In May, my youngest daughter Olivia, hit her “golden” birthday—turning 16 on the 16th. We threw a super laid-back brunch at our local town hall for her and her four best friends, and it was exactly what she wanted. As we were setting up, we could hear thunder rumbling, but by the time everyone arrived, the clouds rolled away and we were left with sunshine streaming through the windows over the brunch table we had covered with florals.
For food, we had croissants, muffins, mini donuts, pepperoni, cheese, and crackers, plus yogurt parfaits piled with granola and fresh berries. Behind the buffet, we set up a gorgeous DIY flower wall.
We also had a separate table with a Mimosa Bar with OJ, Strawberry Lemonade, and Sparkling Grape Juice. Once the girls sat down, we hit play on the playlist they all helped build—it felt like the kind of morning every teenager dreams of: best friends, tasty food, and zero stress.
After brunch—let’s be honest, it took forever with all the chit-chat, we moved on to crafts. We had set up two tables, draped with a plastic tablecloth and scattered jars of paint, brushes, and all the little supplies needed.
Each girl received a small flower pot, a canvas tote bag, and a candlestick to decorate. There was so much giggling as they dove into their projects—my favorite was the Peanut Butter and Jelly flower pots that Olivia and her BFF painted. The music was playing, and they kept coming back to the Mimosa Bar for refills.
I cut the gorgeous vintage-style cake from a local home baker and left the slices on the brunch table so they could grab bites in between paint strokes.
The town hall meeting room was spacious, with plenty of tables and chairs, plus a small fridge and a sink. It might not have been the most “aesthetic” space, but it was perfect for our needs—and it was free! Since there were no other events that day, we weren’t on a time crunch. If you’re planning a party, check out your city or town’s rental options. I once used the city hall gym for just $50—it was huge and even had a stage. When we were done, we simply cleaned up, swept the floor, put the chairs back, and walked away—no stress or mess at home!
We had planned the party for two hours, but the girls decided that wasn’t enough, and we stayed a bit longer. When everyone finished their crafts, we cleared the brunch buffet table and turned the flower wall into a photo backdrop.
Using our phones and an Instax camera, we snapped a group shot and individual pics so Olivia could hang them in her room. There was so much laughter—some of those photos came out with everyone mid-laugh or in funny poses.
We wrapped the party up with opening gifts. Each friend wrote the sweetest card to my daughter – several brought tears to our eyes. Olivia is so lucky to have such kind and supportive friends who truly love her and her them.
DIY Flower Wall
Olivia and I made the flower wall using two sheer curtains, flowers from the Dollar Store, and hot glue. The white backdrop stand came from Amazon. I put the curtains onto the stand as Olivia popped all the flower tops off the stems. Once the hot glue gun was ready, she randomly handed me flowers, and I attached them to the curtains. We really just went with what we felt looked good – no real plan – but it turned out beautifully.
DIY Brunch Table
Would you believe me if I told you the brunch table was mostly items from the Dollar Store?! The chargers, flowers, vases, wine glasses, silverware, and votives were all from there. I used my dinner plates from home and found the perfect napkins at TJ Maxx. I had cloth tablecloths, but I forgot them at home, so we ended up using plastic ones, also from the Dollar Store. The table runner was from Amazon, and I loved the way it added additional texture and color to the table.
It was a beautiful, chill celebration—just six girls, some good food, creative crafts, and lots of laughter. No fuss, no oversized guest lists or elaborate themes—just a heartfelt way to honor turning sixteen. Sometimes, the simplest gatherings end up being the most memorable. Watching our daughter laugh and create alongside her best friends was the greatest gift of all.
