As you all know by now my eldest daughter, Lea turned 13. Turning 13 is a big deal and a definite cause for celebration. That is exactly what we did on Saturday, 28 September. We hosted a teenage party and I’m sharing some of the details with you. Lea had her own idea of how she wanted to celebrate her birthday. No “baby themes” and nothing over the top. This party was all about her and her personal style. Of course at this age it is also about celebrating with close friends and just having fun. After a lot of back and forth; she finally decided on a Boho Chic Teenage Party.
Guided by her strict requirements; I scouted Pinterest for inspiration and ideas. What I like about this theme is that nothing is cast in stone. Basically it is about mixing various textures and elements to achieve that mismatched look. It was super easy to source everything for this theme. In fact most of it were household items. Ultimately we wanted to create that effortless, laid-back feel. Besides setting up the decor and baking a few treats; not much work went into throwing this party. Our main concern was the weather as this was an outside party and swimming was part of the fun. Thankfully the weather turned out great.
Venue
We both decided that the party should be at home instead of a hired venue. Giving it that backyard party vibe. Other than it saving us money to have the party at home; it gave us the freedom to do whatever we wanted to. The invitation was designed using Canva and was sent electronically to the guests.
Decor
This Boho Chic Teenage Party was all about florals and ivy garlands which we used as draping for the outside decor. We added some texture with hanging dream catchers, lanterns and feathers. Initially we wanted some low tables and scattered pillows as floor seating but decided on wooden tables and benches instead. This was to allow for a more comfortable seating arrangement when having a meal. I decorated the tables with burlap and lace runners. Jars filled with flowers sufficed as centrepieces. The colour pallette was accents of green, pink, purple and orange mixed with natural elements of burlap and wood.
The outside teepee tent from Teepees and Tassles was the highlight of the Boho Chic Teenage Party. This was a perfect statement piece which complimented the outside decor. It was an extremely popular little hideaway place which offered much needed shade. Additional soft rugs and scatter pillows were placed on the lawn for extra seating.
The snacks and dessert table were decorated with burlap, draped lace, roses and sliced tree stumps. The handmade teepee table decorations were constructed with twigs that we collected. I made the food signs by downloading the template from Flearn Ph.
Food
The fundamental component of a great party should definitely be the food. Good party etiquette is not having your guests leave the party feeling hungry. Although teenagers like to socialise; they also love snacking. Therefore I made sure that there was enough food to eat. The food table consisted of an inviting display of fruit skewers, mini beef and chicken pies, chicken strips, cupcakes, chocolate brownies, sweets and snacks. Everyone constructed their own pizza with toppings of their choice (see details under activities). I baked the semi-naked chocolate cake and decorated it with a rose and macarons. Beverages included juice, water and bottled soda drinks.
Party Favors
What is a party without a favour bag? Older kids no longer require party bags filled with sweet treats. White organza bags were filled with sweets, lip gloss, nail file and brush, eye shadow and a notebook. Lea and Mika made the flower crowns based on an estimation of head circumferences. Luckily they made these a week before the party as it took a little bit of time. Each guest received a flower crown on arrival which they could take home and thank goodness it fitted them perfectly. Nothing makes a party more memorable than leaving with an instant photo. Keepsake photos of the guest and the birthday girl were taken with an Instax Mini Camera.
Entertainment/Activities
It didn’t take much to keep these teenagers entertained. I suppose when you have a swimming pool it just makes everything so much easier. There was a manicure station to add some colour to the nails. As mentioned before, everyone constructed their own pizzas by adding a variety of toppings on ready made pizza bases which was baked in the pizza oven. Of course no teenage party would be complete without a dj, music and dancing.
So there you have it – Lea’s Boho Chic Teenage Party. Lea and her friends had so much fun. After all, parties are about the social experience and making memories.
Vendor List
Venue: Our House
Decor and Styling: Our Own
Burlap Runners and Lace: Our Own
Rugs and Pillows: Our Own
Catering and Cake: Myself
Teepee Tent: In collaboration with Teepees and Tassles
Electronic Invitation: Created using Canva
Printable Signage: Flearn Ph
Macarons: Cassis Bakery
Organza Favor Bags: ABC Wholesalers
Favor Bag Contents: Various Retail Outlets
Dream catchers, Lanterns and Feathers: The Little Things Shop
Flowers and Flower Crown Supplies: Superfloral
DJ: Josh Fernandes
