Photography by Chris Lammert Photography
Have you seen the Barbie movie yet?! When I was contacted by a client to help her throw a party for the Barbie Premier, to say I was excited is an understatement! This client had invited friends to the Ipic movie theater here in Austin for a private viewing party, and I couldn’t wait to transform the theater into a space where the movie could come to life, and where every corner reflects the whimsical universe of Barbie herself. Read on for all the details on how we set it all up to transport guests into a realm where fantasy meets reality.
Pink Carpet Entrance
The first thing we did was roll out the pink carpet. No red carpet here - when it comes to Barbie you have to Think Pink! We lined each side of the pink carpet with pink velvet ropes, which added a luxe and exclusive feel to the entrance of the party.
As soon as guests walked in, they were greeted with trays of heart-shaped sunglasses that we placed on co*cktail tables covered in geometric pink patterned linens.
We used small disco ball-inspired vases to hold mini bouquets of pink florals on the tables as well.
co*cktail Hour
Before the movie viewing, guests spent time in the party space with appetizers and co*cktails we served in the cutest little whimsical bird co*cktail glasses. We added custom drink stirrers to each with “Real World This Way” signs from the movie. Guests also received customized pink co*cktail napkins with “Every night is girl’s night” and the party date printed on them. We also made sure to provide each with a Barbie “B” take-home favor, complete with a teeny lipstick charm.
We covered the venues existing pool tables with Barbie pink velvet linens, and added pink fringe and florals to the light fixtures for an extra touch of Barbie Land magic. Little Barbie jeeps filled with florals made the perfect centerpieces!
Photo Ops
The bright and bubbly land of Barbie has plenty of dazzling sets to inspire an array of backgrounds for photo opportunities. We started out with a Barbie convertible photo booth, parked on a green grass rug and surrounded by colorful balloon garlands and orange palm tree cutouts. We used a pink terrazzo-style backdrop for this that really made a bold statement.
Next, the Barbie Dreamhouse! This photo booth featured our interpretation of the entrance to Barbie’s home, surrounded by bubblegum pink balloons.
Last but not least, we had to include a Barbie box. In the movie, Barbie’s closet is basically a set of Barbie display boxes with a variety of Barbie outfits inside, and at one point Barbie herself actually steps inside of a life-sized Barbie box. We wanted to allow guests to do the same, so we set one up, complete with alternative outfit hanging in the background!
Concessions
Before the movie started, we ushered guests over to a customized concession stand we created using a yellow display case. We stuck a “Mattel” logo on the front and embellished it on either side with giant pink Barbie lipsticks.
On the top shelf of the concession stand, we added more florals and a gorgeous custom "Come on, Barbie” menu sign.
All of our snacks were in custom Barbie-themed packaging, which really made it feel like guests had been transported to Barbie Land where everything is pink!
We also encouraged each guest to grab an iridescent favor bag with Barbie’s profile on it to hold their custom snacks.
Custom Menu
This movie theater is one that serves food inside the theater while you watch the movie. We wanted to make even the food ordering experience on-theme, so we created custom Barbie food menus as well. At MINT, we are all about the details that make a party like this extra magical!
This was such a fun experience to create, and I was thrilled to get the chance to really make this event a true celebration of friendship, feminism, and the fun of being a Barbie Girl in a Barbie World!
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and if you’re in the Austin area and want some help planning or styling a celebration, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
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Vendors
Event Design & Styling: MINT Event Design
Venue: Ipic Austin
Rentals: Eden Event Rentals
Fabrication: Lester Builds
Custom Candy and Branding: Alex Selsor
Florals: Posey Floral
Acrylic Stirrers and Candy Menu: The Motif
Stickers: KM Prints & Designs
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Adult Parties, Special Occasions
Carolina Villarreal
barbie, barbie party, photo booth ideas, girls party ideas, movie party, barbie movie
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