As you may have guessed by the title, I’m planning my champagne birthday this year. I’m turning *scoffs* years old, and like any good socialite, it’s important I make it one to remember. You may ask, “what is a champagne birthday anyway?”. Simply put, it’s the day you were born corresponding with the age you’re turning.
So, unfortunately, for everyone below the legal drinking age, you’re straight out of luck. For those who can celebrate, I’ve created a checklist of everything I’m considering when planning this event. From tablescapes to venue selection and a well-crafted guest list, these are the most important things you should consider when planning your champagne birthday.
Related: How to Be a Better Host: The Best Tips for Entertaining Family and Friends
Pick a Theme
This is definitely one of the most exciting parts of planning your champagne birthday. Your theme can be anything your imagination can muster up! I personally take a lot of design inspo from Pinterest and Airbnb when planning parties. For example, if you’re into a pop of colour and whimsical decor, this Wes Anderson film-inspired home is the perfect blueprint for mapping out your party. While I enjoy a splash of colour here and there, I’ve followed many design trends for 2023 to gauge my inspo.
Pro Tip: Find your favourite celeb and see what they’ve been up to with their home (like Pamela Anderson and her chic Ladysmith home reno).
Selecting Your Venue for Your Champagne Birthday
Where you plan on hosting your champagne birthday is crucial based on a few factors: space, capacity and, of course, vibe. The worst thing is to book your space and find out it doesn’t actually fit your desired party size. It’s best to plan ahead of time for this, as most event spaces tend to book out well in advance. Your options can vary between restaurant event spaces, pop-up venues, condo party rooms and the most affordable option, your home.
Personally, I don’t love cleaning up after a party, so an event space is the best option for me. Regarding accessibility, I’m leaning towards my condo’s party room since it generally fits a larger amount of people for an affordable cost.
Ask for Help
Planning an event like this can be stressful. That’s why I always recommend asking for help from your close friends and family. Having someone to lean on makes the experience all the more exciting. The added benefit is gut-checking things that might not make sense concerning decor, budgeting or the guest list.
Meal Planning for Your Champagne Birthday
Depending on the vibe of your party, you may want to menu plan in advance. For the most part, champagne birthdays consist mostly of, you guessed it, champagne. There are instances, however, where food can (and should) be served. If you’re hosting at a restaurant, you’ll have the privilege of choosing between a ton of menu options (at a hefty cost). On the other hand, you could always order in or make your own food. My suggestion is to order take-out and make an easy snack board. It isn’t the most glamourous in terms of presentation, but nothing a few serving platters can’t fix.
Pro Tip: I recommend purchasing a decent-sized serving platter. That way, you can display your food on something befitting your special day.
Prioritize Self-Care
Through all the running around, planning, phone calls and spending, there’s one thing I am choosing to prioritize: my self-care. What’s the point of working so hard if, in the end, you’re worn out from all the stress? I’ve taken the liberty of booking a very lavish spa day on the morning of my birthday. Don’t feel like you need to book a spa day to practice self-care. It comes in all forms! Whether that’s taking time to yourself and reading or going for a jog before the celebrations, you vibe at your own pace.
Related: All the Best Self-Care Tools from TikTok
Make it Interactive
Sure, the allure of expensive champagne is enough to excite anyone, but there should be other forms of entertainment. Consider adding games to your party itinerary. Games can be a fun and interactive way to keep people engaged. I personally love to play card games to keep things casual. However, any game is applicable when you’re the one hosting.
Be Sustainable
I know how tempting it can be to pick the cheapest and most affordable options for birthday decor, but if you can, try and be sustainable. There are so many single-use plastics littering landfills that aren’t biodegradable. Opt for actual glass versus plastic if you want to buy champagne glasses. The same rule applies to plates, tablescapes and cutlery: try to avoid plastic. The added benefit is that you will have all this great entertainment partyware the next time you host a big event.
Pro Tip: Luckily, Amazon has a ton of affordable glassware options like this six-piece set champagne flute set. You can even find some great items for less on Facebook Marketplace!
Make it a Destination
This might not apply to everyone, but if you’re willing to go the extra mile on this special day, plan a trip abroad. How chic would it be to host your birthday bash in Bali or the South of France? Your champagne birthday only comes once in life, so why not live it up? Alternatively, if you’re strapped for cash, curate your birthday theme to fit your dream destination!
Related: See Inside Seth Rogen’s Houseplant Airbnb in California
Feature image courtesy of INSERT. Images courtesy of Pexels, Sabrina Stavenjord, Getty Images.
