Mia
All birthdays are of course special, but a milestone birthday is even more exciting. Milestone birthdays are marked throughout childhood and adulthood and most of us consider them to be at the ages of one, ten, thirteen, fifteen, eighteen, twenty-one, thirty, and then every decade. However, there is no rule regarding milestone birthdays and nothing stopping you from creating your own if you want to. If you are in the process of putting together a milestone birthday celebration for a relative, partner or friend, then there are quite a few things to keep in mind during the planning stage.
The Decade they Were Born
When it comes to choosing a theme for your milestone birthday celebration, then the decade that the guest of honor was born can be a great choice. A seventies theme party, for example, can be a fantastic idea for somebody who was born in the seventies and is celebrating a big birthday soon. You can find more ideas for seventies themed parties at Greenvelope. Along with great guides to help you plan a milestone birthday to remember, Greenvelope is also an ideal choice for ordering party invitations and other essential stationery.
Timeline Theme
If you don’t want to stick to the decade that they were born alone then the timeline of your guest of honor’s life can be an ideal theme idea. You can come up with some fantastic décor by getting together some photos of the milestone moments your guest of honor has hit so far like having children, graduating, buying a house, going on vacations, getting married and more. You could speak to other guests to get some of the best stories they have with the guest of honor in the past and put these together to create a theme that is unique to them and their life.
Choose an Interest or Hobby
Another idea for a theme that you might want to choose is a hobby or interest. Planning a milestone birthday can sometimes be tough when it comes to picking a theme that you know the guest of honor is going to enjoy. You can’t really go wrong if you decide to use something that you know they are interested in or passionate about as a theme. For example, if they love soccer then a soccer-themed party is a great idea, getting everybody to turn up in their favorite team’s colors or wearing the logo.
Start Planning Early
When planning a milestone birthday party, it often feels more unique and special compared to other birthdays, so start early and make sure that you have plenty of time to get things right. It’s a good idea to start planning as early on in the process as possible to avoid rushing to get things done at the last minute. Consider things to do, where you are going to have the party, who you are going to invite and more. Send out invitations as early as possible so that you can get your guest list well in advance and have some numbers to plan around.
Find a Good Venue
Choosing the right venue for the milestone birthday party is going to be one of the biggest decisions that you are going to make, whether you are planning a low-key, intimate party or a more elaborate affair. In some situations, a home might make the perfect venue, especially if there is a large outdoor space where you can have a barbecue or garden party. Alternatively, you might want to host the party at a local restaurant or hire a social space such as a function room where you can incorporate your theme and create a party that you know your guest of honor is going to love.
Getting Entertainment
You might want to hire some entertainers for the party to make sure that the event is fun and memorable. Before coming up with the type of entertainment that you will want for the party, think about the theme and the vibe that you want to have. A live band playing some of the top music from the decade that the birthday guest was born might be a fantastic idea, especially if they are celebrating a milestone birthday later in life.
On the other hand, some guests might prefer a DJ playing their favorite party music so that everybody can get up and dance. It’s also worth remembering that music isn’t the only type of entertainment you can get – standup comedians, magicians, dancers, and many other types of entertainers are available to make sure that your guest of honor and the party guests have a day or night to remember.
Catering
One of the most anticipated parts of any party is usually the food. This is one of the key parts of the milestone birthday party so it’s a good idea to start planning well in advance to ensure that you get things right. You might want to plan a dinner party, a buffet, or simply have light bites or hors d’oeuvres to pass around depending on the type of party that you are planning.
While you can arrange the food yourself or get some guests to bring a plate if you are on a budget, another option is to find a caterer to be in charge of all the food at the event. This might be a better idea if you are planning to host a party for a large number of guests, since preparing enough food for all of them by yourself will be a huge task.
Consider Hiring a Party Planner
With so many things to think about when planning a special milestone birthday event, it’s a good idea to consider working with a party planner, especially if you are planning a birthday party for a very special birthday for somebody who has a lot of friends and family to invite. While it is not necessary to work with a party planner to put together a fantastic birthday celebration, it can be a good idea if you’re stuck with planning or would simply prefer to have somebody there who knows what they are talking about when it comes to parties and can help you get access to the best venues, catering, entertainment and more. Working with a party planner can help you make your event more enjoyable and can help you make connections with other professionals that you might be looking to hire for the event.
Get Photos and Videos
Finally, if you’re hosting a big event to celebrate a milestone birthday then you will want to make sure that you have some memories of the big day. It might be worth considering hiring a photographer or even a videographer who can capture the night and the best memories of it to keep for years to come. You could also encourage all the guests to take as many photos as they can, or even leave disposable cameras around for guests to use. A photo booth can also be a great idea for the party as they are lots of fun and you can get some awesome photos of all the guests enjoying themselves.
Whether you’re planning somebody’s 21st, 50th, or even a 90th birthday party, there are lots of things that go into planning a milestone birthday event to remember.
