This past weekend I turned 25. I still can’t believe it. Ya girl is a whole quarter of a century! It seems like I’ve been anxiously waiting to be 25 forever. When I was younger, 25 was the age I envisioned being the best time of my life. I’d have a career that I loved, my own apartment and would take trips to exotic places with my girls. I even thought I’d have a serious boyfriend and be well on my way to an engagement by 27 lol. And while I do have the career and apartment that I love, COVID has cancelled all my travel plans and I’ve never had a boyfriend 🤣.
But for some reason, 25 still feels different. Maybe it’s the new apartment or the feeling that for the first time in a long time, everything seems to be going my way. But I’m actually really excited about what this year will hold. So excited, in fact, that letting this birthday pass by without a proper celebration just didn’t feel right.
I really struggled with the decision to throw a birthday party in the middle of a pandemic. The coronavirus is still plaguing many states across the US, including California. But having been to a number of outdoor celebrations in the midst of the pandemic, I felt confident that I could safely welcome a small group of people to celebrate me being another year older. So I threw my pandemic 25th birthday party. And here’s what happened…
The Venue
Since there are whispers of a coronavirus spurred recession coming, I kept the cost of my party down as much as possible. One of the biggest costs when party planning is the venue. In an effort to save my coins, I convinced my parents to let me host the party in their backyard. Once they agreed, I went to work turning the blank canvas of their backyard into my playground. I rented a canopy, tables and chair from an LA based party rental company so that my guests would have some escape from the LA summer sun.
The Decor
I’ve always been obsessed with event planning. I planned my mother’s 45th birthday party and in college threw little themed dinners for my friends whenever I could. I’ve even earned money as a wedding coordinator. So I was more than ready to plan my own party. I always start with the theme and build from there. My party would touch on my love of writing, my career as a TV writer and my love for books.
Knowing that I wanted to have a brunch party I decided on a “books and bubbles” theme. Using vintage garden parties as my inspiration, I found tableware and flatware in soft colors that would match the flowers on the table. I rented vintage props and lugged my personal vintage typewriter from my apartment to the party to really drive the theme home. One of my favorite parts of the decor was the wicker chair I rented from Provenance Rentals for the photo booth. It created an amazing focal moment for pictures.
The Food
The biggest thing I miss doing in the midst of COVID is going to brunch. So when it came down to choosing a menu for my party, I knew I wanted to feature all of my brunch favorites. A friend recommended Chef Angela Bowie and I’m so happy that she did! The food was absolutely amazing! Chicken and waffles, salmon cakes, skillet potatoes, we had it all! Angela really knows her way around a kitchen. Even more, she has great customer service and is an all around good person! My friends and I are still talking about her shrimp and grits shooters!
What’s a birthday party without a cake?! My cake was custom made by Jamiella of Sugah Rush Bar and it was so delicious! Not too mention beautiful! Just look at those flowers!
The Activities
Figuring out what activities will take place during an adult party is always a challenge for me. I mean what do adults do at parties besides eat and dance?
So, I reached out to my friend Erica Bell of Boutique and Fleur and asked if she would be able to give my guests a personal floral arrangement tutorial. I thought it would be great if each guest got a lesson on how to create beautiful arrangements and take a mini version home at the end. That way I could occupy their time while food was being prepared and they would have cute, useful party favors to take home. Erica came through and went above and beyond! Her setup was so cute and professional and each of my guests were really invested in what she had to say. I was busy handling random party tasks and missed the tutorial. Erica made me my own full size floral bouquet to take home. It’s so beautiful and currently sitting on my coffee table.
To round out the afternoon, I hosted a book swap. Prior to the party I asked each guest to bring one book that they would be willing to swap. This served two purposes. One, it was another way for me to sneak in a party favor without spending a bunch of my own coins. And two it would be a way for me to get people talking! This was one of the first times I’ve hosted an event that merged my different friend groups. You know, the college friends, work friends, the “I met you via social media and like you friends.” Using the book swap as a jumping off point, I got everyone to introduce themselves in a laid back way. We even got a bit personal when I asked everyone to share their most recent accomplishment they were proud of.
Overall, throwing my pandemic 25th birthday party wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. We practiced social distancing whenever possible, had hand sanitizer on deck and commenced to have a great time. With a little creativity and ingenuity I was able to create an environment that felt like pre-covid times. If only for a moment. Many of my friends texted me after the party saying they didn’t realize just how much they needed that change of pace until that day. If my pandemic 25th birthday party is any indication, this is going to be one of my best years yet. I can feel it!
PHOTOGRAPHY// KAI BYRD PHOTOGRAPHY
