Party Spot - Real Sweet 16's: Molly in Coto de Caza, CA

A member of her school's Dance Guard team, Molly wanted the night to be an excuse for her and her friends to get dressed up and dance. "I wanted the place to feel like a fancy nightclub," she says. With help from a professional party planner, Molly and her mom started planning the Sweet 16 about six months prior. The theme? "Club Molly."

SHE IS: Molly Harmon
THE BIG EVENT: Sweet 16
THE DATE: October 29

The Look Molly wanted a glamorous dress to go along with her party's disco theme. She found her sleeveless, floor-length pink gown at Cache.

"From the waist down, it was decorated with feathers and rhinestones," Molly says. "It was really fun to wear."

To top off the look, Molly wore pink, rhinestone-studded shoes from Nordstrom and a tiara from Claire's.

Getting Gorgeous "My party planner, Sandy, was so organized that I could really enjoy getting ready," Molly says. For hair and makeup, Molly visited a professional stylist.

"I wanted to wear my hair down, so I let her create the perfect blend of curls," she says. "And she kept my makeup totally natural."

After hair and makeup, Molly headed to the Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club to take some preparty pictures with her family.

The Main Event The party was held in an outdoor room called the Pavilion. Molly and her planner created a club atmosphere with fun extras such as pink neon lighting and pink fur–covered lamps.

Guests entered the room on a pink carpet, under a neon sign that read "Club Molly." "It looked unbelievable," Molly says.

Guests chowed down on an array of healthy Mexican dishes, and drank pink Molly-tinis. "Basically a Shirley Temple served in a martini glass," says Molly. "It was Sandy's idea -- so cute!"

Dancing Machines Molly hired a DJ and professional dancers to keep the dance floor busy. "The DJ had us dance on bubble wrap to one song and the sounds were so funny," she recalls. "Then he had us do a fashion show with pieces of the bubble wrap."

There was also an artist on hand to draw caricatures of all the guests.

Even the chocolate and raspberry cake was a tribute to the disco dance theme. It was shaped like a jukebox and frosted with notes and records.

"The only bad moment was when the party ended," Molly says. "I didn't want my friends to leave and go home."

-- Joanna Philbin
photography © Rachel Williams

For the ingredients that make up this party, see right-hand column of this page.