Under The Sea Sweet 16

Nothing matters more to me than family! 16 years ago my first niece was born. I was only 12 years old but meeting her overwhelmed me with tears. She turned 16, SIXTEEN!!! this December and I can’t believe it!

Something you have to know about her is her middle name is Ariel, and with that name she carries an utter obsession for anything Little Mermaid! I’ve never seen a 16 year old be more excited to purchase a Little Mermaid snow globe bubble bath. It’s so cute! I hope she never outgrows her obsession…and now I know I am embarrassing her like a true aunt should …gushing over her niece haha!

Anyway, I knew I wanted to help make her Sweet 16 dinner special. I committed to make all the decorations, “Under the Sea” theme of course, and help my mom host her sweet 16 dinner… I can’t say it was easy to execute my “always realistic” and “easy” hand made ideas alongside spending my days with an almost 2 year old and battling morning all day sickness. Sounds reasonable right?! Again with my “realistic” ideas of hand twisting thousands of feet of streamer to resemble seaweed, hand dyeing over 1000 coffee filters to create a photo back drop, then using a circle cutter to handcut circles for dot garlands, folding tissue paper into perfect pom poms, converting paper lanterns into jellyfish, stringing glass spheres into strands of bubbles, covering mini fish in glitter, then designing centerpieces, developing a menu with my mom and then making an appetizer… “P I E C E O F C A K E”… I also enlisted the help of my ever so helpful and perfectionist husband who said that if I want to make a habit of party planning I need a different assistant haha! Sure babe until the next party where you will help measure and install my creations hehe

But seriously all sarcasm aside, I really do enjoy this party planning thing. Everything came out great! Most importantly my niece loved it. The dinner of salad, breadsticks, lasagna and chicken fettuccine alfredo was satisfying! As were the many available desserts of mini upside down pineapple cakes, macaroons, chocolate dipped pretzel rods and marshmallows, and mini cup desserts like lemon and s’more flavored. Guests also enjoyed hot chocolate with whipped cream sprinkled with peppermint or toffee chips, got to take picture in front of a backdrop with mermaid props and got to take home a little box of candies they filled from the candy bar.

Here are the photos that show the details I took care of for the Under the Sea Sweet 16 dinner…

View of the dinner space

Jelly fish and hand twisted streamers

Outdoor dinner space

Paper pom poms and dot garlands

Spinach dip appetizer

Table setting, teal table runner and clear dinner plates

At every table there were Little Mermaid characters in glass vases with stones or sand

Here is Ursula

Here is a close up of the details of the tables. At the center was a bigger rounded glass vase styled to resemble coral life.

Another close up

Ariel

Each table had two tall candles and some tea light candles

Another table view

Photo backdrop bubbles and tiny fishes are visible

$photo backdrop made form hand dyeing coffee filters \[$

photo backdrop made form hand dyeing coffee filters \[

Another view of the photo wall

A super talented friend from my Middle school days made this cake.

I also wanted to show you the other details of the party taken care of by my super talented sister in law, brother and niece. My brother and sister and law made the many mini desserts to fill up the cake table. My sister in law made everything for the cake table and the mini candy bar. My niece made the props for the photo booth and the frame for the coffee and hot chocolate bar. The cake was made by my talented friend from my middle school days.