My middle sister Michelle just turned 30. She is the biggest party girl I know and is always there to celebrate all of her family and friends no matter what the occasion. So we knew we had to throw her a surprise 30th birthday party to remember. I’m sharing all the details on how to throw an epic 30th birthday party. (And I’ve included links throughout so that you can shop some of my essentials to recreate the look yourself!)
Theme
With any party, you have to first choose a theme. We wanted the feel to be a very intimate gathering, relaxed but yet a little upscale. And it had to be special because you only turn 30 once! My mom and sister got the great idea to have a private chef come in and cook dinner for our guests. If any of you guys are local to the Capital Region, you have to check out Ryan O’Shea from Suburban Kitchen. Not only did he prepare a delicious meal from farm to table, but he handles everything from bringing all the ingredients to even doing all the dishes afterwards so that you can truly just relax and mingle with your guests. (Side Note – Ryan did not pay me for this plug, I just highly recommend him!)
Decor
Table setting
Since it was a dinner party, the table was going to be the focal point of our evening. We did a very simple yet tasteful table setting with white linens and greenery. Trader Joe’s is a great spot for fresh, seasonal stems. Or if you want to go the faux route, I love Joann’s or Michael’s.
Balloon Garland
How fun is this balloon garland? We had it set up right behind where our party girl would be sitting. And it made a great prop for photos!
To make a balloon garland, you will need:
- Balloons (a few different colors)
- Balloon pump
- Balloon garland decorating kit – includes balloon tape and sticky glue dots. Click here for the one I used
You’re going to want to have a few different colored balloons to add variety to your garland and make it stand out. Our color scheme was white, greens and gold. You can get the exact ones here if you want to duplicate – clear with gold confetti // sage green.
Start by blowing up about 30-40 balloons. Use your balloon pump (I like this one on Amazon) to inflate them as much as you can (you want them big here) as this will be the base of your garland. Next you’re going to take your balloon tape and you will notice that it has holes, some larger than others. One at a time, insert the balloon into the large holes, leaving a few empty holes in between.
Hang the balloon garland wherever you plan to have it displayed.
Next finish blowing up the rest of your balloons in varying sizes, from medium to small. Using the sticky glue dots included in your balloon kit, attach the balloons to fill in the gaps and give your garland the dimension you desire.
To really make it pop, we added this rose gold “THIRTY AF” Balloon banner underneath.
The Food/Drinks
I once heard a saying “I’ve never met a charcuterie board I didn’t like” and honestly I’ve never agreed with something so much in my life. I personally love cheese and I’d rather pick on a bunch of little bites than have a big meal. They’re also great for entertaining and fun to assemble. You can include whatever you want. (Tip – assembling charcuterie boards can be expensive. Aldi’s is a great place to pick out affordable yet signature cheeses, meats and crackers.)
Here’s what I like to include on mine:
- Cheeses – something hard (cheddar), various soft and spreadable cheeses (goat, brie, herbed cheeses).
- Meats – Salami, Prosciutto and Sopressata are the ones I like to add.
- Crackers
- Fruit – I like to do grapes, berries, and dried apricots
- Nuts – For a nice combo of sweet and salty try pistachios, cashews and candied pecans.
- Olives
- Chocolate – little bites of chocolate with sea salt or dark chocolate covered almonds are a great pick.
- Jams/Spreads – My personal faves are fig jam and pepper jelly.
Signature Cocktail
Having a special signature drink on display is a festive and personal way to celebrate your guest of honor. We deemed this one the “Minerv Swerve” named after her signature dance moves.
My decorative beverage dispenser was a gift to me at my bridal shower and is unavailable but here’s another one I like on Amazon.
The Cake
These gorgeous number cakes have been floating around my Pinterest feed. My talented mama created this one by making two large sheet cakes and using a cardboard to trace and cut the cake in the number you want. Layer the cakes with dollops of frosting in between and top with color fruit, macaroons, meringues and flowers.
We were able to pull it off and needless to say, my sister was shocked when she walked in and saw her family and friends there to celebrate her.
Click for both her Skirt and Top
For more party ideas check out
This Book Exchange Brunch
WILD ONE first birthday party
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