CamenaInvites
Ideas

Party guide

A Birthday Dinner Party

A long table, lots of candles, a menu that's mostly made the day before, and a toast before the cake. This is how I'd want to celebrate any grown-up birthday: around a table with the people who matter. Best for 6 to 12.

Host tip: Ask one friend to give the toast before the cake, and tell them a few days ahead so they come ready.

Shop the look on Amazon ↗

The menu

Starter
Tomato burrata saladRecipe from Natasha's Kitchen ↗
Main
Red wine braised short ribsRecipe from Once Upon a Chef ↗
Side
Creamy parmesan polentaRecipe from Ina Garten, Food Network ↗
Roasted broccoliniRecipe from Well Plated ↗
Dessert
Yellow birthday cake with chocolate frostingRecipe from Tastes Better From Scratch ↗

Drinks and ice

  • Aperol spritz to start (prosecco, Aperol, soda, an orange slice); a non-alcoholic bitter aperitif with sparkling water for anyone skipping
  • A good red with the short ribs
  • Champagne for the toast

Frozen grapes and one big clear cube

Freeze green and red grapes and drop a few into white wine or bubbly: they chill the glass without watering it down. For spritzes, one large clear cube with a thin orange wheel frozen inside.

Make ahead

  1. 2 days before: Bake the cake layers, wrap and refrigerate (or freeze). Freeze the clear ice.
  2. 1 day before: Braise the short ribs; they're better the next day. Frost the cake. Set the table.
  3. Day of, afternoon: Slice tomatoes, trim broccolini, chill the champagne.
  4. 1 hour out: Rewarm the short ribs low and slow. Make the polenta.
  5. During dinner: Roast the broccolini while people have the burrata.

The music

The 25 songs
  1. Birthday, The Beatles
  2. Golden Hour, JVKE
  3. Kiss Me More, Doja Cat ft. SZA
  4. Best Day of My Life, American Authors
  5. Good Days, SZA
  6. You Make My Dreams, Daryl Hall & John Oates
  7. Lovely Day, Bill Withers
  8. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours, Stevie Wonder
  9. Sir Duke, Stevie Wonder
  10. Moondance, Van Morrison
  11. Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
  12. Sunflower, Post Malone & Swae Lee
  13. Electric Love, BØRNS
  14. Love On Top, Beyoncé
  15. Ain't Nobody, Chaka Khan
  16. Easy, Commodores
  17. Juice, Lizzo
  18. Birthday, Katy Perry
  19. Birthday, Selena Gomez
  20. Midnight City, M83
  21. Adore You, Harry Styles
  22. Feel It Still, Portugal. The Man
  23. Kiss of Life, Sade
  24. Smooth Operator, Sade
  25. Dancing in the Moonlight, Toploader

Little touches

  • A gift for the host

    What guests can bring.

    Flowers in a vase, a candle, or a bottle for the birthday person

  • To take home

    A little something at the door.

    A slice of cake in a little box

  • Something to do

    Each guest shares a favorite memory of the birthday person during the toast

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.