BY JESSICA CAMPITIELLO
Many little girls dream of meeting their favorite fairytale princess or even someday becoming a princess themselves. A Massapequa Park teenager is helping make those dreams a reality, one little girl at a time.
At only 19 years old, Rachel Margolin is a party hosting prodigy of sorts. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education of New York City with two different diplomas in pastry, she launched Royal Events Princess Parties, Inc. in May 2015 while still attending Massapequa High School. The company, run from her own home, provides princess characters for parties and events in the Long Island area. Many of these gigs involve working with charities to entertain sick children.
As her full-time job, Margolin is constantly working to promote and improve her business. After a year of marketing through fliers, business cards, social media and party websites, business is now booming.
“Back when we first started, we maybe only booked one party a month if we were lucky,” said Margolin. “Now, we get at least 10 inquiries a month.”
In the past year, Margolin has employed five girls to work as princesses. She also has the help of her mother, Deborah, who is the manager and co-owner of the company. After working as a supervisor for 30 years, she now manages the finances and legal paperwork, as well as gives her daughter advice on what to do if a tough situation arises.
For each event, the client gets to choose from a wide array of characters, each one just as popular as the next. The princesses are based on famous fairytale books. When a princess is booked for an event, Margolin and her staff undertake the process of emulating the entirety of that character’s persona.
“It’s almost eerie because I can see the whole personality change,” said Deborah, Margolin’s so-called “momager.” “It’s like watching Meryl Streep. She’s able to take on the persona of the princess. It’s unbelievable.”
Royal Events provides many services, such as private parties and character visits at public and charity events. The children get to do a variety of activities with their favorite princess, such as getting a makeover, doing a sing-along, playing games, having a crowning ceremony and taking princess lessons.
The events can span from anywhere between 30 minutes to three and a half hours, and cost from $150 to $375, depending on length and the amount of princesses 
booked. Each employee must be able to play more than one character, as the company provides multiple princesses and mermaids, as well as a queen, to choose from.
“It’s hard to keep a balance, but it’s never not enjoyable,” Margolin said.
Royal Events was originally founded in order to benefit sick children, and Margolin has been following that goal ever since it started. She has gotten many heartwarming messages in return from sick children she’s visited. One hospitalized girl put a clip of Margolin into a video because the princess had made her feel so happy and special.
“No amount of money, no amount of parties we ever book, will ever compare to that,” Margolin said.
In fact, Margolin frequently volunteers her services free of charge for good causes, such as Hair We Share and Kids Need More, which are organizations that help kids with medical hair loss and cancer diagnoses.
Royal Events has also become an official partner to the Ashley Wade Foundation, The Joey Foundation and Make A Wish, which all are charities that help children with chronic and terminal illnesses. Additionally, they’ve partnered with Tots On Track, a center for child development.
Margolin hopes to do more charity work and business in the future. She is looking to add employees to play male characters, such as princes and superheroes, so she can expand her offerings.
“I just really want to be able to make kids happy because we’re in a world where there’s really no magic anymore, and people need that,” said Margolin. “Not just kids—everybody needs that. So, if I can bring them that magic, that makes me really happy.”
