Planning a Masquerade Ball

I'm planning a masquerade ball in the middle of Jan. 2007. I need ideas. If you have anything let me know; foods, decor, anything will be great.

Thanks,
Baller from Bremerton, WA

Answers:

Planning a Masquerade Ball

We are planning a masquerade ball for our daughter's Sweet 16 as well. It will be mid-February. The colors are black, silver, and hot pink. We are going with an understated elegance with white lights, candles, and reflective stones around the table centerpieces. The party favors will be plastic champagne glasses from oriental trading that say "(Daughter's Name) Sweet 16" "Date, 2007" and votive candles (which will be lit on the tables. Her father will toast her after she enters the room to "Daddy's Little Girl" by Tim McGraw and there will be a balloon drop. After the toast will be dinner. It is going to be served buffet style. During dinner the slide show to music of her throughout the years will play.

The first dance belongs to Daddy. The song playing will be "Butterfly Kisses". After which, everyone will be allowed to dance. We are going with masks mandatory and prom attire at least. We are renting a ballroom to host the party. There will be a professional DJ that will play everything from traditional party music to today's hits and even throw in some Cajun and Zydeco (We are from New Orleans.). We are placing disposable cameras throughout the room for people to take pictures as they see fit since we can never catch every moment. The party is being held on a Saturday night from 7-11pm. I hope this helps someone! (01/05/2007)

By Tina

Planning a Masquerade Ball

I love masquerade balls! My girlfriends and I are having our second one this Feb.! I am getting kinda nervous! I would suggest to have extra masks on hand, cheap ones you can buy them for four dollars or less a piece at costume shops. Find a place first and send out invites with an RSVP. A lot of people are making their own invites which is really fun to do and cheap! Think of decorations. If you have any friends to were recently married you can always use the decorations that they have, like votives, tulle, lights, garland. Pick a theme. Is it a Celtic masked ball or what?

Do you want finger foods, no food or an actual meal? After you decide this you need to figure out do you need seating? Or just have a finger food table. A display of a champagne fountain is always fun! Also a chocolate fondue fountain works great. Also music. I heard balls are only supposed to have "waltz" style music but why not all of the above? Luckily my parents have an old fashion record player that plays clay records but I think iPods are great to have so you can have a variety of music! I posted a picture of my mask below! I am super excited and I wish everyone luck!(02/03/2007)

By Meghan

Planning a Masquerade Ball

I'm also planning a masquerade Sweet Sixteen. I am providing masks for my guests. The attire is informal but everyone will be in pink and white with jeans except for my boyfriend and I. I will be in teal and black, and he will be in all black. (03/25/2007)

By Chris

Planning a Masquerade Ball

Next year is going to be my 16th birthday and me and my cousin are planning on having a masquerade, sweet 16 together! So here are some of the ideas we've had so far: We're going to rent a local country club ballroom and have them cater a finger-food bar and just tell people to eat before they come that we're going to have snacks! We're going to put on the invitation "prom/formal wear only no jeans" & if someone doesn't have a dress/suit or can't go out and buy one we'll tell them church clothes will be fine. Me and my cousin are actually going to go out and shop for a prom dress of some sort. Also we're going to go to Hobby Lobby and get one of those make your own mask kits that includes feathers and jewels and stuff & maybe find tiaras somewhere since we will be the birthday girls! Also when we send out the invitations we're going to send out some of the half masks with maybe a few feathers and jewels to get the guests started and tell them they can't get in without a mask.

Since the boys will probably not want to wear a mask we're just going to send them a plain black one and tell them they at least have to wear it for a little while. For some decorations we're going to get some black and colorful streamers, balloons, and we're going to hang some cardboard masks in places! For our cake, I'm going to design one half of the cake and my cousin is going to decorate the other half then for the top layer or in the middle we're both going to decorate it! No, we're not spoiled little "Super sweet 16" brats haha we're saving our money for the party and trying to get some cheap decorations and ideas so if anyone has some ideas let me know! Thanks!(b)(/b) (07/25/2007)

By Bre

Planning a Masquerade Ball

We are planning a masquerade ball for my daughter's upcoming Sweet Sixteen. The colors are black and blue and we are requesting that guests wear these colors. For the invitations, we are sending black paper masks with the details attached and some blue feathers in black or blue bubble envelopes. The tables will have dark blue tablecloths with black underskirt. The centerpieces will be made of ostrich feathers, alternating black and blue on each table. I am creating her 16 candle centerpiece out of Styrofoam, glitter, and candles.

It will contain her name across the bottom cut out of the foam and covered with black and blue glitter, behind the name I will alternate 16 black and blue candles, for each dedication, she will give the recipient a black rose with the dedication printed on an attached tag. The favors will be votive candles decorated with feathers. We will also have a table set up with black and blue candies. She and her court will make an entrance to a masquerade song. (10/04/2007)

By Georgette

Planning a Masquerade Ball

Hey, I'm planning a masked ball for myself too =]
It's kinda strange actually, my friends and I are the kinda tom-boy-ish-rocker type, but we all secretly like to dress up once in a while =]

A lot of my friends are in the older years so they'll already have prom dresses they can have another occasion to wear at too ^_^
I'm sending invites to couples & single people too, there will be dancing to loads of different music - ballroom, jazz, romantic ballads for the couples and some heavy metal =]

I've also planned a balloon drop to "99 red balloons" by Reel Big Fish ahahaha!

I've bought some cheap trophies for the best dancing couple and the best single dancer ^_^ My parents have also go a photographer to take pictures of everyone looking all formal in couples, groups, tables etc. =]

It'll be a fun night, I can't wait! (12/15/2007)

By Alyssa

Planning a Masquerade Ball

I am planning my own masquerade ball too. I'm half done with it so I figured I can share my ideas! First, plan your theme: colors, attire, number of people. Usually, venetian colors are dark red, dark, blue, dark green, black, gold and silver. And you need to have your venue and catering service confirmed. Then you can have your invitations made, be sure to have RSVP. Next, be sure you buy LOTS AND LOTS of masks. You will need them for your guests and centerpieces and decorations. You may also use drapings. These are your priorities to have a successful ball. Good luck and have fun! (12/18/2007)

By Frances

Planning a Masquerade Ball

Here is a cake idea I found (01/15/2008)

By cathy

Planning a Masquerade Ball

For my 14th birthday I am having a masquerade themed sleepover. Nothing fancy, but I wanted to have a fun theme, so I chose masquerade. On the invitations it will say, "masquerade - to pretend to be somebody or something you are not." (which is the definition of masquerade). It is on turquoise cards and written in gold paint pen (this makes it cool and metallic looking). And also on the invitation is the outline of a masquerade mask in the same gold. On the inside is all the info and it will also say something like "Come in masquerade. Dress as somebody or something you are not."

The point of that is so they dress in costume. There will be awards handed out for most creative, most colorful, best masquerade (most different from actual person), etc. Instead of giving guests masks to decorate (i)(b)before(/i)(/b), we will do an activity where we decorate the masks. Sometime during the mask-making process someone will be "murdered". Now we will go on a scavenger hunt to find "clues" and discover the "murderer". Before bed, we will watch the movie version of "Clue" (one of my favorite movies, by the way!).

There will also just be time for hanging out and typical birthday party things like opening presents and having cake. My idea for the cake was to make a plain cake (whatever flavor) and then after it is done and cooled, cut off excess cake so it is in the shape of a mask. Then (if all goes as planned) I will ice it with the colors from my party. That, (i)or(/i) a plain cake with a decorated mask on top (see the picture).

Anyway, I hope this helped. I still have a lot to do, and little details to finish up, but I can't wait to have this party! I hope everyone else has a good party too! (03/08/2008)

By Jessica