When three dear friends were recently turning 60, I knew I wanted to do something special for my girls. And what could be a more perfect theme for someone’s 60th than the groovy 60’s? There are a lot of ways to go, but for these lovelies, I wanted to keep with a more feminine flair.
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Scoping out my Decor:
The vibe I was going for was “peace, love and flower power”—think daisies with a little boho groovy mixed in. I found this table runner and daisy garland and used them as my anchors.
* I purchased the 13” x 72” runner. Looking back I should have gone with 108”, but it was fine.
* I purchased two sets of the felt daisy garlands for a total of eight.
The additional items I purchased for decor were:
- 5pc Groovy Decoration with various garlands
- 60th Birthday card (8×10) with flashback scoop on year they were born & I framed it
- Retro pink VW van to use for both decor and photo booth backdrop
(The one I used is no longer available, but this one is very similar.)
- Groovy-themed Confetti
- Cocktail napkins purchased from Oriental Trading Co.
- Happy Birthday banner (gold) I already had, purchased awhile back at Dollar Tree.
I found one just like it on Amazon.
Decor: Shopping from home:
In keeping with the idea of throwing a lovely party that doesn’t cost a fortune, it’s always smart to check those closets and see what you already have before spending money on your party.
I had colored glass votives that I’d purchased at Dollar Tree a couple years ago that had the mid-century modern feel. And crazy enough, I found some matching lanterns I stumbled upon at TJ Maxx. (It’s stalking the store aisles on the regular that always seem to serve me well.)
From a previous groovy vibed party, I’d made a trip to the flea market and scored these two flashbacks: The clock radio and a rotary phone. I knew I wanted to incorporate them into the motif in some way.
Linens & Tableware:
Besides the table runner I used for my inspiration, I found everything else already in the linen closet. (Admittedly, over the years I’ve built up a stash of linens as they are a weakness. My hubbie likes baseball hats, I LOVE linens…well, and dishes…and… 😉
- Gold linen tablecloth I’ve had for years but shows that the vendor holds up well.
- Orange linen napkins (I’ve used for Halloween and Book Club, too. They wear GREAT!)
- Charger/Placemats in rattan (used for Book Club & Easter – reuse what you have!)
[Check out how I used them in those posts here: Book Club & Easter & Halloween]
Plates used are my everyday dishes (Strawberry & Vine, Wedgwood) & mismatched silverware.
Flowers:
I almost went all daisies, but decided a punch of color was needed. Instead I used my Trader Joe’s finds: Eucalyptus, St. John’s wort, chrysanthemums, white mini mountain daisies, gerber daisies, Billy button and filler and made three small arrangements for the dining table.
No need for expensive floral arrangements:
[To see my Easy Peezy tutorial of transforming Trader Joe’s flowers into decorative floral arrangements, click here.]
Favors & Place Cards:
At each of the place settings, I added some groovy FUN with retro hippie sunglasses.
On Canva, I printed out each attendee’s name using the font Laries Script on white cardstock. I used a scalloped hole-punch to cut them out and tied with string I already had.
(This is the same hole-punch I used to make my book balls for Book Club. Check out those FUN decor items here.)
Photo Booth:
Retro Pink VW Van?! Come on, it screams FUN! I had to get it once I saw it on Amazon. It’s always a good time being a kid again and this photo booth prop was just the ticket.
Menu:
Appetizers: Charcuterie Board (with champagne, of course!)
Dinner: Flank Steak, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes and spinach salad.
Dessert: Birthday cake
Yes, I could have gone more retro with the menu, but for this celebration it didn’t feel like the right vibe. (I have another party I threw that was a better fit for a vintage menu, so stay tuned for that future post.) I can assure you though, my guests tummies were full and happy by nights end.
B’day Gifts:
For their birthday gifts, I found these FUN retro-groovy gift boxes from Oriental Trading Co. So cute! These were a perfect final touch as I’d gotten them each necklaces—just the right size and were the exclamation point to my feminine boho peace, love and flower power theme.
It was a memorable evening celebrating their 60th birthdays together. I think they felt special and loved—It’s important to celebrate the milestones. I hope you found some helpful hints to incorporate into your own party plans. Would love to hear how you brought this FUN retro vibe to your “bash”!
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Love the photos! Adorable theme!
Thank you! It was such a fun party to throw 🙂