SYRACUSE – As a favorite pastime, Gail Beaudry and her daughter Kylie spent a good chunk of the winter sharing their arts and crafts projects along with gardening tips and nutritious recipes on Etsy in hopes that they would secure some kind of following.
Though their time spent together on that focus made the entire venture worthwhile, the two felt certain that the e-commerce company would not be a seedbed for substantial business growth.
After tossing around ideas with Kylie during the month of March, Gail found herself out of town visiting colleagues of her husband Bob, when something clicked.
The colleagues’ granddaughter was there in the dining room hosting a party revolving around play versions of teepees, giggling with friends and altogether enjoying every minute of it.
“It was so magical looking at them having that experience,” Gail Beaudry said. “It would’ve been the same
expression if they were at Disney.”
It was then that Gail decided teepees were the way to go, a conclusion that Kylie was right on board with, possibly convinced in part by fond memories of her childhood slumber parties.
Having set out to provide others with “magical and memorable” experiences, the mother-daughter duo started Enchanting Teepee Parties soon thereafter.
This Camillus-based business offers packages of five or fewer teepees with the choice of one of seven themes, some including add-ons like keepable headbands, stuffed animals, tiaras, fidget toys and dream catchers.
The Fort Wilderness theme evokes the feeling of camping under the stars, while BOHO—short for
“bohemian”—offers a chill-out space.
Other themes include Princess, Dynamic Duo, Gamer, Unicorn and Roughing It.
Each teepee comes with a plush air mattress, a blanket, fitted sheets, decorative pillows and battery-operated lanterns on bed trays.
On the day of each party, Gail and Kylie will show up with the cleansed and sanitized teepees sometime in the afternoon or early evening. According to Gail, set-up takes between 45 minutes and an hour, but the teardown takes around 30 minutes.
The teepees can be brought to any room with an appropriate amount of space, though furniture may have to be rearranged in order to accommodate them.
Outdoor parties can be booked too, but rainy, muddy or windy weather will result in rescheduling since the teepees are not resistant to these conditions.
Also, because the mattresses jut out from the flaps of the tents and are exposed to the elements, mosquito-ridden areas are not recommended either.
Customers can keep their teepees overnight or for a full weekend if they don’t wish to part with them right away.
According to Gail, the events are not “birthday-dependent,” adding that “any reason’s a good reason to have a teepee party.”
She said these parties can serve to reunite friends year-round and bring excitement back to the household after any period of monotony.
Enchanting Teepee Parties caters to all age groups, but in the Beaudrys’ experience, the general range for hosts and guests has been ages seven to 13.
The mother-and-daughter business also offers furnishings for private picnics and tea parties, but customers will need to bring the meals as the Camillus company does not yet have a food license.
As far as their goals for the future, the duo wishes to incorporate bachelorette parties and partner with massage therapists or spa professionals.
The women behind Enchanting Teepee Parties will travel up to 50 miles from the 13031 zip code. Miles 21 through 35 will lead to an additional $20 fee being accrued, while it will be $30 extra for anyone who lives between 36 and 50 miles away.
Booking at least three months ahead of time is suggested, and a cancellation notice five days ahead of time is required.
Visit enchantingteepeeparties.com for more information regarding pricing, material dimensions, and rules for partygoers. Downloadable invitations and waivers of liability can also be found on the site.
