Milestone Birthday Ideas - The Best Party Themes, Decor, and Favors

Are you planning a birthday party for someone hitting a big decade milestone? If so, then this is the post for you! We’ll tackle milestone birthday ideas to create a party celebrating loved ones turning 30, 40, 50, and 60.

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Every birthday is special, but new decades seem to have a little more import. My husband and I are both rounding the corner to a decade milestone – we both turn 40 soon. (How did that happen!?) That got me thinking – how should we celebrate?

In this post, I’ll share how I would style a party for each of these birthday milestones. You will get ideas for a party theme, links to decor, and even favors.
Each of these themes can easily be swapped out for a different age. So, for instance, “Cheers to 30 Years” could just as easily be “Cheers to 50 Years.”

In this post, I’ll share how I would style a party for each of these birthday milestones. You will get ideas for a party theme, links to decor, and even favors.

Each of these themes can easily be swapped out for a different age. For instance, “Cheers to 30 Years” could just as easily be “Cheers to 50 Years.”

I hope this information helps you create a beautiful, memorable celebration for your guest of honor.

This post may contain affiliate links. We will receive a commission if you make a purchase through our affiliate link at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

This post is all about milestone birthday ideas.

30th Birthday Party

Milestone Birthday Ideas: Cheers to 30 Years

First, let’s plan a rose gold and navy bubbly bar “cheers to thirty years” girls night to celebrate the big 3-0. You could set up this look at your home – or in a reserved party room at a restaurant or club.

Invitation: Firstly, set the tone for your navy and rose gold bubbly birthday party with this gorgeous invitation.
Cake Topper/Candles: I think spelling out “thirty” in letter candles is a fun twist on a cake topper. Plus, this set comes with four additional tall candles for extra pizzaz.
Bubbly Balloons: This I had to include. I cannot believe how reasonable the price is! You can arrange it many different ways to make it look like the balloons are the bubbly being poured from the bottle. Fun, right!?
Tumblers: Whenever disposable cups are in order, I prefer to use clear. The rose gold rim on this cup ties in perfectly with the theme.
Cutlery: The perfect pretty disposable cutlery for this party. Looks like it’s currently sold out, but this set also comes in packs of forks only, which might be all you need depending on what your menu is.
Candle Party Favor: Thank your guests with a personalized candle and cute box of matches. You can customize the color of your candle lid, candle scent, and packaging. For this party, I would probably pick the bronze lid, navy ribbon, and a kraft box.
Cheers to 30 Years Balloons: Rose gold mylar balloons declaring the birthday girl’s age is a must-have.
Mini Champagne Bottle Labels: How about a toast with a mini bottle of champagne!? I love that this ties in just so with the bubbly balloons. For example, you can arrange them on a table to double as decor – until it’s time to lift your glass bottle to the guest of honor.
Confetti: Sprinkle this rose gold artisan confetti on the tables to add an extra layer of texture to the decor with minimal effort.
Pink and Navy Dinner Plates: I adore this print and modern shape of this plate.
Navy Dessert Plates: When it’s time for dessert, use these smaller navy and rose gold plates.
Pink and Navy Napkins: I have used these napkins at parties I’ve hosted and LOVE them. They are great quality and even prettier in person. In other words, add to cart!

40th Birthday Party

Milestone Birthday Ideas: Cheers & Beers

For this milestone birthday, let’s plan a party for a guy turning 40. I actually get to do that this year for my husband, so this is giving me a head start! However, I think this could work across all the decades.

Invitation: You can decide whether or not to include if your party is the surprise variety and customize this invitation accordingly.
Napkins: I like the lodge feeling these napkins add to the party. I can see incorporating a few other rustic touches throughout the event set up as well – like the plates we will talk about in a minute, for example.
Cutlery: I talked about these forks in this graduation party post. How genius to be able to buy individually wrapped utensils! Perfect for buffet meal situations. In other words, hygiene!
Stadium Tumbler: While I usually pick clear glasses for events, stadium tumblers seem to fit the cheers and beers theme best, assuming you have a keg and not bottled beer.
Balloon Garland: Every party needs a large focal point decoration. This will do it for this one! You can customize the length, depending on your space.
Bottle Opener Favor: Send your guests home with a useful “cheers” bottle opener. They’ll thank you later.
Plates: Bring an other natural somewhat rustic element into your party decor with these bamboo plates.
Pretzel Stand: What cheers and beers party would be complete without pretzels? Serve them from this copper stand, and offer an assortment of dips, for instance.
Centerpiece Lights: Scatter strands of these lights around your bar area and also put into clear glass vessels on tables to create a festive ambiance.
Balloons: Use bouquets of these balloons to mark the party entrance and also near the food and beverage tables.
Cake Topper: If you’re serving cake, this topper is one more way to reaffirm the theme of your event.
Sign: Place this sign near at your beverage station. It’s almost guaranteed to get at least a chuckle from guests!

50th Birthday Party

Milestone Birthday Ideas: Queen Bee is 50

Since our other parties are heavy on the adult beverage themes, let’s go in a different direction for this 50th birthday celebration and plan a nice garden party brunch for our queen bee’s b-day.

However, I have to be honest. The adorable plate collection from Draper James is really what inspired this party! While they’re no longer available, you can still use the color palette as inspiration!

Plates: Charming and pretty, these plates are the catalyst to this entire party. Navy blue with hints of green and cream.
Dessert Plates: From the same collection as the larger luncheon plates but bring in a punch of brighter lighter blue for some contrast.
Pinwheel Fans: I would place these darling little things on cupcakes or mini appetizer dishes.
Napkins: Mixing patterns but staying in the same color palette with these navy check napkins to go with the navy floral plates. Such a charming combo.
Metal Table Arch: For this milestone birthday, we’re foregoing a large balloon display and instead attaching this metal arch to our brunch table. The options are endless for how we can decorate it. For this party, let’s hang tea light holder and attach magnolia garland.
Tea Light Holders: Hang these pretty terrarium style tea light holders from the metal arch to create a pretty ambiance with candlelight.
Faux Magnolia Garland: I would attach this to the metal table arch to bring in some greenery. You can also use it as a centerpiece in addition to or instead.
Seagrass Pitcher and Cups: A bit of an investment. However, you’ll have these long after the party ends!
Cake Topper: We’re keeping the direct references to the birthday theme pretty minimal in this look, but a cake topper is a subtle way to incorporate it into your party.
Invitation: I love the font used on this invitation, and the navy sets the tone for the party color palette.
Honey Favor: Send your guests home with a small pot of gourmet honey – as a thank you for attending the queen bee’s b-day.
Gauze Table Runner: Gauze table runners are so easy to use. They add a ton of texture, and you don’t have to worry about them being perfectly ironed. Messy is better.
Serving Trays: I cannot get over how cute these are – and it sounds like from the product description they may be reusable!?
Cutlery: Bring in a little shine with this set of gold cutlery. They are disposable. However, they still have an elevated look.

60th Birthday Party

Theme: Vintage – Aged to Perfection

Next, the vintage theme for a milestone birthday is a clever way to pay homage to the year the guest of honor was born. Use the actual year they were born on party supplies you can customize. In the spirit of spirits, this party palette is inspired by a pub. However, you can take this theme in a lot of directions.

Invitation: Invite your guests in style to celebrate – The Man. The Myth. The Legend.
Cup: Serve your signature party cocktail in these gold rimmed clear disposable cups. They look great without the hassle of cleanup.
Napkin: The sentiment on these napkins is a conversation starter for sure!
Cutlery: Individually wrapped cutlery is the way to go for a buffet meal situation. They also come with sets of spoons and knives if your meal calls for that.
Aged to Perfection Balloons: These mylar balloons are a fun reminder of the milestone party theme.
Giant Tassel Balloon: I would place these extra-large balloons by the dessert table or the bar.
Plate: The grid design on these larger dinner plates fits the color palette but isn’t as busy as some of the other designed pieces. I’m a huge fan of Knot and Bow, which is where the dessert plate and confetti are from too. Such a cute Brooklyn-based party and stationery business!
Paper Table Runner: Roll this table runner down the center of your tables for an easy start to a centerpiece.
Dessert Plate: These smaller dessert plates are from the same company as the larger grid plate. The terrazzo print easy mixes into the other black and white elements of our birthday party.
Edible Cake Topper: Instead of a cake topper pick, why not try an edible topper designed to lay flat on a sheet cake!?
Confetti: Sprinkle these on your tables for a bit of glow.
Whisky Stone Favor: Send your guests home with whisky stones as a favor. You could give each a box. Or you could break up the set and put a few in a small drawstring bag, like this one.

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Thanks so much for stopping by today. Above all, I hope you found the ideas and inspiration you were looking for to plan a milestone birthday party!

What is your favorite way to celebrate a milestone birthday? I’d love to know! Please leave a comment.

If you are looking for other party-planning ideas, check out my special occasions section where we talk all things birthday, graduation, and showers, for example.

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Cheers!

This post was first published on March 20, 2021. Edits on August 29, 2021 include link updates and related posts additions.