16^th birthdays are incredibly exciting affairs. It’s the time of a teenager’s life when they’re transitioning into an adult and making their unofficial ‘debut’ in society. As your daughter blossoms into a beautiful young woman, it’s only natural to want to celebrate her big day with a big sweet 16 party.

From picking the theme to arranging a beautiful sweet 16 dress, here’s all you need to know to get started:

Book a venue

To make sure that you have enough space and the proper equipment to get the party going, it’s best to book an appropriate venue in advance. The size and location of your venue will depend on the number of guests you’re planning on inviting, the kind of staff they have, and if they’re willing to cater to the decorative whims of a sixteen-year-old. Make sure to get a tour of the event space if you can! It’s important to know exactly what kind of space you’re working with to avoid being caught off-guard at the last moment.

Narrow down your guest list

One of the most important parts of planning a party, and especially a sweet 16 party, is to create a guest list and narrow it down after careful planning and consideration. You want all the right people to be there at the party. If your venue of choice isn’t large enough to accommodate all the people you have in mind, talk to the birthday girl and help her prioritize whom she wants to invite. There’s a major difference in the importance of the presence of a mere acquaintance and a best friend, after all.

Send out the invitations

Making a good first impression is incredibly important, especially when it comes to teenagers. Sending the right invitation can make all the difference between having a fun night filled with fantastic memories for your daughter or an empty venue and a broken heart. If you want to set the perfect tone for your daughter’s sweet 16 party, you can try coordinating the theme of the invite with the theme of the party. Whether you’re going for a princess party theme or have specific colors in mind, custom-made invites can make people more interested in attending the party. Make sure that you give your guests more than enough time to clear out their calendars and pick out the perfect presents—at least 4-6 weeks.

Ride in style

What 16-year-old doesn’t want to be the talk of the town for all the right reasons? There’s no better way to achieve this than renting a limousine to head over to the party. Most 16-year-olds have never seen a limousine in person before, so renting a stretch limo, Hummer, or party bus can mean a great deal to your daughter and a few of her closest friends. Escort the VIPs in style to help your daughter truly feel like the adult she’s blossoming into.

Hire professional entertainment

Music is one of the most important aspects of any party. Hire a DJ who can read the room and cater to the younger demographic by playing a good mix of both fast and slow songs. They should be willing to take music requests and play all the popular songs, even if they weren’t released all that long ago. Ask your daughter to write her favorite songs and artists to make a more curated music playlist.

While everyone’s on the dancefloor, who’s going to take the pictures? Get in touch with a professional photographer to go around and click candid photos of the guests, or set up a photo booth to help your daughter and her friends make memories that’ll last for a lifetime.

Plan the food

Teenagers love to eat, especially if the food’s particularly unhealthy. Let your teen indulge in her favorite snacks and junk foods by ordering a ton of pizzas, Bagel Bites, and various baked goodies that are easy to munch on while moving around. You can even hire a bartender to serve mocktails for an extra professional touch.

Buy the perfect dress

Your daughter’s sweet 16 party is the ultimate time for her to be able to dress up to the nines and feel like the princess that she is. Most sweet 16 dresses usually follow a very feminine theme, and nothing’s more feminine than a beautiful, classic ball gown! Whether you opt for a long or short variety, make sure that it’s easy to handle while dancing and moving around—you don’t want your teenager to feel like they missed out on any of the fun on the dance floor.

Colors like pink, white, red, blue, and black are great choices! These colors can work with any skin tone, and a ball gown can flatter almost every body shape and size. The cinched waist, tight bodice, and flared skirt will give your daughter an elegant, sophisticated, and feminine silhouette that will make her feel like a true adult. Make sure to keep things trendy, sparkly, and classy!  

We’ve got a wide range of beautiful sweet 16 party dresses

There’s no better place to buy a gorgeous new dress for your princess’s birthday than Terani Couture! We’re an exclusive dress manufacturer and designer that specialize in creating unique, exclusive new dresses that are the same as what you see your favorite stars and celebrities wearing! Whether you’re looking for a dress in the UK, the US, or the Middle East, we’ve got you covered. Our incredible collection consists of sweet sixteen dresses, pageant dresses, and long prom dresses. We use only the highest quality materials, embellishments, and fabrics to create our dresses, so you can be confident that your daughter’s dress will last for a long time.

Find your nearest outlet today!