|
Sweet Sixteen Doesn't Have to Break the Bank |
Written by Dave Mannus
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
|
I'll be the first to admit, I thought sweet sixteen parties were things of legend. I've seen them on television and in the news, but I guess my middle-class upbringing kept me a tier or two below the minimum threshold for such extravagant shows of runaway consumerism... except it turns out they really aren't all that expensive after all. As a technical assistant to the event planner, and you can read that as grunt labor if you like, I was invited to one such supposedly lavish party just last month. While it was an interesting insight into the inherent insanity of teenage girls, it was also something of an awakening for me as to how affordable, and worthwhile, these parties can be. The Sweet Sixteen party I attended was for a girl I can't name, of course, but let's call her Maria. Her parents are of modest means, though not poor (or rich) by any accounting. The party was set for 75 guests, but my manager explained that the parents knew that meant around 150. Apparently once the word gets out, any big event like this immediately becomes the party to attend, and every guest brings as many tag-alongs as they can manage. This party went beyond 150 guests, but not likely more than that at any one time. Still, if you're trying to find out how many teenage girls can you stuff in a room at once without losing your sanity, this is a good way to find out scientifically. The Red & Green Steakhouse is conveniently located in the suburbs of Atlanta and offers, as many restaurants do, a space dedicated for parties, but I learned upon arrival that this place does it differently than almost anyone else around. The party space is 100% separate from the restaurant, and not just by a partition wall, but by a whole different floor. You've got your own space, your own entrance, and you can be as obnoxious as you might want to be - and believe me, these people got as unbearable as partygoers can get without being drunk, but they didn't bother anybody but themselves. This particular party chose to bypass the full-bore rodizio-style dinner service, opting instead for a buffet, which was more in keeping with what the guests actually wanted. That was the only way in which the party was limited, because from there out, it was a full-tilt party experience. Mary's friend is an aspiring DJ, so he got to bring his collection and spin the hits on the house sound equipment, which had all the boom even these teenagers wanted, and that was included in the price. Once the girls got relaxed they switched over to the in-house karaoke system, which is also included in the price, and had as much fun as they could ever regret at a future high school reunion. Her parents, perhaps bitter about the fact that they had to pay for such a party, used the TV system to show a retrospective of her life so far, which was remarkably interesting for her short 16 years on the planet, and that led directly back in to the DJ spinning whatever noise it was I couldn't stand for the rest of the evening, with a full light show, no less. When I asked Meredith about the cost of the party, she refused to be nailed down to a solid dollar figure, but she said that almost everything we saw inside was covered by the room rental. The DJ equipment, light show equipment, private entrance, karaoke machine and more was all included in the price. And if you want to talk about convenience, the Red & Green Steakhouse also brought in the flowers, balloons and the private limo service for the debutante of honor, simply by asking for it, and at merely market rate. It turns out that if you want to make your daughter the belle of her very own ball, you don't have to break the bank to do it. For far less than the price of even a used car, you can host a party as grand as this, and make your daughter the envy of the town. Forget about what you've seen on those silly shows on MTV, this lavish luxury can be given at commodity prices. What really impressed me about the Red & Green Steakhouse was that it didn't even require the guests to pay the full Brazilian Steakhouse fare to use this great space, because they knew they weren't providing the full rodizio experience. Since my daughter is now 11, it gives me hope that I can make her the happiest little girl in the world without having to start putting money aside now. And if you are thinking about it in terms of "this or that" against the price of a car, I'd say maybe skip the party planner and find somebody like Red & Green Steakhouse to handle the hassle for you, because then you're really not going to have to choose between one or the other. Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com |
About The Author:
Dave Mannus is an aspiring travel and tourism writer. For more information and hiring details, please contact me by email for immediate reply.
Dave Mannus is an aspiring travel and tourism writer. For more information and hiring details, please contact me by email for immediate reply.
You are welcome to publish this article free of charge on your website, newsletter, or e-zine, provided:
- You don't change the article in any way
- You include the entire article, including the "about the author" box
- All hyperlinks must remain intact, including email addresses, and the link to ArticleBlast.com at the bottom
- In doing so you agree to indemnify the article's author, and ArticleBlast.com and its directors, officers, employees and agents from and against all losses, claims, damages and liabilities which arise out of its use
- It is also recommended that you provide a courtesy copy of your publication to the author of the article
