Celebrating a big birthday milestone doesn't have to be an over-the-top extravaganza, sometimes the sweetest things come in smaller packages and that's exactly what this Pastel Rainbow Sweet 16 Party delivers. A playful color palette with whimsical details throughout reminds guests to never lose their sense of wonder, no matter their age. Your teen is sure to swoon over this party and just might be inspired to pitch in with the planning! Be sure to grab the FREE Party Downloads here!
I don't know about you, but pastel colors make my heart sing. Something about the soft shades really soothes the soul and makes me feel at peace. Even if pastels aren't your teen's cup of tea, you're sure to be able to use these ideas and just tweak to your liking!
The Invitation
There's something to be said about a hand-delivered party invite and when it makes a statement your guests are sure to say "yes" on their RSVPs! Guests must open a glittered container that's filled with a balloon. To reveal the invitation they must pop the balloon! The balloon invite is full of a few goodies and serves as a clue for the fun to come at your party. You can find the details to create your own DIY Balloon Party Invitations here.
Pastel Perfection Party Decor
More is more when it comes to a pastel color palette, so we splashed our otherwise white and bright room with bits of soft rainbow colors everywhere. The giant number 16 balloons were painted gold. Pastel balloons were sprinkled on the floor for good measure. The number 16 was repeated as a centerpiece for our dining table using marquee numbers. We painted the numbers a soft blue and lavender and then embellished them with gold glitter polka dots around the edges for a sweet touch.
Inexpensive bar stools were painted in various pastel colors to coordinate with the party and became part of the decor.
The stunner of the party was our backdrop, which was created by taping pastel hexagon-shaped plates to the wall. We added a bit of silver dollar eucalyptus and a few white peonies to soften the look of the geometric pattern. We played around with the shape, moving the plates here and there until we found the exact look we wanted.
Sweet Treats
A sweet 16 definitely needs lots of sweet treats to meet the guests' sweet tooth! We filled a glass jar full of chocolate candies. They fit right in with the theme thanks to their pastel colors! Mint-colored popcorn boxes were wrapped with yarn and then filled with meringue kisses and Unicorn Poop candies for a playful touch.
Our simple pastel pink sprinkle cake received a rainbow tassel topper, which was easy to DIY by stringing the tassels onto gold baker's twine and tying it to two bamboo sticks. We wanted the backdrop to shine so we kept the cake simple, yet delicious, so it didn't steal the show.
A mixture of pastel colored gumballs was placed in another glass jar on the opposite end of the dessert table. I love finding sweets that match a party's color palette! We also created a yarn tassel garland, which graced the front of our dessert table and mimicked the cake topper.
DIY Painted Mason Jar Vases were placed on either end of our dessert table and were filled with sprinkle-covered Chocolate Drizzled Meringue Pops. You can find the recipe for the tasty Meringue Pops here.
The Tablescape
Our table was set using a pink and gold polka dot gift wrap and a different colored pastel napkin and pastel plate for each setting. DIY Painted Mason Jar Vases were filled with flowers and eucalyptus and looked chic on either side of our marquee number 16.
We mixed and matched the colors of the DIY Mason Jar Vases to match the hexagon plates on our wall. The best part is the vases can be repurposed and used after the party, either as vases or would even look cute on a desk to hold pens, etc! You can find the tutorial to create your own here.
The cutest balloon birthday plates sat atop pastel dinner plates and provided a pop of fun to the table. Fancy gold glitter plastic forks played off the splashes of gold glitter used throughout the party. Pink lemonade was served in vintage soda bottles that were dressed up thanks to a yarn tassel.
Party horns had each guests' name on them with the help of a multi-colored yarn tassel and were a whimsical way to designate each girls' place at the table. You can download the name tag template here.
To make each place setting extra sweet we perched a chocolate-dipped marshmallow pop atop painted cupcake stands and added a yarn tassel to continue the theme.
After the cake has been cut and before guests leave, commemorate the special day with a few selfies! Slide the dessert table away and pose in front of the beautiful pastel hexagon backdrop!
For more pastel party fun, check out the posts for the DIY Balloon Party Invitations, DIY Painted Mason Jar Vases and the yummy Chocolate Drizzled Meringue Pops recipe!
Photography: Moments by Maredith
