We just wrapped up a busy weekend of parties at the 443, including a huge, super-fun graduation party for Liverpool 2023 grad Maddy Bautista.
But just two weeks ago, the family wasn’t sure they even had a venue to hold the party.
I got a panic-stricken phone call from Maddy’s mom Judy. She booked another venue almost a year ago, signed a contract, and put down a deposit. But when she contacted them two weeks before the party to pay the remainder of her bill, she was told they double booked it by accident… and she didn’t have a place to hold her daughter’s celebration. YIKES!
The last weekend of June is always THE prime weekend for grad parties because it’s the week the kids actually graduate. Before we opened the 443, I was the catering and event manager for a local restaurant group that did a ton of grad parties. I typically had all four party slots (two on Saturday, two on Sunday) for their restaurants booked for that weekend a full year or more in advance… snagging that weekend for a party is VERY competitive. I cannot imagine the stress this family went through trying to find a new location on that date less than two weeks out.
Luckily, we unexpectedly had the date open and one of Judy’s friends suggested she call us.
She later confided that she called 16 venues before she found us… OYE!
We originally had a combination grad party/birthday party booked that day, but the event was canceled a few weeks ago due to some health issues with the guest of honor. With such a late-in-the-game cancelation, I had resigned myself to having the day off on this usually busy weekend – but it worked out smashingly for everyone involved.
Their original venue was a bare-bones, “carry-in/carry-out” venue, so they already had a caterer under contract – which worked out perfectly! We don’t have a kitchen, so we allow private parties to use any caterer they prefer. We were able to seamlessly move their party… and – IT WAS A TON OF FUN!
There was a colorful candy bar:
Yummy desserts:
A self-serve beverage station for the kids:
Our “Safe Sex on the Beach” punch was a big hit!
We made some fun centerpieces:
And guests gave Maddy their best advice on the new chapter of her life:
Judy and her friend Blanca created this gorgeous balloon arch photo backdrop on our stage:
How cool is this?!?
Maddy is heading to the University of Buffalo in the fall, and we know she’s got a bright, exciting future ahead of her!
She’s been a dancer all of her life and plans to continue when she gets to college. Smart, talented, gorgeous, and incredibly sweet… we can’t wait to see what comes next for this impressive young lady.
We had a blast helping this beautiful family celebrate… what a fun afternoon!
For more information on private parties at the 443, check out “Rent the Room”.
CHEERS!
