I was asked to help my niece celebrate her sweet sixteen in style. We decided on her favourite movie The Sound of Music as a theme – as she is fifteen going on sixteen! After looking through images/stills of the movie we simplified the theme using muted colour tones and movie hints in the decor; raindrops on roses, satin sashes, warm woollen mittens, and brown-paper-packages-tied-up-with-strings, these are a few of my favourite things!
The Invitation
The invitation was created by swooshcreations.com who did a fabulous job of setting the tone for the party. Here is the invitation release image set against some of our favourite things. A play on words with the song Sixteen Going on Seventeen was used; “She is Fifteen Going on Sixteen!”
The Welcome
A magnolia leaf wreath was adorned with Sound of Music scrolls and a mini guitar, making sure the guests knew this home was the party venue.
The Foyer
The staircase, at the entrance of the beautiful home where the party was hosted, was perfect for a grand entrance. The banister and two newel posts were decorated in beautiful cream tones, including a silk draping. I adorned the silk with green leaves and decorative sheet music from the movie. But the piece that really brought the guests into the themed party was an Austrian Flag proudly displayed, as it was in the movie, along an upper railing.
Favourite things
The Roses, the Sound of Music sheets, and the Brown Paper packages tied up with strings! We did have some warm woollen mittens in the decor too (not featured here).
The Decor ~ Feature Fireplace and living room
The beautiful millwork around the fireplace leant itself well to the party colours. We used a gilded mirror to replicate the elaborate style at the von Trapp family home ballroom. We ensured sheet music was prominently displayed with a few of our favourite things! The guitar and case were a must for the gathering space where Eidleweiss could have been preformed by the family.
The Windows
Each window was adorned with cream coloured satin-sashes strung with Sound of Music sheet music in the same tone. The lower sill was decorated with rows of brown-paper-packages-tied-up-with-strings.
The Table
The table settings were exciting to decorate. The table runner was a collage of sheet music from the film that ran the entire length of the table. I added dimension to the table-scape with more brown-paper-packages and punctuated them with cream-coloured roses (minus the raindrops) and green leaves. I had found the perfect napkins for the party and placed them at each dinner setting. They reminded me of the ballroom in the film (which was apparently inspired by Leopoldskron’s Venetian Room).
My favourite table adornment were the pinecones placed at each dinner setting; just like the one Maria sat on at her first dinner in the film!
The Costumes
The birthday girl had the exact number of cousins at her party to make up the von Trapp family’s children… We were lucky to find an old drapery panel in the right party colours for Grandma to sew into play clothes costumes for the kids. Everyone else was invited to wear costumes as well. At the party we had; two nuns, one Maria (I thought for sure there would be more!), two Baroness Schraeders, one Max, two Captain von Trapps and the birthday girl was of course Liesl!
The Food
Of course we had sausage, cheese and breads (perfect for an Austrian party), and we made sure that Crisp Apple Strudel was in the mix! My sister-in-law is an amazing hostess!
The Cake
A pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese frosting punctuated the buffet table.
The Games
No Sound of Music party would be complete without a musical number or two! The guests were asked to form groups to lip synch their favourite Sound of Music Song! Maria won with her rendition of “The Hills are Alive!”
The Party Favours
So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu! The guests went home with Linzer Kekse (a traditional Austrian treat) inspired cookies!
