Gold Coast · Chicago · Sweet 13s, Tweens and Teens
Turning Thirteen on the Gold Coast
A sweet 13 party on the Gold Coast can happen twenty floors up, with the lake out the window. Her friends blend perfume, mix lip color and leave with gifts they made themselves.
We also host tween birthdays from about 10, younger kids from age 5, and sweet 16s. Plus, parents book us for their own showers and dinners.
Sweet 13 Party Ideas Sized for the Gold Coast
City kids grow up quickly, and thirteen-year-olds here certainly know it. They ride the bus, walk to the lake and want their birthday to feel grown up. So a classic craft table rarely wins them over.
Instead, a sweet 13 party on the Gold Coast can feel like a real studio visit. Each girl blends an eau de parfum, which is a concentrated perfume, and names it. Next, she mixes a lip gloss in the Lip Lab and adds a little glitter.
Of course, space is the other big question in the city. Many families use a building party room, while others clear the living room. Either way, a clear wall and two tables do the trick, and we carry everything up.
Three Sweet 13 Party Ideas From the Neighborhood
Each idea starts with something she already loves about the Gold Coast. Then we fit stations and colors around it.
Lakefront Sunset Spa
Soft coral and gold, a fresh citrus perfume and mini-facials as the light fades over the city. It suits a party room with west windows.
Mitzvah Teen Lounge
For a bat mitzvah celebration, a Lip Lab and Mini perfume bar give the teens their own corner. Meanwhile, adults enjoy the main room.
Oak Street Boutique Night
Turn the living room into a little boutique with mirrors, florals and personalized signage. Each guest leaves with a perfume and gloss in a gift bag.
Stations for a Sweet 13 Party on the Gold Coast
Most families choose two or three stations for a group of eight to fifteen. Of course, we scale each one to her age.
Luxury Lip Lab
The Lip Lab Kids or Premium tier lets each girl mix a high-shine gloss from a 16-shade swatch board. A soft-matte lip cream means a liquid lipstick with a velvety finish, and older girls love it.
Learn moreCustom Perfume Bar
The Mini perfume bar fits on one table, holding 60+ materials chosen for young noses, plus mini bottles. For a bigger celebration, the Full bar adds 120+ fragrances.
Learn moreGlitter and Glow Station
Glitter and glitter body spray make the party room sparkle. Especially at night, the city lights do the rest.
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Mini-Facials
A quick, gentle mini-facial from a licensed esthetician gives the group a calm break. Teens also enjoy a slightly longer round.
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Skincare Bar
Our estheticians are licensed skincare professionals. With them, each girl stirs up a simple scrub or lotion and picks its scent.
Learn moreBath and Body Bar
At the bath bar, guests press a bath bomb and layer salts and dried petals. Since it needs no water, it works on any table, even at a slumber party.
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Luxury Candy Bar
We style our candy cart and apothecary jars in her colors. Plus, it is the quickest station while guests arrive.
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Digital Photo Booth
A digital photo booth frames the friend group with the skyline behind them. After the party, those pictures travel fast.
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Classes and Consultations
For a small crew of best friends, a private perfume class feels like a real milestone. Afterward, she knows exactly why her favorite scent works.
Learn moreWhen Gold Coast Families Celebrate
September birthdays come with new friend groups. So a glitter party helps everyone mix.
Winter break brings indoor parties, while the lights glow on Michigan Avenue. Warm gourmand scents feel cozy.
Bat mitzvah season and spring birthdays keep weekends full. So book early for April and May.
Many families travel, so summer parties are smaller. Still, beach days and rooftop parties stay popular.
Where a Gold Coast Sweet 13 Can Happen
We come to homes and shared spaces across the neighborhood. Also, we bring linens and decor, so plain rooms feel festive.
Building party rooms
Many lakefront towers offer a party room with a kitchenette. That way, the glitter stays out of your apartment.
Family apartments
A large living room handles eight guests easily. So the sofa stays put while the stations take the window side.
Townhomes and greystones
A dining room on a side street makes a cozy spot for a slumber party.
Restaurant private rooms
Some families book a private room for dinner. Then the stations line one side of the room.
Pricing a Sweet 13 Party on the Gold Coast
A sweet 13 party on the Gold Coast begins at the $475 kids and teen base, which covers up to 8 guests. Bigger guest lists and added stations show up line by line in your proposal. After you approve it, half down secures the day.
See every number on our pricing page.
Two studios
Our Studios and Gold Coast Families
January 2027 brings our first studio, at 19060 Everett Blvd, Suite 107 in Mokena. There, a girl and her mom can make a perfume or lip color together, by appointment or as a walk-in. Booked guests are served first, while walk-ins fit in when staffing allows.
The private party room fits up to 40 guests, with a kitchen for your food and cake, plus BYOB for adults. Mokena is a drive from downtown, though. That's why we're excited that a second studio is planned for Chicago, opening in late 2028. For now, the party comes up the elevator to you. The studio page has the latest.
From Idea to Gift Bags
Start with her wish list
Send her favorite colors, scents and the number of friends. Next, we match stations to the group.
Reserve the weekend
Expect an itemized plan within 2 business days. Once the deposit is in, the weekend is hers.
Quiet setup
Our hosts come up an hour ahead to dress the room. If you lack tables, ours cost $30 each.
Her big night
The girls create, laugh and pose. When it ends, we carry everything back down.
Add-On · Digital Photo Booth
Strike a Pose: Add the Digital Photo Booth
Make the party even more fun and keep every memory. Add our digital photo booth rental, and guests can snap photos all party long, fresh gloss and sparkle included.
- Share as they snap. Kids with phones or tablets can download and post their photos the moment they take them.
- The full gallery, sent to you. After the party, parents receive a link to every photo from the booth.
- Memories in one place. No chasing down pictures from other parents. Every pose, group shot and silly face is saved together.
Sweet 13 Party Questions From Gold Coast Parents
Do you come to high-rise buildings near the lake?
Yes. We come to apartments and party rooms throughout the Gold Coast. Just share your building rules ahead of time.
Is the Mokena studio close to the Gold Coast?
Not really, since it sits in the southwest suburbs. That is why city parties almost always happen at home.
When does the Chicago studio open?
A second studio is planned for Chicago, opening in late 2028.
Can you add a teen corner to a bat mitzvah?
Yes. A Lip Lab and Mini perfume bar together make a lively teen lounge.
What if some guests are 11 or 12?
No problem at all. Each station simply adjusts for the youngest girl in the room.
Do you do sweet 16 parties as well?
Yes. See our sweet 16 party ideas for older teens.
Are the perfume materials safe to share with parents first?
Yes. Our perfumes use absolutes (a highly concentrated aroma taken from a flower), CO2 extracts and essential oils. Also, every family gets the full ingredient and allergen list ahead of time.
When should we reserve a spring date?
Reach out 3 to 6 months early, since weekends in April and May go first.
More for Gold Coast families
Founded by Cheryl Gleason, a trained perfumer and cosmetic and skincare formulator, and the creative force behind every Glitters & Grace bar.
Make Thirteen Feel Big
Tell us when she turns thirteen and who is coming. Then we'll build a sweet 13 party on the Gold Coast that feels like hers alone.