How to plan a birthday party in 10 simple steps

Imagine this—a table set with all your favorite treats, a pile of gifts in the corner (is that Tiffany blue we see?), and the promise of an off-key tune sung just for you. Could it be that your birthday is around the corner? Or how about this—belly laughs from all of your kids’ pals, a perfect cake with their favorite character of the moment, and oooh, is that a magician or clown? 

When special birthdays come around, whether you, your best friend, an adult family member, or your kid is blowing out the candles, you should mark the occasion with a birthday party to celebrate.

But with so much to consider (casual eats or a formal dinner? Prank candles or classic? Llama piñata or lawn games?), that’s easier said than done. Take a breath and read on to learn how to plan a birthday party for grownups and kids, alike. (By the way—if you’re looking for kids’ birthday party ideas, you’ll find them here.)

How to plan a birthday party

 

Love it or hate it, when you grow up, your birthday still comes but once a year. You also celebrate some big moments, from 21st birthday parties to 30th birthdays, to 40 and beyond. There’s always a reason to celebrate your birthday as an adult, even if you want to trade in the clown, the cake, and the party favors for a quiet evening with your besties. We got you, and we know exactly what you’ll need to pull off an elegant affair everyone will be talking about until the next fete rolls around.

1. Create a budget

Before you plan your party, it’s best to take your budget into account—whether you’re making a spreadsheet with specific amounts for each expense, or choosing a number you don’t want to surpass overall. Your budget will help inform you on where you can host the party, what food you can serve, what entertainment you can provide, and how many people you can invite… so, pretty much everything.

To calculate your budget, consider how much you’re willing to spend, from hors d’oeuvres to entertainment options to party venues. A party at home could cost just as much as (if not more than) a party at a venue, so leave nothing unaccounted for. Once you determine your budget, many of the details will start to fall into place (such as which type of bubbly  you should serve).

Looking for ways to save? Consider serving a home-cooked meal (especially for a smaller group) and volunteer entertainers and help—like a friend who’s up for tending bar or an uncle who’s down to dress up as a clown.

 2. Choose a theme

 

Whether you’re hosting an intimate party with your inner circle or your kid’s birthday bash, a birthday party isn’t complete without a theme. Trust us, you’ll have so much more fun if you think this part through. (And depending on how old your child is, we can almost guarantee they’ll come up with something creative.)

Here are a few grownup birthday party ideas to get you started:

• The concert experience: If the special birthday guest lives for music, celebrate their day with just that. Spring for tickets if their favorite group is touring or hire a cover band and have everyone dress accordingly. Or, break out the karaoke machine and unleash your inner pop star. 
• Game night: Whether you choose board games, video games, or actually breaking a sweat with their favorite sport or lawn game, building a birthday around competition is a surefire way to have a blast. Pair up experts with newbies to ensure everyone’s involved and teams are balanced.
• Silver screen birthday: Can the birthday guest of honor recite (with perfect diction) the Royale with Cheese scene from “Pulp Fiction”? Have they always dreamed of finding their own Danny and singing “Summer Lovin’” to a room full of Pink Ladies and T-Bird greasers? Or maybe they have a deep personal connection to the Wicked Witch of the West or the Cowardly Lion from “Wizard of Oz”. Bring their favorite movie to life at their birthday party! The movie’s soundtrack will provide the perfect soundscape, and you can even go that extra mile and book a venue that sets the scene, whether it’s a rooftop bar or a ‘50s-themed diner. Don’t forget to encourage guests to dress up! 

For kids, you can go off their favorite activities, stories, and characters, or go straight to the source and ask them what they’d prefer as a theme. Here are some ideas: 

• Get wild: Nothing beats visiting the zoo as a kid—except being a zookeeper for a day. Zoos across the country host parties where children can get up close and personal with everything from armadillos to zigzag salamanders. Some can even bring the safari to your backyard.
• Scavenger hunt: In a GPS-dependent world, creating a thrilling scavenger hunt is challenging: conjuring clues, choosing a bounteous treasure, and keeping kids on task. Do it right, though, and you’re bound to engage them. Plus, if they love pirates, you can add a dress-up element.
• Backyard art: With an outdoor art birthday, you kill two birds with one stone: kids get to be messy, and you avoid having to clean the couch. Set up easels, paints, and crayons, and let your young artists color to their hearts’ delight. Or, choose a fun craft to do together like tie-dye or paper-mâché. 

3. Decide on a date and time

With the exception of late-night bars, most venues will want your birthday hat-wearing entourage out by a certain time. Host at home, however, and you can have everyone stay until the wee hours (or the next morning, you party animal).

At an active birthday, your guests will eventually run out of gas, so cordoning off some downtime would go over well. Plan for maybe an hour of play, then three to crack out the lawn chairs, fire up the barbecue, and chit-chat. Boom: a four-hour birthday.

With kids, choosing a time should be a more straightforward matter. You know your kid’s bedtime… and you know you’ll be a little more lenient about it on their birthday.

If hosting your child’s birthday during the week, you might let them stay up an hour or two later to celebrate. But class is class, and bedtime is bedtime (unless, of course, it’s a sleepover party). Just give the “I’m not even tired” response a second. Their eyelids will flutter and the yawns will become contagious within minutes. 

Don’t forget to keep age in mind. Toddlers might be able to handle an hour or two of excitement before drooling their way into dreamland, but an eight- or nine-year-old might have plenty of energy to spare.

4. Make a guest list 

When you think about the party you’re hosting, do you envision it as being an exclusive affair with just a few close friends, or do you picture a rowdy ripper with tons of people filling up a space? Keeping that thought in mind—and your budget—should help you determine who to include on your guest list. If you’re hosting a party for someone else (and it’s not a surprise party), be sure to have them go over the guest list before you send out invitations. 

For a kid’s party, you should double-check with their school if there’s a strict party policy. Some schools state that, unless it’s girls-only or boys-only, every kid in the class has to be invited. Talk to your child’s teacher to make sure no rules are broken (and no feelings are hurt).  

5. Pick a venue

 

When you’re planning a party for a kid or adult, there are myriad birthday venues to choose from, with varying levels of flexibility to suit your needs. What matters most is the mood you’re going for. Home is more intimate and often cost-effective. For adults, hotels, bars, and restaurants are classic. If it’s summertime, a local park or public garden will set quite the backdrop for any age.

Want to set your grown-up party scene in a more memorable space? Consider out-of-the-box party locales like: 

• Museum
• Aquarium
• Industrial warehouse or event space
• Sailboat or yacht
• Amusement or adventure park (go-carts and whirly ball, we’re looking at you)

For a child, consider these sensational venues: 

• The local laser tag spot
• Your favorite neighborhood park or playground 
• An IMAX theater
• A trampoline park
• A kid’s arcade
• A roller or ice rink

6. Consider entertainment

Depending on the vibe and budget of your birthday party, you’ll want to think about bringing in some outside entertainment for your guests to enjoy. Who and what you hire to entertain can make the difference between a good time and an unforgettable event.

For an adult party, entertainment may include: 

• A live band
• A professional mixologist
• A poker dealer
• Someone to teach a class or give a live demo

For kids, think about hiring:

• A balloon artist
• A clown
• Pony rides
• A kids’ musician
• A magician
• A face painter

7. Send invitations 

 

Even if the entire guest list is confirmed to attend, sending out birthday invitations is a great way to keep things organized and get everyone excited to celebrate. With hundreds of customizable, theme-driven designs, Paperless Post has you covered on that front. Find your perfect adult birthday party invitation, then use these ideas for how to word them.

Raise a glass and celebrate with wording like:

 

Mark is thirty!

LEND HIM SOME

MORAL SUPPORT AS HE

TOASTS ANOTHER YEAR

SATURDAY, JUNE 14TH

AT 7:30 PM

ARROWHEAD PUB

 

Throwing a surprise party? Use words like:

 

SHH… IT’S A SURPRISE!

WE’RE THROWING A SECRET BIRTHDAY BASH

FOR SUGAR KANE’S 33RD

SATURDAY, MARCH 29TH AT 7 PM

SOCIETY SYNCOPATION

SUGAR ARRIVES AT 8!

 

Perfect for the young at heart, try wording like:

 

F*%# FIFTY

PLEASE JOIN KAREN TO CELEBRATE

BEING YOUNG AF

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 AT 7 PM

THE PEABODY HOTEL

 

Looking for kids’ birthday party invitations as fun as the party will be? Check these out:

Jem is turning six

Sunday, February 3rd at 1 pm

The Finch Residence

3 Amasa Drive, Maycomb 

 

Nothing says summer birthday like the pool! Take a dip into this wording:

 

POOL PARTY

MATILDA’S 6TH BIRTHDAY

SATURDAY MARCH 31ST AT 2 PM

MISS HONEY’S POOL

16 CHERRY LANE

*DON’T FORGET YOUR SUIT AND TOWEL! 

 

Cast a spell on your guests with this enchanting card and wording like:

 

CHARLES is turning EIGHT

and we have a spell

for the perfect birthday party

Sunday, November 29th at 3:30 PM

128 Cleveland Avenue, Hartford

 

Once you’ve sent your invitations, you’ll get a better idea of how many people are coming (which will help inform the next step: solidifying the menu). Paperless Post invitations let you take separate adult and child headcounts so it’s even easier to keep track of your guests and plan ahead for a fun birthday party. You can also include more than one family member in a single invitation with convenient Group Sending. 

8. Solidify the menu

Delicious eats and drinks are essential to any shindig. They can amplify your chosen theme and keep guests from getting hangry as they wait for the birthday cake to be cut. Wondering what eats your guests prefer, or whether they have allergies? Use Paperless Post’s Guest Questions or Guest Surveys features to get helpful answers from them when they RSVP to the party. 

Some of our favorite food ideas for adults include… 

• Bring in food trucks: Food trucks are a fun way to add variety to your festivities. Hire one truck specializing in the party’s theme or work with a few vendors to provide plenty of options for guests. We call dibs on the kitschy (but entirely necessary) Mister Softee truck.
• Consider a caterer: This route will take away all the pressure of wowing guests with your cooking skills (or lack thereof). Plus, catering allows you to add on showstoppers like a mobile wood-fire pizza oven, a prime-rib carving station, or even made-to-order paella. 
• Don’t skip the bubbly: If you’re throwing a birthday party without a little bit of champagne or sparkling wine, you’re missing out! You can find a deliciously crisp vintage for any budget. Go big with a champagne tower or a caviar pairing. Plus, we have it on good authority that champagne is the perfect accompaniment to birthday cake.
• Hire a bartender: If your budget can swing it, hiring a mixologist can really make the evening special. They’ll keep guests entertained while serving up creative custom cocktails. Of course, not everyone may want alcohol, so stock up on the three S’s: seltzer, soda, and shakes (for dessert!).

Kids’ meals can be relatively easy (after double-checking every guest’s dietary restrictions, that is):

• Fast-finger food: Your kid probably cheers when you pull into their favorite drive-through eatery, so a Happy Meal-style birthday spread is sure to be a hit, especially if you make it mini. Offer chicken nuggets, fries, sliders, and mini fruit cups and your birthday kid will definitely sing, “I’m lovin’ it!” No time to make it mini? Call your favorite fast-food spot and put in an order.
• Taco buffet: As easy to eat as they are delicious, tacos are a surefire winner at kids’ parties. Be sure to provide plenty of low-spice salsa options, sour cream, and of course, extra guac.
• Mac and cheese station: Offering an endless supply of mac-and-cheese will level up your kid’s party to legendary status. Include surprising toppings like Cheetos, pineapple chunks, ranch dressing, and bacon to help kids find their favorite mac-and-cheese combination. 
• DIY party food: If your guest list is comprised of picky eaters, have them make their own food. Kids will have a great time making personal pizzas, mixing their own salads, or decorating their own cupcakes.

9. Decorate 

How do you turn any space into a party room? Birthday party decorations. The venue you select for your birthday party will inform how much party décor is needed. Hosting at your own home means that decorating is entirely on you, while some party venues may throw in party décor as part of the deal.

The decorations you choose are very dependent on the vibe of the party you’re hosting. If you’re doing a dinner or cocktail party for adults, your décor might include taper candles, flowers, and a disco ball. For kids, you may go all out with a piñata and other over-the-top decorations that fit your theme. You can find beautiful and fun birthday party decorations for kids and adults alike at Paperless Post Party Shop.

No matter what age the birthday-haver is turning, some birthday party decorating classics include:

• Streamers
• Balloons
• Honeycomb decorations
• Tabletop confetti
• Fun cake toppers
• A letterboard 

10. Pick out party favors (optional)

Birthday party favors aren’t just for kids. If there’s one universal “rule” about party favors, it’s this: they should remind guests of the day. That means you’ll want to go above and beyond the goody bags of your youth and opt instead for something a little more unique, like a customized place setting (we like conversation starters like tarot cards or energy-charged crystals) or a small bouquet of dried flowers. You can also opt for a throwback—disposable cameras give guests the chance to go low-tech and capture candid moments. After you develop them, you can mail out your favorite shots to each guest (or opt for digital and send them a Paperless Post thank you card).

That said—while party favors at a grownup birthday party are typically an unexpected yet welcome treat, children should never leave a kids’ birthday without goodie bags. The question is—aside from candy—what to put in the bags?

Stickers are pretty fool-proof, as are temporary tattoos. If the piñata was a hit (pun intended), pack in some mini-piñatas. More unexpected gifts like surprise balls and coloring pages with mini packs of crayons should go over well, too.

The best birthdays start with Paperless Post

Whether you’re wondering how to plan a birthday party for grownups or young kids, the most important thing is that everyone shows up and has the best time ever. 

That’s where Paperless Post’s unique selection of adult birthday invitations and kids’ birthday invitations comes in. They’re customizable and come in hundreds of designs—you’re guaranteed to find the perfect one to fit your party’s vibe. They can be sent via text or email, or shared anywhere you want with a link. They also make communicating with your guests easier than ever, thanks to our seamless messaging features and RSVP tracking. 

Send them out, bring your guests in, and make this birthday the best one yet.