Themed Birthday Celebrations in Vizag Getting Bigger, Costlier
From beach cabanas to balloon sky shows, parties now cost up to Rs 50,000 in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam: Birthday celebrations are no more mere cake, biscuits, samosas and chocolates shared among close friends and family.
A new trend of themed birthday celebrations has evolved in Visakhapatnam, where events cost anywhere between Rs 5,000 and over Rs 50,000, depending on the location and décor.
B. Praveen, an event manager who operates a studio in Visakhapatnam, explains: "There are different types of themes for celebrating birthdays. We charge based on the theme." His menu starts at Rs 5,499 and can go up to Rs 30,000, depending on the theme and location of the event.
Praveen’s company specialises in beach and park decorations. It obtains the required permissions before each event. Their offerings range from intimate setups to grand celebrations. A small beach dinner with a round table, two chairs, fairy lighting and 10 photo prints costs Rs 5,499. A round birthday beach decoration featuring a half or full balloon arch, red carpet, 12 photo prints, and a cold fire entrance is available for Rs 9,999.
Premium options offer candlelight dinner setups for Rs 13,499, while a beach cabana arrangement complete with red carpet, name lighting, photo prints, and electricity is priced at Rs 23,999. The highest-priced package costing Rs 29,999 is the beach cabana with a round balloon backdrop and other frills.
Another themed birthday planner in Vizag is M. Mahesh. His speciality is indoor events and inventive outdoor celebrations, with indoor packages ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000; with Rs 5,000 towards venue rent. He has some unique celebration concepts, including a memorable setup where helium balloons, LED balloons, and regular balloons bearing the birthday person's initials are released into the sky, creating a five-minute spectacle that costs Rs 12,000.
Mahesh’s creative portfolio extends to organising car and bike formations on roads spelling out the birthday person's name, as well as custom songs and flash mobs in shopping malls to convey birthday wishes.
Durga Naidu, who recently celebrated his son's first birthday with an elaborate party, defended the expense. "It's my son's first birthday. I wanted to celebrate it in a grand manner, so that he can stay in people's minds for a long time," he underlined.
P. Satyanarayana has a contrasting view. "I feel like this is something very huge for a small family of two people. Spending on decor is wasteful," he says.
The trend has not been without controversy. Recently, a video went viral showing a group of 30 students celebrating a birthday party at Siripuram Point in Visakhapatnam. The celebration involved electric guns, spraying and activities that disturbed others in the area.
