A Sweet 16 Mardi Gras Madness!

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is an opulent celebration of crazy costumes and wild make-up, masked balls and colorful parades. Picture yourself walking down Bourbon Street wearing a colorful mask, an elegant costume and tossing beads to all of your friends. Whether or not your birthday falls near the actual Mardi Gras, it is the perfect Sweet 16 theme for anyone who wants a magnificent carnival to celebrate their special day!

Sweet 16 Mardi Gras Invitations
Let everyone know if they want to attend the best party of the year they are expected to dress the part! Get them started by including a Mardi Gras mask and a string of beads with their personalized Mardi Gras Sweet 16 invitation. If you're going to have a costume parade and judging include it on the invitation as well.
If you want a completely unique invitation go with a personalized caricature invitation from Creations for You. What could be more fun than an invitation featuring a custom illustration of you dressed in your masquerade costume? These fabulous invitations are works of art to be treasured long after the party is over. And the caricature can be used again for your sign in board, centerpieces, even thank you notes.
If you want to make your own invitation use layers of purple and green paper. Write out the invitation information with gold gel pen, and add some gold glitter at the edges. Now you have an invitation with traditional Mardi Gras colors.

Your Sweet 16 Party - Make an Entrance!
One of the biggest events at Mardi Gras is the parade. Staging your own Mardi Gras parade is a fabulous way to make your grand entrance! Start by selecting some close friends and family to walk in before you. Give the special Mardi Gras wearable like feather boas and glitter derbies. Have them walk into the party room groups of 2 or 3, and while the DJ announces them they can toss Mardi Gras beads to the waiting guests. Everyone will be so excited when you come in at the end (save the best for last!)
If you want to make your entrance over the top, rent a convertible and sit in the back as you are driven up to the party. You can toss beads out to your guests who have gathered outside to see your entrance, and remember to wave!
Keep in mind that your guests will be waiting for you to make your entrance, so make sure there is something to keep them busy while the anticipation of your arrival builds. A sign in board or sign in book near the front of the room where your guests can leave you a message is always fun.

Mardi Gras Sweet 16 Decorations and Party Supplies
As your guests arrive greet them with a life-sized cutout of you as a Mardi Gras jester! Place a basket of beads and masks near the cutout for people to decorate themselves with as they come in.
Mardi Gras swirls are a fantastic ceiling decoration that you can use throughout the room. These metallic swirls will reflect the lights make any room stunning! Hang matching Mardi Gras door curtains in each doorway, and decorate railings, mantles and windows with gold, green and purple metallic tinsel garland for a cohesive and shining Mardi Gras look.
One decoration you cannot do without is the French Quarter Terrace scene setter. Hang these on the wall of your party room and your guests will be convinced they are in New Orleans at Mardi Gras. Combine it with the purple brick scene setter, Mardi Gras street signs, and Bourbon Street lampposts for a wonderful backdrop to your photos.
Another great way to spread color and decoration throughout the room is with balloon bouquets. Group purple, green and gold balloons together. Add a Mardi Gras mask balloon to each grouping. Place these bouquets at the entrance to the party, by your sign in, in the corners, along the wall, and in any large area that needs a little decoration like a lobby or sitting area.
Finish the room off with a couple of Mardi Gras party supplies that are sure to take the (King) cake. Mardi Gras lights will add a glow to the party the will rival that of the Bourbon St. lanterns. And last (but not least) a giant Mardi Gras airblown will stop everyone in their tracks!

Sweet 16 Mardi Gras Table Decorations and Menu
Think feathers for your tables. Start with colorful feather masks and a balloon bouquet anchored through a Mardi Gras hat (poke holes in the top of the hat). Snake a green, purple or gold feather boa around the base, alternating the colors on different tables. Sprinkle gold coins (called doubloons at Mardi Gras), king cake babies, and more beads on the table. Some Mardi Gras paper goods finish off the perfect Mardi Gras table.
Don't forget to decorate your buffet, gift and cake tables as well! The metallic gold table cloth dressed up with some Mardi Gras garland will do the trick. You should have a separate area for drinks. Why not serve purple, green and yellow colored slushies? Have them served up in glowing hurricane cups!
For your menu go with an assortment of finger foods like shrimp, crab, and crawfish, alongside mini servings of jambalaya, red beans and dirty rice. End with a traditional dessert; King Cake!

Sweet 16 Mardi Gras Games and Activities
Have a costume contest, and whoever has the most elaborate and creative costume is the winner! You can have you guests vote, or you can be the judge. Just make sure to let everyone know on the invitation that there will be a costume contest so they can prepare! It wouldn't be fair for you to enter the contest, but you can still dazzle everyone with a great Mardi Gras costume of your own!
Another fun activity is a bead collecting contest. Give everyone one special string of beads with a Mardi Gras Medallion. If any guest catches another guest saying the word "party" they get to take their special beads. The person with the most special beads at the end of the night wins a Mardi Gras crown!
Most of the activity at your party will take place on the dance floor. But you can make it extra fun by giving your DJ glow jewelry to hand out. A virtual message writer is another fun prop for the DJ. And make sure your stand out in at of the twirling lights by wearing a flashing feather boa and a light up Mardi Gras tiara!
Another common activity at a Sweet 16 party is the candle lighting ceremony. Checkout out the Sweet 16 Candle Lighting Ceremony Guide if you need instructions. And don't forget to check out our complete list of Sweet 16 Party Games!

Mardi Gras Party Favors
Favors are an integral part of the Mardi Gras festival. Make sure you are handing out goodies all night long, just like the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Mardi Gras Beads - beads, beads and more beads! Toss them at your grand entrance, leave them on the tables, exchange them throughout the night!

Mardi Gras Masks - hand these out at the entrance to help get everyone in the Mardi Gras mood.

Personalized Mint Tins - a personalized Mardi Gras Sweet 16 mint tin at each place setting is a treat guest will savor.

Glow Jewelry - Mardi Gras colored light ropes are the perfect dance floor giveaway

Personalized Candy Bar - give this out at the end of the night so everyone will have a sweet reminder for your fabulous Sweet 16 Mardi Gras Bash!

Have fun at your Sweet 16 Mardi Gras Bash!