Adult Birthday Party Ideas
By an Award-Winning Professional Party Planner
Get ideas for decorations, dessert tables, food & drink, invitations, and gifts.
How to add creative twists and personal touches that will create talking points and memorable moments.
How to maximize your budget, create the right atmosphere, and ensure your party is remembered (for the right reasons!)
Why you should celebrate the person; not their age, focus on the feel-good, and create meaningful memories
How to maximize your budget by concentrating decorations in a few key areas
How to create atmosphere using interactive elements to break the ice, provide conversation-starters, and encourage mingling
Why food stations geared towards small bites, tasting plates, and DIY options are better than buffets
How dessert tables lend visual spectable, save time, and maximize budget
Get that professionally-catered look and give traditional drinks a creative twist
Why invitations needs to excite, inspire, and give guests something to look forward to
Avoid uninspiring and clichéd gifts in favor of something that's unique, meaningful, or a treat
Party themes, decorations, and ideas aimed at men
Milestone birthdays are a big deal—most are a once-in-a-decade occasion—so you need to make an effort.
This doesn’t mean it has to be a flashy, expensive, over-the-top affair that would make an Elton John bash look restrained; an intimate dinner with a group of close friends is just as valid as a swinging house party.
But, regardless of size or format, it’s the creative twists, clever details, personal touches, and memorable moments you add that will make it feel special and elevate it above that of a regular get-together.
Remember that phrase, ‘it’s the thought that counts’?
It’s a special occasion, so it needs to feel special.
If you’re throwing the party for someone else, you’ll want them to feel you’ve made an effort—that you didn’t just run down to Party City the day before and sweep up a bunch of generic adult birthday party supplies from aisle three that in no way reflect their personality, style, or taste.
+ Read MoreIf you’re planning your own adult birthday bash, you can still do a lot of these ideas yourself.
Make everything as personal as possible so that the event is a reflection of you; your tastes, your interests, and your sense of humor—with plenty of embarrassing old photos, amusing anecdotes, and fun facts guests might not know.
+ Read MoreProfessional event planners often plot out the arc of a party, from start to finish, in order to create a series of ‘beats’ or moments that run throughout the event.
This is to ensure that guests continue discover new things—surprises, talking points, activities, or entertainment—and remain stimulated as the party unfolds.
We’ve all been to parties where there’s been no structure, direction, or things to do. So, after grabbing a drink or a bite to eat and drifting around making small talk, there’s little else to do and so we find ourselves wondering how early we can get away with leaving.
You don’t want your adult birthday party to be one of those!
The two key ingredients to most successful parties are atmosphere and attention to detail; the little things that make guests smile.
Atmosphere can be generated by plotting the layout and arc of the party so there are plenty of things to engage guests; activities and experiences that encourage them to circulate, connect, discover, contribute, or be entertained.
+ Read MoreA common mistake when planning milestone birthdays is to focus all the attention on the age someone is turning.
This inevitably leads people to reach for all those obvious party supplies, cliched themes, and tedious jokes, like ‘Over the Hill’, ‘Old as Dirt’, or ‘Oh Crap You’re Old’, resulting in a generic party—devoid of any personality—that really could’ve been thrown for anyone turning 40.
While they might not show it, many people can feel a little sensitive about the fact their getting older. They may not be where they expected to be by this stage of their life, they might have concerns about their future, or feel self-conscious about changes to their physical appearance.
All those gag gifts and bad jokes just re-enforce the idea that getting older is a negative thing; emphasizing all the things you might not have or be able to do as you get older, rather than looking back and celebrating all the things you’ve learned, achieved, and experienced in life.
Don’t get me wrong, a few jokes here and there are fine—in fact, there’s a section dedicated to gag gifts and funny decorations later on this page—but just don’t make them the entire focus or theme of the party.
Instead, celebrate the person, not their age.
If you’re planning your own adult birthday bash, but wish someone would plan one of these ideas for you, look out for the strip of share buttons under each idea so you can hint to friends and family.
If you prefer not to mess around with printables, there are several designs—such as the ones shown below—that come pre-printed, some of which can be customized with a photo of the birthday boy/girl.
"Whether heartfelt and meaningful, amusing, or darn right embarrassing, try to encourage friends and family to share their favorite memory of the birthday boy/girl, rather than just send traditional birthday wishes.
This will make the postcards so much more personal and create a wonderfully nostalgic keepsake to re-read in the future.
Just remember you might need to adjust the suggested 'return by' date for friends and family that live further away to ensure they arrive in time."
"Giving 12 gifts doesn't have to be any more expensive than giving one. In fact, this idea works well because it encourages you to think of more meaningful gifts that are likely to have personal or sentimental—rather than monetary—value e.g photo gifts, a favorite childhood candy or hard to find delicacy from their hometown, a video message from a long-distance friend, or a coupon for a foot rub.
It also means you can give smaller gifts you know they'll love, but that ordinarily, might not be substantial enough on their own.
Regarding presentation, if you're revealing the stack of gifts all at once (as opposed to hiding them individually like a treasure hunt) they'll look more stylish if they're all wrapped in identical gift wrap. There's just something more chic and professional about a clean, uniform look."
For smaller gift ideas, such as the ones below, and lots of personalized photo-based gifts, check out my dedicated adult birthday gift ideas page using the button below.
One way to make this idea even more special is wrap the gifts using photo collage wrapping paper, ribbon, and tags showing the birthday boy/girl at different stages of their life.
Alternatively, if you don't have easy access to old photos of the birthday boy, you can still customize the wrapping with personalized wraping paper, number charms (to indicate the hour to open each gift), or chalkboard wrapping paper and tags so you can write your own instructions/message/time for each gift.
"To avoid everyone highlighting similar—perhaps a little obvious—things they love about the birthday boy/girl, you might consider giving some gentle guidance to help steer people in the right direction.
This idea works best when there's a mix of the profound; e.g 'You always believe in me more than I do myself', the lighthearted; e.g 'That you tell Starbucks baristas your name is Beyoncé', and the sentimental; e.g 'You've seen me at my worst and you still love me'.
Consider asking a certain group of people to contribute profound reasons, another group to contribute lighthearted ones, and another to focus on sentimental ones etc. That way you'll achieve a good mix.
Decide whether you want to attribute each reason to the person who submitted it by including their name afterwards, like a quote."
"To ensure quality and consistency, give clear instructions for how people should take their photos. Consider:
Sign: specify the size, background color, how to hold, size of writing, and pen (e.g black Sharpie) to ensure all are legible
Orientation: specify full length and landscape with space either side of the person so you have the option to crop to square, portrait, or landscape during page layout
Background: vary the instructions so some are told to take inside versus outside, against different textured backgrounds e.g brick wall, hedge etc, and in different locations e.g office, garden etc. These photos often look best with more natural and realistic background scenes/locations, rather than everyone trying to take against a plain wall; which can look flat and sterile."
"Plan ahead and allow enough time. It can take a while for people to actually sit down and put pen to paper. Set a 'post no later than...' date and factor in enough time for a few reminders.
Explain that this is about celebrating the birthday boy/girl's life through memories and anecdotes; so it's fine to get a little effusive or sentimental. Alternatively, humor works too. They might recall a funny story about how they first met or something that really cemented their relationship; the more nostalgic the better.
Remind people to include their full name in the letter too, as there may be several people with the same first name.
These look great if you repackage the letters into vintage-style airmail envelopes (see below) or another type of decorative envelope."
"Rather than only draw upon your own collection, considering asking friends and family members to lend you some of their photos of the birthday boy/girl from significant periods of their life.
That way you might discover some less familiar photos—perhaps even some the birthday boy/girl might have forgotten or never even seen before".
"Ask friends and family to rifle through their photo collections to discover lesser-known photos of the birthday boy/girl to tell the story of their life (so far).
Old printed photos can be transferred to a digital format very inexpensively nowadays ($20-$30 for 100 photos, link below) so it's a great opportunity to preserve them for years to come.
Similarly, old photos that are fading, discolored, or damaged can often be restored at the same time (see link below)."
"Slideshows work best when they're a surprise for the birthday boy/girl. Use them to create a focal point that brings everyone together at a certain time for a big reveal. Alternatively, have it playing on a contnuous loop throughout the party to entertain guests during drinks; it can be a great ice breaker / conversation starter.
If you own (or can borrow) a projector for playback it will give a more special 'big-screen' event feel, fill a larger space, and enable more people to see easily in a crowded room. Alternatively, you could cast from a laptop or tablet to a large TV screen."
"As this is a thoughtful 'make-it-yourself' gift, be sure to make a little effort with the styling and presentation; you want it to look handmade, not home-made.
Invest in some decorative envelopes and labels/tags to prevent them looking too amateurish—especially if your handwriting skills aren't great.
That's why I've included some of the examples above. The illustrated envelopes lend a cute, handmade feel that still has a personal touch. Whereas the rich colored and pattered options elevate the presentation to give them a more elegant and stylish look."
A common mistake people make is that they often try to dress an entire room or venue and end up spreading their party decorations too thinly.
This means they get a bit lost when competing with existing room décor and it just dilutes the overall effect.
What you actually want to do is keep everything tight and compact, focusing on a few larger dispays or 'clusters' of decorations in key areas, which will make them look fuller and more noticeable.
Check out the preview images below, then follow the 'Read More' button to my dedicated adult birthday party decorations page to learn more about the 4 key areas you should focus decorations on:
Entrance decorations should be welcoming and functional; identifying the location, directing guests to the entrance, and creating a warm welcome. The first few minutes of a party set the tone and reassure your guests it’s going to be fun event, so first impressions matter.
Avoid getting stuck at the entrance all night by creating a welcome area to: greet guests; with signage, décor, and self-service arrival drinks, entertain; with activities, photo ops, and party favors, and manage flow; with directional signage for cloakrooms, bathrooms, table plans, and a gift/card table.
Maximize your budget by concentrating decorations around a dessert / buffet table or bar to create one large display / feature wall that will act as a focal point in the room. This will give you more bang for your buck rather than trying to dress an entire venue and spreading decorations too thinly.
Add creative twists and personal touches to everyday decorations, such as balloons and banners, to make them more special. This creates conversation-starters, photo-ops, and talking points to engage and entertain guests while encouraging mingling.
When throwing a party, people often overlook the importance of providing things for guests to do.
It’s so easy to become preoccupied with the basics of party planning, such as invitations, catering, and decorations, that you don’t spare much thought for what guests will do AFTER they’ve tuned up, looked at the decorations, and had a drink.
Small talk will only hold their attention for so long before they start looking at their watch (or phone!) and wondering how soon they can leave.
Engagement is essential for creating atmosphere and ensuring people have a good time.
Activities and entertainment enable flow and circulation, which keeps the energy up, and they help break the ice, encouraging mingling, and provide conversation-starters.
Perhaps most importantly, they prevent boredom and people leave with something to talk about, share, and remember; they feel as though they’ve had an experience.
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Buffet tables are over. They're old fashioned, sloppy, and recall those nasty 'all you can eat' restaurants where the food sits out all day.
Nowadays, for event professionals, it’s all about creating ‘food stations’ that are geared towards small bites, tasting plates, and DIY options.
Food stations still let you feed large numbers, offer a range of dishes (so there’s something for everyone; looking at you vegans!), and keep food service relaxed and informal so as not to kill the party atmosphere.
The difference is you get to wow guests with the creative, modern, and stylish presentation that comes with mini tasting plates and dessert cups. As such, your food station contributes to your overall event design and décor.
Check out the preview images below, then follow the 'Read More' button to my party food ideas page to learn my simple food styling and presentation tips that will have everything thinking your party has been professionally catered!
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In addition to lending visual spectacle and wow factor, a dessert table offers the host many practical, logistical, and financial benefits such as:
Check out the preview images below, then follow the 'Read More' button to my party Dessert Tables page to learn more.
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Always create a signature drink for your party; it’s one of the easiest things you can do to make your party unique and create a talking point.
When people get dressed up and go out for the night, they want to discover and try new things that they don’t have at home.
It’s one of the reasons we go to restaurants; to taste the creations of chefs and experience flavor combinations that perhaps we wouldn’t have thought of or wouldn’t know how to make ourselves.
So, don’t play it too safe; offer them something unusual.
You should still offer more traditional drinks too but add a creative twist or personal touch to the styling and presentation; to make them a little more special.
This might be custom photo wine/beer bottle labels, personalized cups, glasses, stirrers, and straws, or cocktail napkins printed with ‘Fun facts you may not know about the birthday boy/girl’.
This might seem like a lot of attention to detail, but remember, drinks play a big role in every party. Your guests are probably going to be carrying one around for most of the night; so it’s worth making an effort.
A milestone birthday is a special occasion; so go out of your way to make it special.
+ READ MORE
Everybody worries whether enough guests are going to show up to their party; even professional party planners. Which is why you need to make an effort with your invitations.
Firstly, you must send a proper invitation in the mail, especially for a milestone birthday.
Inviting people by email or phone just won’t cut it. It sends the message that it’s just a casual arrangement; no big deal, nothing special, just if you’ve got nothing better to do. You’re practically inviting them to cancel on the day.
If you’re expecting guests to give up their evening, commit weeks in advance, arrange babysitters, buy a gift, get dressed up, and travel across town to celebrate YOUR birthday, the invitation needs to say ‘this is a special occasion’—and an email just doesn’t.
Nowadays, it’s getting more and more rare to receive personal correspondence through your letterbox. So, when a stiff, hand-addressed, luxurious, colored envelope unexpectedly lands on the mat, it instantly feels special.
Invitations set the tone; it’s a glimpse of what’s to come so it needs to excite and inspire. It needs to reassure people that they’re going to have fun. It’s needs to build excitement and give them something to look forward to. So, it needs to be creative.
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Let’s be honest, most gift websites suck.
They’re typically full of uninspiring, clichéd, or oh-so-hilarious (not!) gag gifts that retailers insist on pushing, but that no-one really wants to receive.
Does anyone really get excited personalized golf balls, monogrammed robes, or a ‘World’s Best Mum’ mug?
And why are they always so stereotypical? For men; golf accessories, tools, ties, and grilling equipment. For women; jewelry boxes, tote bags, photo frames, and engraved glass ornaments. Snore!
Don’t be fooled into thinking that a gift with someone’s name engraved on it makes it personal.
A truly personal gift is one where some real thought has gone into it; something you know they’d love but would never treat themselves to, something meaningful with sentimental value, or something quirky, usual, or unique that’s been tailored to the recipient.
Hit ‘Read More’ to check out my page of less obvious adult birthday gift ideas.
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Stuck for inspiration?
Check out some of these creative birthday themes and ideas for men, including:
