As we get older, we tend to limit birthday celebrations to a dinner or a movie... or we skip the celebration altogether. But GigSalad is here to give you the tools and advice you need to plan an unforgettable adult's birthday party celebration, no matter what the age of the birthday honoree. The phrase "birthday party" often brings about images of clowns, balloons, colorful presents and children. But it doesn't have to. There is no age limit on birthday parties and there is no reason as a grown-up you shouldn't have just as big of a celebration as a 5-year-old would!
What's the theme?
One of the keys to a successful adult birthday party is a great theme. Get creative! Think about the birthday person's interests, hobbies, favorite movies/celebrities, colors, flowers, etc. Will it be a classy sophisticated party? A goofy costume party? A beach party? Perhaps a decade themed party? There are a variety of possibilities. Once you've settled on the general idea behind the party, putting the rest of the pieces together will be easier because you'll have direction. Next you need to figure out the budget for your adult birthday party. If you are planning the party alone, but do not have a big enough personal budget; don't be afraid to ask friends and family if they would like to pitch in to help make the party more memorable. You'll find that many are willing to help, and if you can get enough contributors you can develop a decent budget for the adult birthday party.
Hire the perfect birthday party entertainment!
There are so many adult's birthday party entertainment ideas out there that this is where your theme will come in handy. There are so many options to fit whatever theme you want. A tribute band or celebrity impersonator would be a big hit with all the guests, including the guest of honor. You can find some to fit a variety of tastes from Frank Sinatra Impersonators to Beatles Tribute Bands to Elvis Impersonators. Along these lines, you can also consider hiring a Marilyn Monroe impersonator to sing her breathy rendition of Happy Birthday Mr. President to your male birthday honoree! If the birthday star has a favorite celebrity, you may be able to track down an impersonator for that celebrity, as a surprise from their favorite celebrity would make for a sure-fire unforgettable birthday!
If you want more variety in the musical entertainment, you could also go with a cover band, jazz band or party band. Another great option to consider would be a comedian or magician! Everyone loves to laugh and be amazed, so either of these choices would make the adult birthday party a hit! If you do not want entertainment to be the main focus, but would still like background music present you can go with something simple like a pianist, a classical ensemble or just an event DJ.
Eat, drink and decorate!
After theme and entertainment are figured out, next comes the necessities such as decorations, food and beverages. Party decor is particularly important if you have a very specific theme to portray. You want to do your best to create the correct atmosphere for your party theme, without making the decor the whole focus of the party. When it comes to the food and beverages, you can cook yourself (or rather cook for yourself!), or hire a caterer. Base the menu off the birthday person's favorite foods or snacks. Decide if you'd rather sit down to dinner, have a buffet or just provide waitstaff to walk around with hors d'oeuvres and beverages. Since we're among adults and all, if you wish to provide alcoholic beverages for your birthday party guests, you may consider hiring a professional bartender. Or to spice things up a little, hire a flair bartender! Your guests can be entertained by juggling, flipping and magic tricks while also enjoying professionally mixed drinks!
What else is entailed in birthday party planning?
There are a few other important things to remember for adult birthday parties. While the party is really for just that one special person, you want all your invited guest to show up and to have a good time too. Draw them in with creative birthday party invitations. Make it so that they are so curious about the birthday party that there is no way they could miss out! Also, if you have some room left in the budget, it would be nice to provide party favors, whether it’s a goody bag or a thoughtful theme-inspired keepsake. Another important thing for you, your guests, and particularly the birthday guy or girl is pictures! If you can afford it, you can hire a professional photographer to capture all the special moments at the birthday party. Or for you do-it-yourselfers, make sure either you have a camera handy or designate a friend or family member to be in charge of photographs. If your event is as great as we know it is going to be, you’ll definitely want to make sure everyone will remember it forever. A scrapbook as an after-the-fact gift is also a wonderful gesture!
If all of this still sounds like a lot to take on, hiring an event planner is always an option. However, with the right resources you can do it yourself and have fun doing it! GigSalad is here to help you every step of the way as your one stop shop for all your adult birthday party planning needs.
