How to Plan a Memorable 90th Birthday Party + Free Party Planner
If you have the privilege of celebrating a loved one’s 90th birthday, you want to make this celebration all that he or she deserves, but how do you go about planning for such a momentous occasion?
To help you along the way, here are a few party planning ideas and tip to keep in mind as you plan the party of a lifetime.
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3 Super-Easy Hacks for an Unforgettable 90th Birthday Party
If you’re stressed about planning a memorable party, just pay attention to these 3 tricks that will make your party extra-special.
1. Use the Number 90
Remind everyone that this is to celebrate 9 decades! Choose decorations and party supplies that feature the number 90. Start by choosing invitations that highlight the number 90.
Colorful decorations such as the ones pictured above are an easy and affordable way to remind everyone of how special this occasion is.
2. Show How Much Life Has Changed Over 90 Years
It’s hard to believe how much life has changed during the course of a lifetime! Look for posters, banners or signs that show what life was like when the honoree was born.
The banner pictured above would look marvelous over the cake table – and it also makes a wonderful backdrop for photos. An affordable decoration that is sure to impress!
3. Display Photos of the Birthday Celebrant from All Stages of Life
You’ll want to make sure to display plenty of pictures at the party! Consider showing off old photographs in picture frames or in posters around the room.
One of the easiest ways to display pictures at a 90th birthday party is with an oversized photo collage, such as the one pictured above from Zazzle. You can use it as a welcome sign for the party or hang it over the cake table.
Then the guest of honor can enjoy it at home after the party is over!
You can also make an impressive photo collage by hanging photos in the shape of the number 100. Read this post for unique ways to display photos at a milestone birthday party.
Free 90th Birthday Party Checklist & Planner
Download this free 90th birthday party planner! Just click on the image above, and the planner will open in a new window, ready to print.
90th Birthday Party Planning Tips
Involve the Guest of Honor In Planning
First and foremost, consider including the star senior in your party planning. After all, the big day is all about them, so their happiness should be your inspiration.
If your heart is set on a surprise party, consult with multiple individuals who know him or her as well as you do to ensure that they’ll enjoy every aspect of the party.
Plan Ahead
An individual as special as your favorite senior is sure to have countless friends, family and loved ones who want to join in on the festivities. For everyone’s convenience, you may want to choose a date at least two months in advance to give out-of-town guests enough time to make travel arrangements.
Save the date cards are a festive way to get all the guests excited about the party! Zazzle has a fabulous collection of save the date cards – save on postage by sending digital cards.
Whether you’re planning a big birthday bonanza or a simple and sweet soiree, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to accomplish all the details that a 90th birthday entails.
Create a Budget
How much are you willing to spend? If you’re coordinating with someone else, will you share costs equally?
There are so many amazing party ideas that it’s easy to get carried away and go over budget. It’s a good idea to keep an extra $50 or $100 in reserve for those “just can’t do without” items that you’re sure to run across.
The price of the party can vary from practically nothing if you’re planning a potluck or doing everything yourself. It can run into the thousands if you’re having an extravagant dinner or dance party.
When budgeting, consider the cost of:
- Invitations
- Food
- Beverages
- Decorations
- Entertainment
- Venue Rental
- Paper goods (plates, napkins, etc)
- Party favors
- Salary and tips if you’re hiring servers or entertainers
You may not have all of these at your party; this list is just a guideline of costs you might incur.
Choose a Date
It’s best to have the party near the actual birth date, but if guests are coming from far away that might not be practical. Many times you’ll find it best to work around school holidays so that families with school-age kids can attend.
Type of Party
90 & Fabulous FLoral Birthday Party Theme
He’s not old – He’s Classic 90th Birthday Party THeme
aged to perfection theme – choice of colors
90 Years Loved birthday party theme collection
What kind of party do you want to plan? Your options are endless (and you can find more ideas in our Party Themes section).
Would the guest of honor prefer a just-family event? A surprise party? An extravagant dress-up sort of affair?
You’ll need to consider the birthday celebrant’s physical condition. Hopefully he or she is one of those hale and hearty 90 year olds who show no sign of slowing down! But if he or she has some physical ailments you’ll need to keep that in mind when organizing the party.
Who to Invite
If it’s not a surprise party, you’ll want to discuss this with the birthday guest of honor. He or she may prefer to have just family, a smaller party with family and close friends, or an all-out bash that everyone he or she has ever known is invited to.
For a milestone event like this, you may want to consider inviting a wider group of people than you would for most birthday parties. Many people are thrilled to attend a 90th birthday party and are willing to travel quite some ways to do so.
You may want to consider inviting friends from long ago – a 90th is a wonderful time to reminisce and remember those golden years!
Choose the Location
Where is the best place to have the party? Some popular low-cost options include someone’s house, a church meeting room, recreation center, or a picnic at the park. If the birthday celebrant is confined to a nursing home, the facility will surely have a gathering room that you can use.
More expensive locations include restaurants, golf or tennis clubhouse, bar, tea room, or a hotel conference room.
Book the location as soon as possible; you’ll probably want to have the location set let everyone know the date of the party.
Food & Drinks
The type of party will frequently determine the food and drink options. Obviously, if you’re hosting it at a bar or restaurant you’ll need to use their menu.
You may wish to have the party catered, or you may decide to provide everything yourself. Many times family members and friends want to pitch in and bring their special dish
Either way, you’ll want to have a list of what you’re serving and who is responsible for providing it.
Invitations
The Man, The Myth, the legend birthday invites
NINETY Photo Invitation – Choice of 7 Colors
Cheers to 90 Years two photo invitation
Elegant FLoral & Gold 90th birthday Invitations
Order your invitations early, so that you have a chance to proof them well before they need to go out. You’ll also avoid last-minute rush charges that way.
Try to choose invitations that reflect the theme or colors of the party. Consider sending digital invites – great way to save money and time! With Zazzle you can order a digital invite as well as printed.
Decorate with Style
You can choose whatever color you’d like for decorations (there is not an “official” 90th birthday color). You can choose a theme that reflects the guest of honor’s interests, or you can just choose colors that he or she likes if you’re not having a themed party.
With such a milestone occasion, photos are a priceless way to decorate. Using pictures from years past and present, the guest of honor as well as friends and family will love the walk down memory lane.
See more decorating ideas in our post about 90th birthday decorations.
Entertainment
Are you planning any entertainment for the party? You might want to hire a musician, band, or DJ for the party.
You could plan a few low-key party games, especially if the guests don’t know each other well. Games that center around trivia about the birthday guest of honor are always popular!
You might want to make a short video or slideshow of the celebrant’s life to show at the party. If you do, be sure to make copies or provide a download link for the guests to keep and enjoy after the party is over.
Birthday Cake
When you think “party,” you inevitably think “cake.” A 90th birthday deserves a steal-the-spotlight sort of cake.
You may want to spring for a one-of-a-kind cake that reflects the party theme. Or add a festive cake topper like the one pictured above to your own home-made cake.
You can also find some really amazing cake ideas in our Cake Ideas section – even if you’re not a super-skilled cake decorator!
Party Favors
While optional, party favors are a great way for guests to remember the big day. Whether it be humorous, sentimental or a delicious treat, send them home with something remarkable as a token of your appreciation for their presence.
7 Things to Consider When Planning a 90th Birthday Party
Have fun, but don’t forget these points!
- Physical Condition of the Birthday Man or Woman – At 90, some people are still very healthy and active (my grandfather was jogging 3 miles a day and playing tennis well into his 90s!) while others have slowed down quite a bit. When choosing party ideas, be sure to consider any physical restrictions the participants might have.
- The Guest List – Do you want to plan an intimate gathering for just family, or perhaps just family and close friends? Or would you rather include a wider range of people from all aspects of the recipient’s life? You should also consider the age range of the people who are attending. Depending on the type of party, the age range could vary from infants to seniors. Do you need to plan activities for young children, or perhaps book someone (a teenager or babysitter) to look after them?
- The Date – Although it would be great to have the party on the actual birthday date, you should consider who will be attending when choosing a date for the party. If you would like people to attend from out of town, you might want to choose a Saturday near the actual birthday so that it’s easier for everyone to get there.If a lot of family members or attendees live out of town, you might want to consider school calendars and vacation plans. In our family, we celebrate milestone birthdays during the summer months regardless of when the actual birthday is so that it’s easier for families with children to attend.
- Time of Day – For an active senior, this might not be an important consideration. However, some seniors have unusual sleeping patterns and sometimes get tired during certain times of the day. You might want to consider a breakfast or brunch party for the early risers. An afternoon or early evening tea or cocktail party is great for someone who gets tired early.
- Cost – What’s the budget for this event? The price of a birthday party can vary widely, depending on how you decide to celebrate. If you really need to keep costs down, you can plan a very inexpensive pot-luck style gathering at home, church, or a park.If more than one person is paying for the party, be sure to agree early in the planning process on how much you want to spend on the party. Remember that the cost of the party doesn’t reflect how much you love the person you’re planning the party for!
- Surprise or Not? – Many people feel strongly about whether surprise parties are fun or not. If you’re not sure whether the recipient considers surprise parties fun, don’t plan one without putting out some feelers about that.A surprise party can be difficult to organize, but it’s a very thrilling moment for the recipient. Be sure to remind the invitees that the birthday man or woman is not in on the secret!
- Indoors or Outdoors – If you’re pretty confident about the weather, an outdoor party is especially nice for gatherings with small children. Try to book a place that has shelter or have a back-up plan in case the weather turns.
16 Fun Venues for a 90th Birthday Party
Choosing the perfect place for this milestone party depends upon a variety of factors. Cost, availabilty, and size all play a part. A great way to find unique party locations is to search the internet for “reception ideas” in the town the party will be in.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Home or Backyard – The least expensive option! Perfect for open house or smaller family-style gatherings.
- Neighborhood Clubhouse – Many neighborhoods have a clubhouse that you can rent for a nominal fee. They usually contain a small kitchen and flexible seating arrangements
- Park – Another inexpensive option that’s great if you think you’ll have great weather. Many parks have shade shelters that you can rent. This is a wonderful option if small children will be attending or if you have a group that likes to play active games.
- Restaurant – Book a private room at a favorite restaurant. Depending on the restaurant, there may not be any additional charge beyond the cost of the meal. Even inexpensive buffet-style restaurants frequently have private rooms that you can reserve.
- Church – Most churches have a gathering room, frequently with a kitchen, that you can reserve.
- Recreation Center – If your neighborhood has a recreation center, check out their options. They frequently have gathering rooms that can be rented for a nominal fee.
- Bar or Pub – See if you can get space at a favorite bar or pub. This probably works best for adult-only gatherings, as many bars do not allow minors inside.
- Boat – If you’re near the ocean or a sizeable lake, look into renting a boat large enough for your party.
- Golf Course -Many golf courses have wonderful party facilities. A golf clubhouse can be a fabulous place to hold a party, even for the non-golfer.
- Beach or Lake – Perfect venue for a fish fry or lobster bake!
- Tea Room – Do you have a charming tea room nearby? Consider booking that for a brunch or ladies tea party.
- Game Room – I’m not talking Chuck E. Cheese’s here! Is there a billiards room or a fun game room such as Dave & Buster’s nearby?
- Museum – Many museums will rent out event space for parties.
- VFW, American Legion, or Elk’s Club – Almost always have conference or party rooms available.
- Hotel – Most hotels have conferences rooms and catering facilities available. Sometimes there is no charge if you have guests staying at the hotel.
- Garden – Many cities have spectacular gardens that can be rented for galas. Or perhaps you have or know someone who has a spectacular garden that would be a beautiful setting for a birthday bash.