I’ve spent the last few months obsessing over this coming weekend with an enthusiasm that can only be matched by the way I felt while planning my wedding. I forgot how much I love drifting off to sleep while daydreaming about an upcoming big event, and the satisfaction found in making spreadsheets and lists, watching my vision come to life. That Husband isn’t into dates the way I am, and lobbied hard to wait a few years to celebrate my entrance into my thirties. I wore him down, and this weekend I’ll be putting on the ritz with some of my favorite women and their dates in celebration of my 30th birthday. The women will step into long gowns, the men will patiently shrug into dressy-ish button-downs, and we’ll all meet at a beach in Carmel for dinner and a bonfire. I wanted to create an event unlike anything I’d ever seen or experienced, and that is certainly what this has become! In addition to some of our friends here, we have guests flying in from Washington, Illinois, and Texas!
Image credits: food, hot chocolate, jewelry
Ami of Elizabeth Ann Designs is on the guest list, and also saved me by agreeing to act as a co-planner. Once she came into the picture my DIY Picnic on the Beach with Fancy Dresses turned into something much grander, a styled event with vendors and catering and a theme! Now it’s Dinner and Bonfire on the Beach with a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean flair.
Majesta Patterson is documenting the event, so there will be plenty of pictures to share. We’re hoping to have the event published somewhere. I’ll have my camera too, because what better gift to give myself on that day than the freedom to shoot as much film as my little heart desires?
Also:
Love this idea! Can’t wait to see how everything came together!
I almost didn’t comment on this because, wow, your description of the event made me jealous in a way I have rarely ever been in my life. I celebrated my 30th birthday a few months ago, right before Christmas. I’ve had a life-long gripe with my birthdate, which bumps up against Christmas in a very unpleasant way (and I already hate Christmas). Add in complications with winter weather and travel and a little sister who moved far away, has no car, and was only going to be visiting briefly and I ended up celebrating my birthday in a shared party with her (also a December baby) at a cheap Mexican restaurant at four-o-clock in the afternoon. I barely remember it except that mediocre would be a flattering description.
But then I thought about it and came back to comment, because, honestly, I cannot wait to see pictures! It sounds amazing.
Jenna Reply:
May 26th, 2015 at 8:55 pm
I would also have a hard time with my birthday being so close to Christmas! When it comes to birthdays I definitely let go of the belief that the date itself is very important (although I do of course give myself a free pass at life on my birthday!) and now I make it more about choosing a time to annually celebrate myself during the general time of year when my birthday falls. T1′s birthday is three days before mine, and as he grows and asks more from his day I’m going to want a break between mine and his so I can put some time and effort into mine as well! Of couse it won’t always be as all-consuming as this, but there is still something to be said about feeling like I get that one time a year to celebrate how far I’ve come.
No reason it has to be the nice round number. Call 30 the end of your 20th decade and celebrate day 364 of your 30th year as the date when something fabulous happens!
LOVE this, and love that dress! Where is it from?
Jenna Reply:
May 26th, 2015 at 8:58 pm
I spotted it on Once Wed, and couldn’t get it out of my head. Nothing was going to be as good as that dress! i wrote the seller and turns out it’s an ebay listing. I took a risk and bought an XL from Hungary hoping it would arrive in time and I would be able to take it in to have it fit. I paid a lot more than I originally intended (I was going to thrift a dress for like $20 or something), but I looooooove it so much. And I’m going to take it to Greece and wear it there too!
Would you be so kind as to share the link for that amazing dress??
Jenna Reply:
May 29th, 2015 at 8:40 am
It’s the Begonia by Mango. I think you can only get it on ebay now! I saw it on Once Wed and fell in love.