How to Plan a Birthday Party

This post is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Celebration Stadium. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

With my birthday right around the corner (really – it’s next week!), I’m in full on party planning mode! Birthday celebrations are always so much fun so I thought I’d share my best tips on how to plan a birthday party (or any party, really!)! Whether you’re planning a celebration for yourself or for someone else, this list will make your life a lot easier in the process. Enjoy!

******************

How to Plan a Birthday Party

Choose a Date and Time

Personally, I think that weekends usually work best when it comes to planning a birthday party as most people tend to be available. Of course, this will differ for everyone so plan according to your needs. As for the time, choose something that works best for everyone and if you have a theme, keep this in mind as well.

Establish a Budget

This is probably one of the most important aspects about planning a birthday party. Your budget dictates so many things – the venue, theme, details and even your guest list. I’m a planner so I love writing everything out along with the associated cost. This allows me to easily see everything in one place and if I need to cut costs, I can figure out how to do so without sacrificing the things that I want for my special day.

Create a Guest List

Now that you’ve established a date, time and budget, it’s time to create a guest list! Some people prefer small, intimate gatherings while others like to go all out with their guest list. This is completely a personal choice in how you want to celebrate and who you want to celebrate with.

Choose a Venue

Choosing a venue is another important aspect of party planning. Where you plan to host the party will depend on your budget, theme and how large your guest list is. For a smaller guest list, hosting at your home (or someone else’s) is always a good choice. You can also choose to go elsewhere including a tea room, spa, or other intimate setting. For larger parties, a large home, park, restaurant, hotel or open setting would work well.

Decide on a Theme

Deciding on the theme might be the most exciting part of the planning process! Themes are definitely not necessary but they are a lot of fun 😉 For a feminine theme with a small guest list, I would choose something like a tea party, picnic, spa, movie night or girl’s day out. For a larger guest list, I would go all out with a themed party inspired by some of my favorites including The Great Gatsby, Breakfast at Tiffany’s or even just the color pink. There are honestly SO many things that you could come up with and this will depend on what your interests are!

Send Out Invitations

After you’ve established everything, it’s time to create and send out invitations! Most people tend to send by email, text or social media but I prefer mailed invitations. It allows me to be creative and it makes the guests feel special. The invitation type will depend on your theme, how formal your event is, how large your guest list is and your personal preference for such. You can get really fancy with these or keep it simple!

Plan Out the Details

After you’ve decided on a venue, theme, guest list and date, it’s time to plan out all of the details! If you’d like to include food, you can decide to have only snacks or drinks available or a full on meal. It can be more casual like a picnic or buffet or you can plan a formal sit down dinner. Food choices are definitely a personal decision but personally, I would choose items that are fairly simple and universally enjoyed. I would also be mindful of guests that may have food allergies and include some alternative options. I have a million food allergies so this is something that I really appreciate as a guest!

Decor will vary greatly on your theme, if you have one. I personally like to keep everything simple, pretty and feminine. I would probably go all out with table decor for a smaller gathering and less so with a larger gathering. If you’re on a budget, consider crafting your own decor pieces or using things that you already have.

Entertainment is another factor. For a smaller gathering, I probably wouldn’t do much in this area but for a larger one, I may hire a DJ or band to play music. Games and favors are also another option for smaller gatherings and this would heavily depend on whether or not you’d like to include these items into your celebration.

The Cake

In my opinion, this might be one of the most important aspects of how to plan a birthday party! Whether it’s a sweet and simple cake, an array of cupcakes or a large, lavish multi-tiered cake, it’s definitely a must-have for any birthday celebration. Blowing out the candles is symbolic of the occasion and I personally love the Celebration Stadium birthday candle holder.

It has three tiers, comes in two different sizes and colors, and easily folds down for flat storage. It’s made from an aluminum composite material that is high-quality, durable, washable and flame-resistant (plus it keeps all of the germs off of the cake). Trust me when I say that you have never seen anything like this – the Celebration Stadium birthday candle holder is bound to be the star of the show (aside from you, of course)! It’s a sentimental and memorable addition for any birthday party or celebration and the best part is that it can be used over and over again! They also have a “Grand Entrance” tray available (pictured above) with handles to easily carry the cake. The tray also has notches to hold the Celebration Stadium in place and honestly, it is SUCH good quality and perfect for catching any little wax drips.