40th birthday planning ideas: theme, party favor, shopping list, and more

Her husband's 40th birthday was in three weeks.  Except the confidential evite (electronic invitation sent via email) sent to everyone, nothing else was planned for the birthday surprise she wanted to give to her hubby.  One day, somehow, she and I started discussing about the party.  And after one sleepover, two dinners, three secret meetings, and numerous phone calls, we finally organized an incredible surprise birthday party for her husband that guests talked about for weeks.

Planning a Theme for the Birthday Party
For 40th birthday party, after several colors and theme options, we decided to keep it to a simple black and silver/white color theme with no other special theme.  She booked Bamboo Gardens, Texas to cater food at the birthday party, and the menu consisted of some delicious Indo-Chinese food - her husband's favorite cuisine.  Her closest friends helped book a club house as the venue, along with a DJ and a bartender.  Great progress.

at the planning stage for the party

Planning Party Favors for the Birthday Party
Keeping the cuisine in mind, we thought of giving decorative chopsticks as party favors, with a message inscribed on each pair.  After some searches on Etsy, the chopstick idea seemed expensive.  Then I remembered the fortune cookies I had made at home, and we decided to give those.  But to make some 80 fortune cookies was no joke.  To our luck, we found a website that delivers custom fortune cookies for a very reasonable price and well under our budget.  Instead of 'fortunes', the slips of paper inside the cookies would read "Thanks for making our day so special! ~Rajesh & Swati" in our choice of font.  Ordered right away.

personalized fortune cookies as party favors

Birthday Shopping List
She went shopping, keeping an eye out for anything black and silver (or close).  She bought...
- black paper napkins with white polka dots (for table centerpiece and for guests)
- metallic black and silver helium balloons (and tie with balloon weights)
- silver balloon weights (to place on paper plate)
- white paper and black plastic table covers
- silver glitter alphabets stickers (to write 'happy birthday')
- black paper plates (for cake & place over napkin on table)
- silver notebook with a black butterfly (keepsake for the birthday boy)
- black-silver body of pen (to write in the notebook)
- silver stars in various shapes (to hang by the ceilings)
- black and silver star sprinkles (to sprinkle in bowl of water)
- silver candles (to float on water)
- big black hat and an adorable little silver hat (black for head, silver for décor)

- small black net bags and silver lace (to place party favors in and tie ribbon)
- and coincidentally even found "OVER THE HILL" candle in black and white.

Perfect.


Behind-the-Scenes
In the craft room at her home, we found a big black cloth, and some black corduroy material table runners she had sewn in the past.  We used as much stuff from home as we possibly could.  Planning a party under a budget is important; it is easy to go overboard.  There are a lot of things we can find at home if we look.

Then sorting through some of the best of her family photos, I selected few to create a 40 with photos and stick on the black cloth.  The silver glittered alphabets shone best on black too.  Another friend of mine came to help me with putting the fortune cookies in black net bags and tying a silver ribbon around it.  Good going.

birthday party banner along with photos

Room Decoration for the Birthday Party
From the shopping list above and the pictures below, spot as many items as you can!  In the notebook, instead of having his friends write only 'happy birthday', I wanted them to write a memory, or something more valuable to read even after 10 years.  Just the way I only want and like thoughtful comments on my blog. 

In our discussions, we had even planned how we wanted the tables for guests arranged:
first black plastic table cover - then white paper table cover - paper napkin on top of that - then black paper plate - and silver balloon weight with black and silver balloons.  None of us remembered to click a picture of the room decoration or table arrangements, so the one with me is the only example I have.

birthday party decoration, black and silver birthday theme

The Birthday Boy Arrives...
Most of the guests were ready, waiting for her to come along with her hubby.  And when he entered the clubhouse, he was overwhelmed by the "SURPRISE!", not having the slightest clue about the surprise she planned for his birthday.  After all the wishes, flowers, and gifts, it was time to cut the cake.

BUT.  OH, NO.  WAIT.  Before he cut the cake, his friends demanded him to READ everything on the cake over the microphone.  Because it was not your regular, boring cake, people.  It was a special birthday cake, and that is why you see so many curious people surrounded the table.  And you could hear giggles and laughter around the room.

birthday boy reading the text on his birthday cake

Are you interested to know why?  Are you curious to see the cake?

Here it is: the 40th Birthday Cake.
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