If you've followed along with our adventures for any length of time, you probably know that I love a good theme, an excuse to get creative, and pretty much any opportunity to make an ordinary day feel a little more special.
So when my daughter Everly decided she wanted to host her second annual "Ghouls' Night" for her girlfriends this Halloween, naturally, I had some ideas. Unhinged? Maybe. Fun? Definitely.
We had a DIY perfume bar, pizza, cute drinks, and plenty of girly activities planned. But one of my favorite additions to the night was a luxury glamping tent from Under the Stars KC.
I'd seen their beautiful setups before and thought it would be such a fun addition to the party. What I didn't realize was just how much I'd appreciate having someone else take an entire part of the planning off my plate.
And good news for my fellow Kansas City parents: Under the Stars KC is currently offering Macaroni KID readers 10% off their own experience! More on what they offer below, because the glamping tents are just the beginning.
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Outdoorsy, But Make It Cute
First of all, this was not the camping tent collecting dust in your garage.
Under the Stars KC creates these gorgeous glamping setups, and for our party, we decided to do more of a lounge than a traditional sleepover arrangement.
And it turned out SO cute.
Inside were chairs and floor cushions in different heights, textures, and colors, all coordinated with our party's color scheme. They added little Halloween details throughout, keeping everything girly and fun without going overboard on the spooky stuff.
There was even a corner with board games and other activities for the girls, which was such a nice touch.
The whole thing felt like a little private clubhouse. And you better believe I claimed that space for myself once the girls went home.
They also offer a projector rental that works right on the tent walls, which would be so fun for a backyard movie night. We didn't do that for our party, but I'm already filing that idea away for another time.
At 10, the girls are at that funny age where they still love themed parties and all the cute stuff, but they're also starting to want a little independence. Having their own space to hang out, away from the adults, was a huge hit.
The Experience Started Long Before Party Day
One thing I really want to mention is how great Under the Stars KC was to work with, because that's something I can’t share through the pretty pictures.
When we first started talking about the party, I shared what I had in mind, our colors, the theme, and the overall look I wanted. They listened, asked questions, and sent examples ahead of time so we could make sure we were on the same page.
And if you're anything like me, you know how much that matters.
I tend to have a very specific vision in my head, and sometimes explaining that vision to another person is half the battle. They completely got it.
We also had a little weather drama leading up to the party. It poured rain for days, and I was starting to wonder whether our backyard plans were going to happen at all.
They stayed in touch about the forecast and the possibility of needing a backup plan, which I really appreciated. Thankfully, the sun decided to cooperate on party day, so it ended up being a non-issue. But knowing they were thinking ahead instead of leaving me to figure it out was reassuring.
It's little things like that that make me want to work with a company again.
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One Less Thing for Me to Obsess Over
I'm the mom who will spend an unreasonable amount of time finding just the right shade of purple napkins, researching perfume ratios for a DIY fragrance bar, and making sure every little detail fits the theme.
I love that stuff. Truly. It's actually embarrassing how much I like it.
But I also know how quickly a fun party idea can turn into 47 separate projects and an Amazon cart that has gotten completely out of hand.
So having Under the Stars KC handle the entire hangout space was pretty fantastic.
I could put my energy into the food, drinks, perfume bar, and the other things I wanted to do for the girls, knowing the tent was being taken care of.
And because they covered all the fun details inside, I wasn't just checking the setup off my list. I was checking off another piece of the entertainment, too.
The best part was that I didn't have to compromise on how I wanted everything to look. They took my ideas and ran with them, and when I saw the finished space, there wasn't a single thing I wanted to change.
For someone like me, that's saying something.
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And Then the Girls Disappeared.
Here's the funny thing about planning parties for kids.
You spend all this time coming up with activities and making sure everyone will have something to do.
And then you give ten 10-year-old girls their own little lounge in the backyard, and they disappear for an hour.
Literally.
At one point during Ghouls' Night, all ten girls piled into the tent and stayed there for nearly an entire hour.
We could hear them giggling and talking, completely entertained by each other.
No one was asking what we were doing next. No one needed another activity. They were just having fun.
And honestly, I think that was one of my favorite parts of the entire night.
As much as I love planning things for Everly and her friends, there's something even better about watching them make their own fun. Those are the moments they'll remember.
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They Do a Lot More Than Glamping Tents, Too
Our bell tent worked perfectly for Ghouls' Night, but Under the Stars KC has quite a few other options depending on what you're planning.
- Luxury Glamping Tents: Their signature bell tents can be styled for backyard hangouts, movie nights, or overnight glamping.
- Slumber Parties: Individual teepees with mattresses, bedding, coordinating decor, and cute extras like lanterns, breakfast trays, and silk eye masks. I can only imagine how excited a group of little girls would be walking into that setup.
- Luxury Picnics: Low picnic tables, floor cushions, pretty place settings, and decor styled around your colors. Such a cute idea for birthdays, showers, or a girls' night.
- Event Domes: Cozy outdoor domes that hold in heat and can be arranged with seating, a picnic table, or slumber beds. These would be especially fun for a fall or winter gathering.
- Movie Nights & Add-Ons: Add a projector to turn your setup into a backyard movie night.
- Group Camping & Custom Events: They also work with larger gatherings, retreats, and outdoor weddings that need glamping accommodations or additional event space.
So, Would I Recommend Under the Stars KC?
Absolutely.
I know I tend to go a little overboard when it comes to parties, but I also know not everyone wants to spend their evenings making decorations and calculating fragrance ratios. (Apparently, that's just my idea of a good Friday night.)
What I love about Under the Stars KC is that they make it easy to do something really special without having to do all the work yourself.
And even if you're someone who loves the planning part as much as I do, it's nice to hand something over the pros who understand your vision and can pull it off beautifully.
I could see us using this awesome local company again for a birthday, a sleepover, a cousin weekend, or honestly, just because. Not everything needs a big occasion.
If you're looking for something a little different for your next celebration, take a look at Under the Stars KC. And don't forget, Macaroni KID readers can get 10% off right now, so it's a pretty good excuse to start planning something fun.
The girls had their own little space, I got to enjoy the party without worrying about one more thing, and we all had a pretty great night.
I say that's a win. My daughter said it was "goated!" (whatever that means😜).
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Our luxury bell tent experience was provided by Under the Stars KC in partnership with Macaroni KID KC. As always, the experience and opinions shared are my own.
