There is a big difference between a run-of-the-mill birthday party and one that is designed to be shared on Instagram.
Whether you are an avid Insta user, your blog professionally, or you simply love to showcase your parties to the world, the below blog is exactly what you need to get your birthday bash Instagram-worthy.
From picking the perfect venue to choosing the right food to creating the ultimate backdrop for your photos, keep reading to discover nine ways to ensure your birthday is trending on Instagram before you’ve even had time to blow out the candles on your cake!
Ready to plan the ultimate birthday bash?
Let’s get started!
1. Pick the perfect venue
Even with the best decorations in the world, if you pick an inferior venue, you are always going to struggle to impress on Instagram.
Of course, the venue that you choose will be dependent on your budget but seeing as it is your birthday (or the birthday of a loved one), why shouldn’t you splash the cash a bit if you can?
For a truly spectacular venue that will wow both your guests and your followers, you can’t beat a yacht birthday party. Offering you and your guests to feel like real VIPs for the day (and night), a party on a yacht guarantees to provide the most amazing pics for Instagram, not to mention memories that will last a lifetime.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a more budget-friendly venue, you could plan your birthday at a local beach, at the park, or in your own backyard if you have the space. While these venues may not have the same sense of luxury as a party on a yacht, with a little bit of creativity and a lot of hard work, you can make them come alive for Instagram.
2. Choose a theme
Although your big birthday bash doesn’t have to have a theme, it can be a good way to make your party stand out on social media. You only have to Google “party themes” to be met with hundreds of thousands of results, so how do you pick the right one for your birthday bash?
The most important thing to remember when selecting a party theme is that you don’t want one that has been done a hundred times over. Not only will that be boring for your guests, but it will hinder your chances of standing out online.
Instead, try to think outside the box and pick a unique theme that reflects an aspect of your personality or lifestyle.
Can’t think of any good themes? Check out some of the more unique and Instagram-worthy themes below:
• The Diet Starts Monday
Think decadent desserts, creamy cocktails, and lots and lots of delicious fried foods!
• French Riviera
Nautical colors always look crisp and pristine, so why not create a French Riviera party complete with fresh Mediterranean food and dry white wine?
• Havana Nights
Tropical designs are bang on trend at the moment, but Hawaiian-themed parties are a bit played out. So, why not transport your guests to Cuba instead?
• Hamptons Garden Party
For summer birthdays, a preppy Hamptons Garden Party is great fun. Just don’t forget to serve up lashings of Pimm’s.
• Carnival Chaos
Although this theme is a popular one, it is so fun that it has to be included. Ideal for those with a generous budget, you can hire jugglers, acrobats, dancers, and so many more amazing performers to wow your guests and followers.
• Cosplay Costumes
If you love nothing more than gaming, then you are definitely the perfect candidate for a cosplay-themed party. With Pinterest awash with ideas for cosplay-themed food, decorations, and outfits, you will have no trouble planning the ultimate gaming party.
3. Consider using a party planner
If you are not feeling overly confident in your abilities as a party planner, then you may want to hire a professional to do all the leg work for you. Although this will make your event more expensive, if you are trying to increase your number of followers on Instagram or attract new advertisers to your brand, it may be worth the investment.
When selecting a party planner for your birthday bash, make sure that you pick one who has experience planning parties that are going to be shared on social media. As mentioned earlier, there is a big difference between a normal birthday party that is designed to be enjoyed just by family and friends and one that is created to be shared with the world.
Make sure that you read as many online reviews as possible about party planners in your area and ask your family, friends, and followers for recommendations.
One key thing to remember when you use a party planner is that it is still your party. Some planners can get carried away with their vision and start to ignore your input. Don’t let this happen! It’s your birthday bash, so what you say goes!
4. Create an entrance backdrop
Long gone are the days when party organizers use photobooths to capture their guests. Now, if you want to get noticed on Instagram, you need to create a show stopping backdrop.
To make sure that you get pictures of all your guests (and before they are looking a little worse for wear), it can be a good idea to set up a backdrop near the entrance to your party.
If you have not created a backdrop before, there are professional party planners that will do this for you. Alternatively, take a look on Pinterest and see what is currently trending in the world of backdrops.
Think balloons, curtains, flowers, maybe a garland, anything that will stand out and get your birthday bash noticed. If you have selected a theme for your birthday, make sure that your backdrop ties in with this. There is nothing worse than an incoherent theme!
5. Build unique displays
Think you can just lay out your chosen food on a table and have a waiter circulate with the drinks? Think again.
If you want your food and drinks to look the part for social media, then you need to get a lot more creative with how you display them. Fortunately, there is so much inspiration out there already for those who don’t know where to start when it comes to food and beverage displays.
A champagne wall always goes down a treat with guests and looks completely amazing in photographs. Alternatively, if you are more of a whisky drinker, you could create a display of whiskey barrels for your guests to enjoy. These can be used purely for decorative purposes or to allow your guests to pour their own whiskey straight from the barrel.
Again, if you have chosen a theme, make sure that your displays all follow this, as this will make your Insta story more appealing to your followers.
6. Layer the lighting
When trying to take the perfect photograph, lighting is everything, so be sure to remember this when you are planning your Insta-worthy birthday bash.
Rather than use overhead lighting, which can feel harsh, create lots of separate sections in your venue using different types of lighting. One idea you could try to incorporate is to create an indoor chillout area with lots of candles. You could instead opt for an outdoor one with firepits.
If your party is during the day, make sure that you take advantage of any natural light coming into your venue and place your most important features next to the windows.
You can also utilize light-up letters, both as a decorative feature and as a way to light up an area of the room. Giant marquee letters are particularly effective and can be personalized with any letters or numbers.
If you are having a festival or carnival-themed party, glow sticks are a great addition, as these will look great once the sun goes down and your guests are partying the night away. You may even want to offer glow-in-the-dark glitter or face paint!
7. Capture unplugged moments
Although it’s a good idea to get posed pictures of your guests when they arrive, it is the unplugged moments that get the most likes on social media. This means that you need to try and capture your guests when they are enjoying the moment rather than posing for the camera.
If you think you will find this challenging, especially if your guests are part of the social media generation and love nothing more than to strike a pose and a pout for the camera, you may want to hire a professional photographer.
If you do decide to go down this route, make sure that you pick a photographer that has experience in taking snaps for Instagram and other social media channels. You don’t want your photos to appear too formal, which could happen if you use a traditional photographer. If in doubt, ask family and friends for recommendations or seek the advice of your followers – someone is bound to know a great photographer that you can use.
8. Use contrasting colors
When it comes to color schemes, your choices will have a huge impact on how your Insta photos look. Bright colors will always stand out and look amazing on Instagram.
For example, if you are planning to do a sweets table, opt for a pristine white tablecloth and then add giant gumballs or candies in bright colors to varying-sized glass containers. The trick is not mixing the colors so that you have bold columns of each individual color.
Alternatively, a black and white color will always look elegant and add a touch of class to your Instagram photos.
9. Don’t forget to say thank you
Whether you have just invited your nearest and dearest or you have spread the word far and wide, once your birthday bash is over, don’t forget to use the reach of social media to thank your guests for coming.
You can send out #thankyous on Facebook, Instagram, and any other social media platforms that you use. Just make sure that you personalize each one rather than sending out a generic message that addresses everyone as though they were the same person.
If possible, it can also be a thoughtful touch to thank each person for what they added to your party. For example, maybe they helped set up, or they brought a particularly nice gift with them.
Remember, it’s the little details that matter, and it’s these that will make your next birthday bash just as epic as this one!
