How to Plan an Adult Birthday Party

adult birthday party catering aloha snacks

As we get older, we tend to scale back on our birthday celebrations. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a party! Here are some ideas for celebrating your next adult birthday party.

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What Should I Do for an Adult Birthday Party?

As we get older, many people tend to celebrate their birthdays less often. Most adults have really busy schedules and not much time to organize a big party. So they keep their annual celebrations small and simple. They celebrate with a family dinner or a special date night with the spouse. However, when hitting a milestone birthday, even the grumpiest birthday grouches may want to go for a big party.

The only problem is: most people don’t know how to throw an adult birthday party. So here are some birthday party ideas that will help you to arrange a celebration. Whether you want to go classy or playful, the most important thing is that it reflects you.

Birthday Party Tip #1: Pick a Theme

What’s the theme of your party? Some of us are overwhelmed by a theme- and have flashbacks to a scary clown performance-gone-wrong on their 4th birthday. Or they imagine their home sink into a big wave of birthday party decorations.

Hear us out for a moment: a birthday party theme can often help give the party direction. It can help you decide on the design of the invitation or menu. Or it can reoccur in the decoration or the birthday cake. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it could be helpful.

What Are Good Theme Ideas for an Adult Birthday Party?

What’s the right birthday party theme? That’s up to you!

Vintage: If you want to have a more sophisticated adult birthday party, a vintage theme could be the right choice for you. Aim for an understated, neutral color scheme with creme, brown, and white to create a classy look. Pastel shades in pink, turquoise, or green can spice it up a little.

Spy/007: Everyone has that fancy outfit in their closet that they’ve probably only worn once. If you enjoy dressing up, having a spy theme is perfect! Ask everyone to dress up in their fanciest clothes and keep the decorations dark and swanky to set the tone! Play smooth jazz or dramatic music throughout the party to keep everyone in the secret spy mood. Play poker or blackjack for some added entertainment!

Casual Party with a Sports Theme: Are you more into sports? How about arranging party decorations with some old-fashioned sports equipment? Baseball bats, an old football, or wooden skis combined with old photographs of athletes can create a neat ambiance.

Other Great Ideas for Adult Birthday Party Themes

  • Murder Mystery Night/Clue
  • Thrift Store (ask guests to find a thrift store outfit for $15 or less and see what they find!)
  • Favorite TV Show (have guests dress up as their favorite characters and decorate your house with props resembling the iconic sets)
  • Spa Party

Birthday Party Tip #2: Snack Attack!

Delicious poke platter from Aloha Snacks.

One of the most important elements to throwing a great party is having good snacks and drinks. And make sure you have enough to feed everyone! Finger foods and hors d’oeuvres are also great options if you’re not looking to serve an entire meal. Pinwheel wraps, sandwich sliders, charcuterie, and chips and dip are always classics! If you’re in Virginia Beach and are thinking of a Hawaiian or luau theme- what about asking Aloha Snacks to cater? If you go the luau route, be sure to pick up some leis from the Dollar Tree, too.

Birthday Party Tip #3: Decoration Is Key

So you don’t want a big overwhelming paper garland? Then choose something else for a table decoration. Have your favorite florist provide a really cool centerpiece! If you’re looking to save a little money, don’t be afraid to DIY! Pinterest is a great resource for finding decoration ideas that you can make yourself. The best part about having an adult birthday party is that you can do what you want to.

Birthday Party Tip #4:  Throwback to Childhood

Is this all too fancy for you? Maybe you’re turning 30 or 40 and still feel young? How about a throwback birthday party theme? Consider celebrating the decade in which the individual was born or spent their childhood. A 1980s party with music from that era and dressed-up guests will bring back all your childhood memories. And decorating your birthday party can be so easy: just hang up some posters from your childhood heroes and favorite musicians from that era.

An adult birthday party can be so much fun when you recreate your favorite food from back then. And don’t forget to provide your guests with all that classic childhood birthday games you used to play like Twister.

Birthday Party Tip #5: Say Cheese!

No matter whether you celebrate in a fancy or funny way – photography will keep the memory alive. So make sure that someone is taking pictures. You could hire a photographer if you want professional photoshoots.

These days, most phones take excellent pictures, so have your friends take more authentic and less expensive photos. In every circle, there is at least one person who is an amateur photographer. Ask them to take your pictures as a birthday gift.

You could even put disposable cameras on all the tables so your guests can take photos of each other, but setting up a shared photo channel on FamilyApp might be even better. You can just stick to the digital photos!

If you want to be very trendy, you could even rent a photo booth. People love taking photos with accessories like fake glasses, mustaches, or hats. Plus, they can also take some photos home – a simple but nice idea for party favors. So they can always remember your big adult birthday party, too. If you want to do this on a budget, set up your own “photo booth” and backdrop where guests can take their own fun and goofy pictures on their phones!

Celebrating Your Next Big Birthday

Whatever you choose, be sure that it reflects the person you’re celebrating, whether that’s you, a friend, or a family member. There are plenty of ways to make someone feel loved, and birthdays are a great way to celebrate an individual for exactly who they are. Share your best birthday memories on FamilyApp!

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