Sophie is asked whey she stops doing parties for children when they reach teh age of 14.
When I started my business 17 years ago, I only created parties for children. I loved the opportunity to make a child’s imagination reality, so I never really saw my business as doing anything but kids’ parties. Yet as time went on, my clientele grew older and I was faced with something I had never considered: the adult/kid party conundrum, with events like Bar and Bat Mitzvahs as well as corporate events. Like every new concept, I fearlessly embraced these new opportunities and jumped headfirst into the fray. (I’m known for this, much to the chagrin of my staff and the people who love me.) After a few years though, I had realized a lot about myself, my business, and what it is that I do well and not-so-well...
Where I shine is in creative, kid-friendly ideas. Where I fall short is elegance.
I’m not the person you want to call when you want an all-white affair with lots of candles, foie gras, and polite speeches. I’m about crazy hats, wild sunglasses, and singalongs. In a word, I’m goofy! Now that’s not saying that I can’t create a party with an elegant element; I have wonderful florists and lighting designers who can do that for me, but if the party itself doesn’t have a large dose of fun, I don’t want to be involved.
There’s also a sad-but-true fact about some folks over the age of 14, and that’s the “can I sneak an illegal substance into this party” syndrome. After a few debutante parties and a quincenera, I decided this world was not for me. The liability alone caused me to break out in angst-induced hives! What if one of these kids came to our party, got into a car afterward, and got into an accident? That would be on me! That thought alone was something I couldn’t / shouldn’t / (and as I finally decided) wouldn’t take on. I’m happy to advise folks; I’m pleased as punch to offer them fun activity ideas for all ages, get them great DJs or bands, and suggest awesome caterers and party planners who can do a better job than I can.
I love working with kids, but in today’s world, when a kid hits high school, they really aren’t kids anymore -- they’re mini-adults, and there are better people than I who can make their dreams come true.