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Planning a birthday party for an adult can be a tricky one, do you keep it low-key and intimate, or do you go all out and make it the party of the century? Either way, the important part is that it’s an extra special occasion for your loved one.
If they’re not a particularly ostentatious person, you might want to keep things small with just close friends and family. If however they’re a real social butterfly and you know they’d enjoy a big showy affair, then going for something a little more spectacular might be the route you take.
Whichever way you decide, it’s going to take a bit of planning. We’ve put together a guide below on what you need to arrange along with tips to make sure the occasion runs as smoothly as possible… particularly if the party you’re arranging is a surprise one!
If you’ve never arranged an adult birthday party before, there might be a few things you’re unsure about or maybe haven’t even thought of. The best thing you can do in that case is to sit down and draw up a list of all the things you might need to take into account when making arrangements. Here is our list of suggestions of what you might need to think about:
Timing - this is particularly important if it’s a surprise party you’re trying to arrange. The last thing you want is to find out half-way through making plans, that the start of the show already has a prior engagement or is away. Find out from those closest to the person you’re arranging the party for, what they’re doing on particular dates and take it from there. Obviously if the party isn’t a surprise, then communicating with them directly is going to be important for this.
Venue - This might be a tricky one. Depending on what your budget is, what your plans are and how many people you want to invite, finding the right venue can be tough. It might be that you want to choose somewhere that’s sentimental, but that might not be accessible for anyone that you plan to invite. Likewise choosing somewhere that’s practical, might not have the wow factor that you want. The best thing to do in this case is plan early, that way you can ensure you tick all boxes with plenty of time to spare.
Catering – There are a few things you need to weigh up when considering catering options. Do you get outside caterers to sort it all for you, which will save you time but could be more expensive, or do you do it yourself but know that it’ll be an added stress? There’s also the type of cuisine to consider and any dietary requirements of your guests. The benefit of doing it yourself is that you have complete control over the food produced and it’s likely to be cheaper, but you may need to make extra plans and enlist some helpers to ensure it all goes according to your “vision”.
Decoration - No party is complete without decorations. This is where knowing the person well that you’re planning a party for comes in really handy. Is there going to be a theme? Choosing the decorations according to their tastes can give the party a real personal touch. It can get expensive though, so if you’re on a budget, you may want to price up what your plans are before committing.
Invitations - Once you have a guest list, you can set about sending the invitations. These can be store bought, handmade or even digital depending on how much you want to spend. The key is to ensure people respond, that way you’ll have a better idea of what you need to do with regards to the rest of the party.
One quick and easy way to get party invites out there is via social media. It’s also a great way to keep track of who has and hasn’t responded, so you can chase up if needed. Be sure to send them out in good time, too. Realistically, you want to send out invites no less than three months in advance. That way, your guests will have time to prepare and respond in a timely fashion, ultimately giving you time to make all of the appropriate arrangements.
Entertainment - Depending on the theme of your party, getting the entertainment right can dictate the entire vibe of the celebrations. It might be that live music is what you want to go for or maybe a DJ offers a more eclectic option. It’s important when looking for the right kind of entertainment to do your research, and remember that cheap doesn’t always mean good.
The real question is, why not? While for many having a birthday party every year as a kid is customary, it only tends to be the milestone birthdays that we go to any great lengths to celebrate as we get older. Having a birthday party is a fantastic way to celebrate your life or that of a loved one and it also gives you the opportunity to bring together all of your nearest and dearest… Something that’s not always easy to do as you get older and life gets in the way!
There’s nothing to say you can’t. There may be a number of reasons why you might decide to celebrate a birthday in advance; it could be that other plans have been made on the actual date, or the plans you have might not suit the time of year. And while celebrating way in advance isn’t something that’s usually done, it does mean that the person whose birthday it is essentially gets to celebrate twice. Winner!
The key to planning an adult birthday party is preparation. Whatever it is that you decide to do, be sure to do your research, give yourself time and always have a contingency plan. Don’t be afraid to ask for help either!