When you reach a milestone birthday like 90 years, it calls for a celebration! Today I am sharing the party my mom hosted in honor of my Pop-pop’s 90th birthday. I am so very grateful for my Pop-pop, who is endlessly patient, steadfast and devoted to his family and still has the most positive outlook on life of anyone I know. It was such an honor to help my mom with the details of this party, which provided a perfect backdrop to an occasion filled with so much joy and love in honor of my grandfather.
The party was an “Aged to Perfection” whiskey theme, which I realize is not the typical theme for a 90th birthday party. But then again, my grandfather is not a typical 90 year old either. He is a 2nd generation immigrant from Ireland, who is a devout Catholic, adores his King Charles Cavalier Spaniel Bella, and still very much enjoys the occasional glass of Irish whiskey.We set the tone for the party by sending out a whiskey themed invitation to guests like his best friend of 70 years, his sister and her family, all of his children and grandchildren and many other friends that he has made throughout his wonderful life. The party was hosted at my parent’s home in Cape Coral, Florida, which just so happens to be right across the street from my grandfather’s house, which allowed him to bring his dog Bella to enjoy the festivities too. As guests arrived to the party, they stopped at the entry way table to write their favorite memory to place in a box for him to read later. In lieu of store-bought decorations, we mainly used photos, documents and various props from his life to decorate the house. We accented trees with mini whiskey bottles and displayed a vintage bar kit he once used in the early 1950’s after he served time in the US Army. We used the patio for the majority of the dining tables, which included floor length black tablecloths and mahogany chairs. I whipped together some simple floral arrangements for the dining tables with eucalyptus from Trader Joes and white roses from Costco placed in mason jars. We put a big emphasis on the menu for the party. While my mom focused on the main course, I focused on creating an appetizer spread, which was also a focal point in the decor for the party as well. Authentic whiskey barrels were used as the base for the appetizer table and I displayed a fun printable backdrop that matched the “Aged to Perfection” invitation. I filled the appetizer table with a round charcuterie board, homemade spinach dip, an assortment of crackers, blackberry brie and a fresh fruit platter made by my future sister-in-law. For the main course, my mom cooked a large traditional Irish Shepard’s Pie based on a recipe that has been in the family for generations, and served it with homemade Irish soda bread and a fresh salad. To complete the meal, guests enjoyed an Oreo crunch fudge cake, along with an assortment of chocolate, caramel and vanilla cupcakes. To tie in the whiskey theme, my cousin, who happens to be a spectacular bartender, made my grandfather’s favorite cocktail, a Whiskey Sour. We served this in a drink dispenser that was displayed on a whiskey barrel with a sign that read “Coyne’s Whiskey Sour Bar”. I accented this area on the patio with a black, white and marble One Stylish Party balloon garland. Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the party was when my mom surprised my grandfather with an Irish Bagpiper, who played “Happy Birthday” while walking up alongside the house and into the patio where my grandfather was sitting. It is a memory that will forever be etched in my heart to see my Pop-pop so overcome with joy and emotion. The bagpiper then began playing “Danny Boy”, which was my grandmother’s favorite song, and let me just say, there was not a dry eye in the house! The celebration was a perfect day spent with family and friends honoring a man that means so much to all of us. So many family members helped to pull together the details of this party, which were all uniquely tailored to my grandfather. Thank you doesn’t quite seem enough to everyone who helped that day, including Brianna Faith Photography for capturing these memories that we will treasure for a lifetime.
Photography: Brianna Faith Photography | Styling + Balloons: One Stylish Party | Rentals: Caloosa Tent and Rental | Cake: Lady Cakes | Printables: PrintsbyMAdesign | Irish Bagpiper: The Artist Bagpiper.
[…] to Perfection 90th Birthday Celebration on the One Stylish Party […]