How to Plan a Teen Birthday Party on a Budget

Cupcakes can serve as table decor and favors.

If you're planning a memorable teen birthday party on a budget, look for ways to cut corners without sacrificing important details. Before planning the bash, make a list of must-haves and things the party can do without. Make decorations and food yourself to save money and give the party a personal touch. Edible items that can work double-duty as snacks and favors or dessert and table centerpiece allow you to save even more cash.

Things You'll Need

• Card stock
• Scissors
• Stencils
• Craft paint
• Paint brush
• Paper streamers
• Beach-inspired decor items, such as sand and seashells
• Glass vessel
• Party food such as fruit and sandwiches
• Bamboo serving tray
• Decorated cupcakes
• Cupcake tower
• Small paper boxes

Instructions

1. Decide on a party theme. Choosing a theme will allow you to create a cohesive look and help you narrow down favor and food ideas. Pick a theme that reflects the teen's hobbies and interests, such as a beach-themed bash.

2. Do your own invitations to avoid spending money on costly pre-made invitations from a stationery store. Buy card stock in a color that coordinates with the party theme and decorate the invitations with craft items. Enhance the cards with seashell-shaped stencils and craft paint.

3. Make creative party decorations using what you have on hand or inexpensive party-store items. Wrap turquoise and sunny yellow crepe paper streamers around railings, chairs and doorways. Use a vibrantly hued terrycloth beach towel as a tablecloth. Fill a clear glass vessel with sand, seashells and starfish gathered during a family beach vacation and use it as table decor.

4. Create teen-friendly party food with tasty yet inexpensive ingredients. Design an eye-catching fruit tray by using cookie cutters to transform pineapple and melon slices into flower shapes. Whip up your own cream cheese and marshmallow creme dip. Make several types of sandwiches using a variety of cold cuts, cheese and vegetables and serve them on an island-inspired bamboo tray.

5. Choose party favors that can also serve as a table centerpiece. Make chocolate or vanilla cupcakes in turquoise or yellow baking cups. Top one half of each cupcake with crushed graham crackers to resemble sand, and the other half with blue decorator's sugar as water. Place a red gumball on each cupcake to serve as a beach ball, fold a piece of stick gum to resemble a beach chair, and insert a paper cocktail umbrella to complete the beach-inspired scene.

6. Arrange the cupcakes on a cake tower. Place the tower in the middle of the party table as an eye-catching centerpiece. Instruct each guest to take a cupcake on his way out of the party and provide small paper boxes for easy transport.

References

• All Recipes: Fruit Dip
• Disney Family Fun: Ultimate Beach Cupcakes