance-themed party works well for a teen who loves to dance. A cheerleader might really like a cheer theme with pom-pom decorations and colorful balloons. Other sports themes such as football, baseball and soccer can work for both male and female teens.