Your Guide To Celebrate A Birthday Party

Chances are, if you are like most adults, you don’t remember the first party you attended as a child. And it is even more likely that the first party was a birthday party. In fact, it may even have been your own birthday celebration.

Around the world, birthdays are celebrated as we mark the end of a year and the start of a new one. Relatives and friends gather to share food and drink, bringing gifts and enjoying a special birthday cake. Because these life events occur only once a year, there is a certain amount of pressure on the host to deliver a memorable event.

But memorable does not have to be “perfect.” Instead of stressing over every last detail as you strive for perfection, focus on planning a birthday party that is personal for the guest of honour. 

Those unique touches will make the birthday party one to remember for years to come. If you are looking for a birthday party venue, check it out.

How To Budget?

Birthdays come but once a year, and it’s easy to throw caution to the wind to give our loved ones the celebration they deserve, but calculating a realistic budget before making any concrete plans is a necessity. 

Talk to other close family members, who may wish to contribute to the budget as a birthday gift to the Guest of Honour, and don’t commit to any birthday party suppliers before you have a definite number in mind.

To keep the plans on track, make a list of the essential birthday suppliers you need to reach out to, before moving on to the non-essentials. This will help you to prioritise, and to get the most important aspects confirmed early on.

Choosing A Venue

Many spaces lend themselves to birthday parties; fill it with the right people, the right food, and, of course, the right music, and a party you have made. 

Of course, one of the easiest ways to realise your theme is to choose a party venue that reflects it. 

A Harry Potter-themed celebration, for instance, will come alive within the walls of a historic hotel or stately home with the help of a few candles (levitation at your discretion), some well-placed props, and a little birthday magic. 

An eighteenth hosted within a chic, inner-city art venue will scream sophistication, while a summary, the outdoor buffet will create a relaxed, laissez-faire atmosphere for guests old and young to mingle, enjoy some live music, and celebrate another year of life.

Viewing party venues can be a time-consuming task; you need to make sure that they can accommodate your guest list, that they are accessible to guests driving some distance to get there, that it will be possible to serve food and drink, and that there is space for your party entertainment. 

You will also need to liaise with the venue management team on your party decorations, and whether or not they require you to use their internal catering team.

Begin your search for the right venue well in advance of the party itself. 

For one thing, you will need to secure the date with the management before issuing your invitations and organising your birthday party suppliers, schedule, cake, and birthday accessories. 

What’s more, popular venues may have a longer waiting list, particularly in the long run-up to Christmastime. 

Choosing A Cake

A perfectly baked birthday cake is one of the most popular birthday supplies you will need to arrange. It will become a centrepiece for your party, drawing sweet-toothed guests across the room to marvel at the design. 

Professional cake suppliers will be able to capture the essence of your theme in the sponge, fondant and buttercream, creating something truly special — and delectable — for you, your guests, and the Birthday Boy or Girl to enjoy together. 

Size

Before you get into the specifics, you need to ascertain how large you need your cake to be. The number of slices a cake yields will depend largely on the shape — for instance, a round cake will offer slightly fewer portions than a square or rectangular cake.

Double Check your guest list before you speak with your birthday cake supplier and remember that a few leftover slices are infinitely better than running out halfway through the evening.

Taste

There is no definitive ranking of cake flavours. Chocolate, lemon, marble, carrot and red velvet all stand up to even the harshest of criticisms, which gives the Birthday Boy or Girl free reign over the taste of their birthday cake. 

Alternatively, a traditional sponge can be enhanced by flavoured fillings; a champagne buttercream, devilish chocolate ganache, or a tangy, citrus curd will add another indulgent, moreish twist to any sponge. 

If you are planning for a Kid’s Party, the safest flavours tend to be vanilla or chocolate. Fondant is not as popular as it used to be, but it is a useful medium for creating truly outstanding and intricate designs. 

Theme

With the practicalities tied down, it will be time to begin thinking about the design of the cake. Tiered cakes lend themselves to more intricate embellishments, and will draw the eye from across the room — although the Guest of Honour may need a stepladder to reach those candles. 

Shaped cakes are a little more labour-intensive, but expert cake makers are capable of transforming even the most bizarre objects into fully edible creations, and the final result will be worth the extra investment.