Some birthday parties just feel much more important than others. We mark certain years with more fanfare than others because they are significant points in life, such as turning 25, 30, and 40, to name a few. Turning 25, for example, is a big deal because it’s considered the quarter-life year. Young women in their teens often celebrate turning fifteen with a quinceaños celebration, or a year later, a Sweet Sixteen birthday bash.

What’s your special year, and how should you design your event for it?

For young women in their teens, event design incorporates colors that symbolize innocence,  such as pastels and dusty shades of rose. We think of scented candles, daisies, and delicious desserts. Decadence is in order so that the young woman is celebrated with wishes for wealth and prosperity in her future.

 

For birthday celebrations that mark more wisdom, the themes change and incorporate sultrier, more adult elements. For example, a 30th birthday celebration will have wine glasses, a fully stocked bar, and a color palette of deeper blues, reds, or violets/purples. Rather than highlight a dessert table, an adult occasion might bring more attention to a bar serving classic cocktails  and offer wine pairings.

When deciding how to best put together the special birthday being celebrated, think about what best represents the person being honored. Depending on his or her age and interests, you’ll be able to pull together the best elements for the event’s design. If the person is known for being a great athlete, you don’t have to necessarily base your theme around the specific sport, but perhaps consider an outdoor event with less frills and more sophisticated color blocking.

Most people are pretty good at “branding” themselves, so figuring out the event design is more of a cinch than you’d think.

 

Image: Palos Studio

Planning: Miriam Corona Events