WeFacebookedYou eMagazine

What to do on a 30th Birthday Party?

Throwing a 30th birthday party for a friend or loved one involves a lot of planning, but it doesn't have to be a lot of hard work--instead, it can be a labor of love. Here are some tips for throwing a great 30th birthday party:

1. Set a date. A 30th birthday is quite a milestone, so before you choose a date for the party make sure the guest of honor doesn't already have plans for that date. You should work with her spouse or a close friend to come up with a date that works for everyone.
2. Decide where to have the party. Depending on the size of the party, you can opt to host it at someone's house, a rental hall or even a restaurant. Make sure that you find a place that is large enough to accommodate all of your party guests.
3. Choose a theme. Do you want your guests to step back in time to the year the guest of honor was born? Or perhaps you want to have a party theme that reflects the guest of honor's hobbies or interests. Costume parties are always a hit, too. Theme parties are a huge hit when they're done right. If you're planning a theme party.
4. Create a guest list. You should enlist the help of the guest of honor's spouse or a close friend to help you get the guest list together. If you want to keep it small, then close friends and family may be all that you need to invite. However, for a big a 30th birthday bash, don't forget to invite neighbors, co-workers and old friends as well.
5. To surprise or not to surprise? It's always fun to try to surprise the guest of honor, but it's not always feasible. If keeping the party a surprise turns out to be too challenging, there's nothing wrong with telling the guest of honor about it. If you do decide that it will be a surprise party, be sure to indicate that on the invitation.
6. Invitations. You can get fun 30th birthday party invitations at party supply stores or you can order them online. If you're a whiz on the computer, you can even make your own invitations using a baby picture of the guest of honor and your computer's clipart program. If you're planning to invite a lot of people to the party, consider telling the guests to RSVP only if they will not be attending--this will save you from having to answer your telephone repeatedly. In addition, if the guest of honor lives in your house, have the party guests RSVP to you via email instead of by telephone.
7. Menu. If you're hosting the party at someone's house or at a rental hall, plan to serve food that can be made ahead of time. Crock pot dishes, a deli meat platter, meatballs and casseroles are all good selections. If the party will be outdoors, why not fire up the grill and serve hamburgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken? For a theme party such as a Mexican fiesta, serve make-ahead chicken enchiladas, rice and beans and tacos with fixings. You can also opt to order the party food--pizzas and submarine sandwiches are popular party fare. Check out the party platter selections at your favorite supermarket or warehouse market--having someone else prepare the food will save you time and be less stressful. Keep things simple by having a self-serve bar area where guests can help themselves to beverages.
9. Play a few games. Party games are a must for any 30th birthday party. You can do something elaborate, like hosting a "roast" for the guest of honor--have friends and family stand up and say a few humorous words about the guest of honor. Or walk down memory lane with a "This Is Your Life" presentation or a recap of the guest of honor's first 30 years. Trivia games are also fun--ask the guest of honor a question about himself and have party guests write down what they think he will say.
10. Decorating ideas. Decorating for a 30th birthday party can be a lot of fun. You can blow up old baby pictures and hang them around the party area. Set out some memorabilia, such as items from the year the guest of honor was born. Put out yearbooks, old report cards, books and other nostalgic items. You can also play retro music to fit your party theme--check out music download sites such as iTunes to download popular songs from 30 years ago.
11. Give a special gift. A scrapbook of the guest of honor's life, complete with pictures, postcards and clippings, is a great gift to present to her at the party. Leave it out for guests to look through and everyone will have a great time reminiscing about the past 30 years.

• Get some answers to these before you marry 276 QUESTIONS   WORK 1....
• Best Questions to ask your boyfriends & girlfriends Here're some suggested questions you...

• Macau Package Tour Arrivals Up Information from the Statistics and...
• One Of The Reasons I Wrote Solstice Surrender (Not the Obvious, Either) by Tracy Cooper-Posey, guest blogger...