School farewell bashes gladden caterers, but cause headaches for parents

  • 2011-06-01
  • By Linas Jegelevicius

SCHOOL’S OUT: A reason to smile, as graduation parties mean good business for party organizers.

KLAIPEDA - Are you the lucky daddy, with your offspring graduating from high school this year? It seems that graduation celebrations go beyond sanity in some schools. Whether parents plan a small get-together or a large bash for their graduating children, obviously, it is a money-making day for plentiful party caterers.

“Our business is sort of seasonal. After a sluggish winter, it always picks up in spring and in summer, particularly in June, when we receive many catering orders for weddings and high school graduation farewell banquets. The latter is trending higher now, as many parents are exuberantly looking for caterers for the parties,” Jurgita Aseviciene, president of Lithuania’s Catering Enterprise Association, said to The Baltic Times.

She maintains that, despite the sluggish economy and overwhelmingly prevailing post-crisis money-savvy mentality, many parents do not scrimp on their children’s memorable occasion.
Some parents in Klaipeda still recall a gut-wrenching high school graduation farewell banquet last year that cost each loving parent nearly 500 hundred litas (roughly 130 euros) per person.
The pricey farewell extravaganza had brought much-heated debates over the extent of this kind of celebration. Some parents were aghast at the price-tag of the farewell – 60,000 litas in total.

With the flare-up, which was the aftermath of the deepening gap among the rich and impoverished parents, no reasonable solution was found as to how big a budget for this kind of celebration ought to be. Obviously, graduation parties are a financial reality check for many parents.

In Klaipeda City, where unemployment steadily hovers at 12 percent, some just cannot afford the lavishness. “It is a shame to admit that I cannot present my only child with a decent school-graduation party. I have been jobless for the last two years, and my husband gets only the minimum of 800 litas, which, if not for my parents’ help, is not enough to make ends meet. For the party, I have calculated, we ought to spend 1,000 litas just for our son’s new suit, teacher’s and director’s presents and the banquet. We do not have that much. His participation in the farewell party is still in question,” Viktorija, a Klaipeda resident, recently acknowledged to the daily Klaipeda. No doubt, throughout impoverished Lithuania, there are plenty of mothers like her.

In the same article, a school-graduation party planner breaks down expenditures of what he calls an average-size school farewell party. “If we have five classes, 30 school graduates in each, rent of a decent banquet hall will cost 6,000 litas. If the party extends into the late morning hours, the rent will go up accordingly. Rent of a concert hall averages 200-250 litas per hour, an evening musical program with fireworks costs another 6,000 litas; if a live-music concert is requested, you can add, depending on the name of the singer or group, from 3,000 to 10,000 litas to the bill; presents may go up to over 1,000 litas; and, finally, the banquet, averaging 30-100 litas per person. Thus, at modest estimations, the price-tag will go well beyond 200 litas per person. Oh, do not forget to add up extra expenses for the suit, dress, hair-do and make-up,” Viktoras, the planner, pointed out.

Remigijus Ziogas, a professional party host who has been in the business for eight years maintains that, for that occasion, “anything more than 200 litas per person” is “crazy.”

“If I were to host a school farewell party for 150 people, including graduating kids and their parents, I would charge roughly 2,000-3,000 litas for the festive program, including a deejay. Surely, if parents wished to book a live concert by a TV-appearance-making band, it will alone cost from 3,000 to 10,000 litas. Fireworks usually cost roughly 1,500 litas for such an occasion. Honestly, throughout the downturn, I have not heard of a mega school-graduation party, which was nothing out of the ordinary in the pre-crisis years,” Ziogas told The Baltic Times.

A few years ago, he remembered, he hosted a school farewell party for which school graduates’ parents had spent over 50,000 litas. “Everything looked surreal – throngs of Hummers, Versace suits, jewel-adorned dresses, Olympic-Games-opening-like fireworks. However, I could not fight the feeling that it all looked sort of phony,” Ziogas admitted.

However, he says, in the last years, young folks and their parents have become generally more farewell party expense-savvy. Giedrius Svirnelis, another party organizer and host, concurs with his counterpart from Klaipeda. “Teenagers-to-turn-adults, for the occasion, still seek gobs of frolicking and bacchanalia, as one may expect. However, whatever the youngsters engage in, they are money-conscious. Years ago, usually wedding musicians would mostly amuse school graduates. The trend is gone, as today’s youth wants to see professional deejays and party hosts for the occasion,” the party organizer maintains.

When it comes to booze, he notices, school graduates mostly stick with beer and cider. “It seems that strong alcoholic beverages are being pushed out,” he suggests. As far as premises of the graduation party are concerned, Svirnelis says that most opt for restaurants, nightclubs and country tourism farmsteads.

Some high school parent committees, daily Klaipeda reports, have booked premises for school farewell parties as early as Christmas. “By Christmas, three high schools had booked our hall. We always encourage schools to make up their mind as early as possible, since those early deciders can pick a most suitable date, and, most importantly, they get the best deals. The earlier they get in touch with us, the more flexible we are. It is as simple as that,” a representative of Klaipeda International University LCC said. The education establishment now charges 6,000 litas for its hall rent per evening.
 
However, school principles, realizing the gap in the financial abilities of parents, try not to meddle in the subtle matter of arranging school farewell parties. “It is absolutely up to the parents,” Stasys Ruiba, principal of Grand Vytautas Gymnasium, in Klaipeda, says, adding, “Our main concern is graduation exams that our schoolchildren are through currently.”
 
The aforementioned Ziogas also says that he gets requests for school farewell programs as early as December. “In April, as a rule, we start attuning and signing them,” he says. The party host explains such early meticulousness for practical reasons, “Not all families can afford fetching set sums till a certain date. Therefore, giving them, time-wise, a more open window increases the chances of them being able to collect the cash,” Ziogas maintained.

Margarita Kondrotiene, owner of Kornelija, a salon that specializes in dress rentals, says that catering to the needs of graduating girls is a “significant part” of her business. “For the last couple of months, I have been seeing hordes of high school girls in my salon,” she says. “Before the crisis, many girls would buy a dress for the occasion. However, with the crisis’ aftermath setting in, she claims, a sheer majority of girls prefer dress rentals. Asked about trends, Kondrotiene could not single out any, “Each girl picks up what she thinks suits her best. As a rule, most school girls come in bunches, often ordering the same style dresses. Some do come a day or a few before the party. Interestingly, some high schools have their own distinctive fashion. Obviously, teenagers shun white and champagne color dresses, suggesting they do not want to look like brides,” Kondrotiene grins. Dress rental prices in her salon range from 50 to 350 litas.  Quite affordable? Oh, the fancy hair-do can cost up to 200 litas, as for pedicure and manicure services, the lass will need at least 70 litas.
 
“Sure, getting ready for a school farewell party is a costly matter,” agrees the businesswoman. However, she notices, this year many clients tend to save. “Many young people try to do without some items. For example, instead of renting a dress and shoes, many try to rent only the first item, matching its color to already available high-heel shoes,” the salon owner related. She always suggests to her clients to bear in mind that the dress they rent is very occasional, and it makes no sense to invest a lot into it. “Much more important is the mood of the party,” she says.

Edita Bagdoniene, a seamstress, says in the last years she has seen a decrease in the number of girls wishing to have that special dress sewn. “The downturn made everyone savier about their money. Why sew a fancy dress and pay from 600 to 3,000 litas for it, when instead dress rentals are widely available,” the sewer admitted to The Baltic Times. She says that a majority of lasses prefer knee-long, any color but black and white dresses.
 
When it comes to school farewell party transportation, the good old fashion limo rent still sets in. Limo rental prices, on average, range from 150 to 500 litas per hour. “Last year, we could hardly catch up with all those orders flowing in,” Donatas Zataveckas, director of Autopramoga, specializing in limo rentals, admitted. He asserts that, despite the downturn, people keep renting limos for various occasions. “My guess is folks have got used to the constant money shortage. Otherwise speaking, people got tired of being wary of the crisis round-the-clock. Besides, our limo rental charge, 150 litas per hour, is not a rip-off if you split it up among ten carousers,” the limo business owner suggested.

Nevertheless, the farewell party’s banquet remains traditionally of utmost urgency to most.
Virginija Marcinkeniene, owner of a cafe which specializes in banquet organizing, says a school farewell party for 300 people can cost approximately 10,000 litas. She calls this value party “luxurious.”

“On average, a banquet costs 25-35 litas person, including food and often alcoholic beverages. If the price exceeds 50 litas per person, it is a luxurious banquet,” she says. The entrepreneur suggests that it is always possible to manage with a less amount, not necessarily sacrificing its significance, “It is all up to the people. Do they want it all glitzy-glossy gosh-posh, or stick with a lesser budget, which not necessarily means a worse quality and less fun.”

She finds demands to contribute to a farewell party budget “as much as all” to be out of mind. “To put it mildly, it is brassy to urge a low-income or no-income family to spend 400 or more litas per person. The math is simple: a family of three, with a school graduate included, needs 1,200 litas for the occasion. And we speak only about expenses for the banquette and the evening program. Let us not forget that nearly as much is needed for the girl’s dress, her hair-do and make-up, as well as her parents’ apparel and beautician services,” Marcinkeniene pointed out.

She scoffs at the parents who, upon the occasion, instead of satisfying their child’s real needs, vie with each other for pompousness and brilliance. Recently, she recalls, requested by school graduates’ parents, she bought firecrackers for 1,200 litas. They were cracking for nearly 15 minutes at least. “Though it was a nice spectacle, I kept fighting my feeling that most of today’s 18-year-olds will not have any memories about them in a few days,” the cafe owner maintained.

She added: “Showing avuncular care is not about ‘how much.’ It is about ‘how.’”

The entrepreneur notices that school farewell party traditions slowly are changing. “Young people seek new ways of entertainment. Youngsters tend to show more creativity. However, sunrise welcoming remains a mandatory part of the celebrations,” she says.

Provided you are the daddy in charge of the school-graduation bacchanalia, obviously, you have a good deal of caterers lurking for your dough out there. The author of the story pretended to be the “daddy” and called several of them. The service price range, it turned out, is astonishing.
First, in a random Google search, I got hooked up by an advertisement offering an “exclusive party atmosphere” in Zaliasis Dvaras, 15 kilometers from Vilnius. Its Web site reveals an eyebrow-raising magnitude of venues – four separate houses, several 1,000-plus-something people halls, a seemingly impeccable interior and exterior, a pool, several traditional and Jacuzzi baths. The manor (that is what the premises are called) caters to newlyweds, school graduates and other partiers.

The sole owner of the estate, Russian-speaking Tatjana Filipova, trilled like a nightingale in a cajoling tirade, trying to get me on her client list. “I have been in the business for ten years. It is weird you have not heard about me until now, as I have thrown parties for most Vilnius high school graduates. Obviously, I am the only one in the business that will meet everyone at the door and stay with you until everyone leaves, tending to everyone’s needs,” she blandished.

“How much do you charge per person?” I set a matter-of-factly tone. “Only 90 litas per person,” the caterer replied, adding, “You will get two hot meals – not some sandwich or junk at a school canteen, but caviar appetizers and stuffed salmon for the hot meal,” she was trying to talk me into it. “It is too much for us,” I cut her off.

“How much are you ready to pay? We can bargain the price,” Filipova trimmed her voice.
“No more than 50 litas per person,” I set the price. She said it was ok; however, she was quick to add she will need to scratch out the salmon from the menu and replace it with chicken. No doubt, the best one in Vilnius. Upon hearing my further hesitations, she revved up her cajoling efforts, naming the exceptional amenities and services available at her venue. Finally, I gave up.

However, trying to play a money-conscious “daddy,” for the sake of the best deal, I called up some other catering establishments. It turned out similar services are much cheaper outside Vilnius. Birute Sarguniene, director of Zaliasis Stogas, a multi-functional cafe in Panevezys, in the north of the country, was ready to cater a 75-person bash, charging as little as 50 litas. “For the money, each will receive a skewer of shrimps for appetizers, a hot stuffed chicken for the main course and a dessert. In addition, a complimentary glass of champagne or wine will be served,” she said, emphasizing, “You will receive the best for the price.” I sniffed guiltily, and she was quick to sense out the size of my wallet. “Sure, we can throw out a more modest farewell party, let us say, for 35 or 40 litas per person,” the director suggested.
 
However, the “daddy” saw a record bid in Klaipeda’s Radailiu Dvaras, known for its estate-like settings and impeccable surroundings. “We will arrange a great school farewell party for 100 litas per person in our outside patio buffet. Our chef will offer you salmon, caviar and great desserts. Beer is free,” its owner, Vita Ausriene, related matter-of-factly. I coughed a bit, and she agreed to set the price at 70 litas per person, not sacrificing the food quality and service.
 
Gee, I still need to spit up some cash from somewhere for my buxom girl’s school graduation dress, her hair-do, make-up, limo, new purse and…Well, I am quitting. I am going nowhere but for a loan to a bank.