Honoring a friend with a party is a great way to celebrate a 65th birthday. Consider the guest list, and be sure to invite representatives of all parts of the birthday person’s life, like old friends, tennis friends, card friends – you get the idea. Once you develop a guest list, take some site visits to find the ideal venue. I have found that a birthday luncheon in a restaurant is the easiest way to organize the party.
Form a Team
It will take a lot of work off your shoulders and it will be a lot more fun if you ask some people to help you plan the party. Keep in mind that the people in your friend’s life may want to get involved and contribute in some way. On the other hand, too many opinions can get in the way of accomplishing your goals. To solve this problem, think of yourself as the project manager and assign specific tasks to the team members.
Find a Restaurant
Many restaurants have private rooms for parties. However, a stark, separate room may lose some of the delightful ambiance of the establishment. Some modern restaurants have private spaces within the restaurant itself, so you have the best of both worlds. The separate location allows your guests to move around freely without disturbing other diners, and yet you feel a part of the restaurant experience. Make sure the space can accommodate the amount of people you expect.
Choose a Menu
Chances are you are asking guests to pay for their own lunch and contribute toward treating the guest of honor. When planning a party in a restaurant, a sensible way to handle this situation is to choose a limited menu in advance. Work with the restaurant staff, and develop a menu of four or five similarly priced items. You might include a drink, like the delicious peach Bellini I had at one such party, or leave the bar bill to the individual. The restaurant can print this special menu for distribution at the party. You may also include a small amount, typically under $10, for a gift. Collect checks in advance of the party. The advantage is that everyone pays the same amount for a similar lunch, and you can pool the gift money and buy something wonderful, like a new tennis racquet.
Create a Memory
You may want to choose a theme for the party, but if the restaurant is interesting this may not be necessary. Give guests plenty of advance notice by sending an email of the date, and then design an invitation. For convenience and to save money, you can choose to use a free website for the invitations like Evite. On the day of the party, stage an activity to commemorate the event. At a recent party, guests were given construction paper and crayons on each table, and were asked to draw a picture or write a birthday wish. The papers were then bound into a book with ribbon. Make sure to designate picture takers at opportune moments, and you might want to go from table to table with a video camera asking for well-wishers to comment.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5070786_plan-th-birthday-party.html
