10 Tips for Planning the Ultimate (Adult) Birthday Party
Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop having birthday parties! Marking those special milestones celebrates your longevity while helping you stay connected with the people you love.
It’s a great way to release stress and take away the frustration you might feel about confronting your “lost youth.” Instead, you can celebrate a wiser you, enjoy being surrounded by loved ones who are happy to toast to your good health, and indulge yourself on the one day a year that really is all about you.
When life is busy, you can lose touch with the people closest to you. Being social gets more important as you age, ensuring you have strong connections with your peers and family.
It allows you to share your wisdom with the young people in your life while finding out about the crazy trends younger people are enjoying today. Adult birthday parties are opportunities that keep you grounded and more in touch with what’s happening, while reminding your loved ones why they should keep in touch with you!
Birthdays are the perfect excuse to reach out and invite people to come together to celebrate your special day.
Whether it’s a casual cocktail party with lots of appetizers, an intimate gathering at a formal table with exceptional food, or a large gathering where everyone following you on Facebook is invited to a good old-fashioned barbecue, there’s a million ways and a million reasons to make the most of your birthday.
Use our 10 tips for birthday planning as the ultimate tool to celebrate your special day!
10 Ways to Make Your Birthday Party a Blast
Birthday ideas for adults have endless possibilities, which can make it overwhelming trying to find the right ideas for your special day. Below are 10 ways to make your birthday party a blast, including things to do for your birthday.
1. Theme of the day
Whether you’re turning 25, 35, 50, or 80, a theme will help inspire all aspects of your birthday activities and plans. Themes can be as simple as choosing a colour scheme and as complex as having every detail taken directly from a favourite movie or book (including costumes). It should be something special to you, but also relatable to your guests. Some birthday ideas for adult parties might include:
Activities or sports such as skating, golf, soccer, sailing, and cycling
Hobbies such as crafting, LARPing, cooking, making models, and gardening
Interests such as movies, wine/spirits, art, literature, music, travel, gaming, and the outdoors
Movies or books
Music genres
A special decade from your lifetime
Murder mysteries
2. Choose your dress code
You can go all-out and have people dress according to your theme, or simply ensure people feel comfortable based on the feel of your party. Is it casual or formal? Is it tied to a certain era, movie, or music genre? Sharing these details will help inspire your guests to find a costume or outfit suited to the occasion.
3. Indoors or outdoors?
Your party can be held indoors or outdoors, and should reflect the season and party theme. For example, for summer birthdays, the outdoors is always nice although it can present weather-related challenges.
Outdoor parties are also great for interest-based themes such as avid gardeners, barbecue obsessions, or nature lovers, as well as summer activity themes such as pool party ideas.
Holding the party indoors tends to be best in the colder months, but is not a must. For example, you might want a skiing, skating, or tobogganing activity included in your winter birthday plans.
4. Pick a time: day or night
The time of day is often determined by your guests. For example, if you’re including kids or seniors, a day party is probably best, whereas a strictly adult party with people under 65 or 70 allows people to cut loose and party into the wee hours of the night. However, we know there are some older people who can easily hold their own when it comes to partying!
5. Inviting the right people
Birthday planning also includes inviting the right people to ensure you enjoy yourself. Do you really want to foot the bill for frenemies or people who will just bring you down? Are there reasons you might have to include these people? Do you want kids there?
Choosing the people you know and love tends to be the best route to go. You also have to consider if you want to include plus-ones for the single guests on the list.
6. Food and drinks
Adult birthday party ideas tend to focus on food and some form of alcoholic beverages.
Your budget will play a major role when planning the menu and whether you want to offer free drinks to guests or have a cash bar. Cash bars tend to be more expected at an adult birthday party, as opposed to a wedding. Some things to consider when choosing your menu might include:
Do you want something formal or casual?
Will people be seated during the meal so you can offer a multi-course dinner?
Is it an outdoor event where something like a barbecue menu will work well?
Will there be kids invited?
What are the various dietary or cultural requirements?
What type of food service do you prefer: multi-course sit-down meals, buffet, serving stations, or family-style platters?
Is this a non-meal event, such as a cocktail party with appetizers, or an in-between time where finger foods are served?
What about the cake?
7. Entertainment plans: Games, movie night, or dance party?
Not all party ideas call for entertainment, but it helps to plan some form of birthday activities for adults to keep people engaged. A good jumping off point is your theme (if you’ve got one), such as a dance contest for a disco party or card games for a casino night.
You might also plan to view a movie for a movie theme. If you don’t have a theme, you can consider birthday party games for adults, such as Trivial Pursuit, popular game shows, basketball throws, putting practice, etc. Other birthday celebration ideas might include:
Wine, beer, or spirit tasting
Cooking demonstrations
Mixology classes
Art classes
Photo booth
Best costume (for themed parties)
Fashion swap
Music request playlist
Tarot reading/fortune teller
8. Decorations
Birthday event planners include party decoration ideas to help get people in the spirit, including:
Create a colour palette suited to the theme, or based on your favourite colours
Include unexpected touches such as interesting lighting like chandeliers, patio lanterns, strobe lights, neon, etc.
Extravagant floral arrangements and centrepieces
Saturday Night Fever disco floor
Faux greenery wall
Selfie party-themed wall
Balloon art such as an arch
Memory lane photos via a slide show or projected on walls
Sequin curtains for some bling
Red carpet
Birthday throne
Pillars
Sports equipment
9. Pick a cool playlist or hire an artist
Any party relies on background music to set the mood and create the right ambience. Creating a cool list based on the theme or your favourite music is a good place to start.
You should also provide a way guests can make requests. However, you can really kick things up a notch by hiring a live artist or DJ to handle the entertainment and music aspect of the party.
10. Get a photographer or videographer
If this is a major milestone, you might consider hiring a photographer or videographer to capture the event. If that’s not in the budget, set up a website or social media account you can share with guests where they can post their best party moments.
And don’t forget to include some form of party favour ideas to hand out to guests as a thank you for celebrating your day.
Having a Safe Birthday Party
Adult birthday parties can introduce some safety conundrums that can make your party memorable for all the wrong reasons. Therefore, it’s important to consider safety measures to reduce the risk of issues so everyone can have fun.
Offer Mocktails for Designated Drivers
Just because someone isn’t drinking, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have some interesting beverage options! Mocktails are all the rage these days for both the sober-curious and designated drivers. Including a few mocktails lets everyone sample something refreshing and tasty.
Don’t Be Afraid to Collect Keys!
It’s important to have a plan in place to gently and safely ask for a guest’s keys when they’ve had too much to drink. Speak to your venue to ensure they have a smart serve policy to deal with this issue for you.
Having an arrangement with a local cab company is also helpful so guests don’t have to wait too long for a cab. You can also ask the venue if it’s possible to have guests keep their cars parked in their lot overnight.
Decorate Safely
Getting carried away with decorations can increase the risk of accidents or injury. Some examples of safe decorating practices include the following:
Be sure all candles are out of reach of guests and placed where it’s impossible to come in contact with guests’ clothing.
Create clear paths for guests to reach key areas such as the bar, buffet, bathroom, etc. to reduce the risk of trips and falls.
Be careful where you place paper decor items so they are safely away from candles or fireplaces.
Safe Activities
Consider your guests and their ability to participate in planned activities. For example, if swimming is involved, ensure there is a lifeguard present. Also, be sure safety equipment, such as helmets, is used for activities like rollerblading and cycling.
Plan the Ultimate Birthday Party With Château Le Jardin
As people age, it’s common for them to begin to anticipate birthdays with dread and anxiety, when it’s really a time for joy and celebration. There’s no better occasion to celebrate your life with the people you love!
Discover how to create the ultimate birthday celebration by reaching out to Château Le Jardin today! Click here to view our stunning party venue and find the ideal halls for your special event. For more information, don’t hesitate to call us at 1-888-529-8573 or contact our dedicated team here.