by Amy K. Bredemeyer
Outrageous Kid Parties "Ava's Queen of the Nile Party" (S02E05):
The Background: In Fairfield, NJ, Mom Maria has a 5-year-old names Ava and an 18-month-old named Leah. She is having a party to celebrate Ava going to kindergarten. They meet with the party planner at a spa. They want a camel, a snake charmer, and a 20'x20' sand pit.
The Invitations: doesn't look like anything fancy. [they're talking about the party as "for starting kindergarten" but the invitation itself says for "graduating kindergarten" ...what's that about??]
The Outfits: They take a $700 limo to NYC for Ava and her friends to get stuff to wear for the party. [I was weirded out by how into shoes these kids were!] $1287 total for clothes. She gets her hair and makeup done like Cleopatra for $1,000. [this I don't understand at all. Unless that headpiece was like $750...] The family also has costumes to wear - $1500. [what??!? Dad was in a robe for crying out loud!]
The Decorations: Gazebos for $600, custom bench for $200, custom "Ava" sign for $275, pyramid props and decor were another $4200. [...you're kidding, right?!?]
The Entrance: The idea is that Ava will be carried in like Cleopatra, so the family auditions guys to see who is the "hunkiest." Rather than giving the guys number ratings, Ava and her friend hold up signs they made that have a smiley face, a heart, an X, and a question mark. They even measure some of the biceps. [this was the craziest thing about "auditioning" the models.] Male models will cost $1,000. Oh, and a $1375 camel led the way.
The Food: $5,000 for Egyptian foods and desserts. The $3,000 cake looks like a sphinx. [it looks REALLY good!]
The Entertainment: Tarot card reader for $650. DJ. Sanbox for $3,000. Glitter tattoos for $850. [In my day you might have a temporary tattoo in your goody bag and that was considered a great favor!] Massage therapist for $500. [what exactly did that have to do with the theme? And I thought that I read someplace that children shouldn't get back massages?] Belly dancer with snake for another $700. The snake charmer bails. [how long was this party?? There was a LOT offered to do!]
The Gift: $2,000 matching set from the jewelry boutique... revealed by the belly dancer.
The Favors: nothing shown.
Setup totally takes too long and bleeds into party time. We also don't hear from very many parents of the other kids this time, which I thought was strange.
Total Cost of this one: $32,150.
Outrageous Kid Parties "Dasani's Hawaiian Luau" (S02E06):
The Background: In Arlington, TX (near Dallas), single mom Omai wants to have a big party for her son, Dasani, who is turning 10. He's "obsessed with Hawaii." Omai's best friend, Vanna, tries to keep things under control. They plan at a fish store. Omai wants leis, roasted pig, the beach, drummers, 6-foot volcano cake, and hula dancers. Dasani realizes that his mom is going crazy. [that's good. usually the kids don't think that anything is strange.] The original budget is $5,000, but Omai mentions that she has credit cards. [uh, yeah. If your budget is $5000, why not just GO to Hawaii for a couple weeks?]
The Invitations: The entire school was invited, so 300+ kids... [but Dasani is pretty shy... why invite people he doesn't even know??]
The Outfits: Omai didn't like the outfit that Dasani chose for himself, so she changes it completely.
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| Photo: TLC / Kevin Dukes |
The Food: The cake alone is $5,000, but it did spew lava. $1,000 for a roasted pig. $500 for sno-cones.
The Entertainment: $2,000 to rent the area near a lake. $250 for lifeguards. $1500 for a waterslide. $1200 for human bowling. $1,000 for a live band. $1,500 for the DJ. [why a band AND a DJ??] $750 for virtual surfing. Another set of hula dancers costs another $1500. They also have a fire dancer for $500. [he was actually cool. I liked him.]
The Gift: He's getting a $750 surfboard. [remember, they're pretty landlocked...] Dasani and a couple friends also get a surfing lesson at an indoor simulator. That's another $500. He also gets an autographed surfboard used by a champ. [price unknown.... but probably pretty high.] AND he gets a trip to Hawaii (that alone is $5,000). Dasani cries tears of joy. [cute kid.]
The Favors: nothing mentioned.
Other things that happened: They take some hula dancing lessons, which Dasani isn't thrilled about. Omai and Dasani get "cupping" done at a spa to prepare for the party, but Dasani walks out before the treatment is over. Later at the party, Dasani gets really nervous and hides in the bathroom, but the guests chanting his name brought him out of it. [I would have thought that would make him more self-conscious.]
Total Cost of this one: $37,450.
2 comments:
Next to giving birth, this was one the the greatest experiences with my son!
Can anybody please tell me what was the nameof the store where Ava was taken with her friends to get dresses up before the party?
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