A 21st Birthday Party can be the most exciting and fun night of your life. However, actually planning the party and coming up with ideas can be a daunting task. But never fear, I am here! I will take you through each step in the party planning process and give you some helpful tips to plan your ultimate 21st birthday party in a flash!
The First Step is Choosing a Theme
I love themed parties, but I understand they aren’t for everyone. However themes don’t have to be ridiculous or offensive (i.e the dreaded Redneck theme); they can be as simple a colour theme such as elegant black and white. Choosing a theme can make the planning process a whole lot easier, as it can inform everything; the invitations, food, drinks, entertainment and decorations! Basically a theme will help guide your decision making process and stop you from getting bogged down in too many options. Your theme can also make for fantastic conversation and lots of laughs, so get creative and have some fun! If you haven’t got a theme in mind check out the list below:
Party Themes
Colour Theme
Colour themes can be simple or extravagant! You can choose anything; from your favourite colour, to your sports teams colours. You can choose a single colour, or mix it up (black and white, blue and purple, green and gold, Rainbow etc).
Beauty & The Geek
I have been to a couple of Beauty & The Geek Themed birthday parties and I can tell you they are great fun! Seeing your guy friends dressed as a beauty, complete with wig, tiny dress, fake tan and tiara is downright entertaining. Or your super glamorous girlfriends ditching their party dresses for some glasses, suspenders and buttoned-up shirts to make the perfect geek.
Carnival/Circus
This was my 21st theme and it was brilliant; everyone got really into the theme and had a ball. My boyfriend and I dressed as ringleaders and my guests came as gypsies, strong men, clowns, tigers, tightrope walkers, freaks and mimes. I had a jumping castle, popcorn machine, fairy floss machine, hot chips, corn dogs and hot jam donuts! I would definitely recommend this theme!
Choose a Decade
Decade themes can be really fun, think the 20’s, 40’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. From Gatsby elegance, to gangstas to massive 80’s hair, this theme has everything you are looking for! Get dressed up and boogie on down with your friends. This is a theme for everyone, young and old! Groovy baby.
Cocktail Party
A cocktail party is a simple theme for those who don’t want to go all out! Not only is it fun, but cocktail parties are suitable for almost any occasion, from a 21st, to a wedding to a work function. A cocktail party can be simple and elegant and can help you to choose you decorations and food ideas.
Fairy Tale Theme
My best friend had this theme and I have to tell you it was one of my favourites; with a candy bar, toadstools, fairies and potions. Drinks were served in ‘Drink Me’ bottles (little Alice in Wonderland reference for you) and the host was dressed as Arial from The Little Mermaid. Definitely a worthy theme!
Superheroes vs Villains
Are you a superhero, or are you a super-villain? Ready to fight it out and find out who will rule the world? Everybody has their favorite superhero or villain and now is your chance to show it! This theme will get all of your guests excited with who they will be, and restart the debate: Superman or Batman? (duh…Batman of course!)
Zombie Apocalypse
Think Zombieland, World War Z and Warm Bodies. This is a chance for you to get truly gruesome or truely bad arse! Dress up as a zombie or a hunter and prepare for war! Don’t forget to cater for all of your guests and set out the brains and eyeballs (yum yum)! What will you be; a zombie or a hunter?
Winter Wonderland
This theme is simply stunning and elegant. With the snow flakes, white washed trees and crystals, this theme is for the little princess in all of us! Rug up in white fur and indulge yourself in hot chocolate and frosty cake pops. #letitgo Let it goooooo (haha stuck in your head now). Didn’t see anything for you? Check out some of the ideas below!
Some Other Ideas include
- Masquerade
- Oriental Theme
- Letter of Your Name
- Pirates
- Fire and Ice
- Pool Party
- Tropical Hawaiian Party
- Cops and Robbers
- Casino
- Jungle
- Halloween
- Star Wars
- Bad Hair/Bad Taste
- Wild West
- Favorite Movie Star
- Toga Party
- Mexican Party
- Formal but not quite normal
- Anything goes but clothes
- Under the sea
- Bogan
- Rubik’s cube (where you go in all different coloured clothing and swap clothing items with other people so that by the end of the night you must be only one colour)
- Harry Potter
- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
- Noah’s Ark
- Around the World
- Luau Tropical Party
Got Any More Suggestions?
Have you got a theme I didn’t mention? What was Your 21st Theme? Let me know in the comments below and i’ll add it! Thanks for those who have shared their ideas in the comments below, I have added them to the list!
Interested in a Luau Tropical Party?
Bachelorette Party Ideas…..
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Make sure you click follow (upper left hand corner of your screen) to keep up-to-date and find out the next step in the party planning process! Looking forward to seeing you again, Maddy.
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Plan Your Perfect 21st Party! 
Hi Maddy,
I really enjoyed reading your blog and got me excited to plan my next party. Reading your list of other ideas and I wondered how you would decorate for the bad hair/ bad taste theme.
– Kim 🙂
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Bad Taste parties can be really funny, think crimped hair and velvet sweat suits! Decorations can be anything a bit out there, such as clashing colours, old furniture, 70’s lights and decorations from op shops! Haha it would be fun.
Did you have a theme for your 21st?
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Wow, what fantastic ideas. That sounds like a fun party! I didn’t have a 21st party but if I plan on throwing a party in the future i’ll definitley consider that theme. I look forward to reading your future posts.
🙂
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Haha good to hear! Make sure you come back for the next post!
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I love the choose a decade idea and especially like The Great Gatsby and Gangsta themes – so fun to dress up for! I recently went to a Mexican party and that was a lot of fun too with everyone wearing Sombreros and drinking Margheritas. Looking forward to reading the next post.
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Haha I love that!! I’ll have to include it. Thanks for the feedback Y as mine, really appreciated! Make sure you follow me to keep up to date!!
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Heaps of great ideas here. Your ideas and tips will definitely come in hand next year when I will be organising my son’s 21st!
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Good to hear! Are you going to have a theme?
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Hi Maddie,
I like you blog! I had never heard of Beauty and the Geek themed parties before – they sound awesome!
Being a popular guy, I have been to my fair share of themed parties – ‘Formal but not quite normal’, ‘anything goes but clothes’, ‘Under the sea’, ‘Bogan’, ‘Rubik’s cube’ (where you go in all different coloured clothing and swap clothing items with other people so that by the end of the night you must be only one colour), ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’.
But i have to say that my favourite themed 21st party was ‘Noah’s Ark’ – everyone had to go as animals in pairs – I went as a flamingo – it was so much fun. It was a good theme because there are so many fun animal costume options to choose from.
Awaiting your next blog with anticipation,
Abed.
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Yeah Beauty and the Geeks are good fun you should try it out 😉
You sound like a real party animal!
I love those ideas, I’ll have to add them to the list!!
Make sure you follow me to get updates
Thanks for sharing Abed
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Oh my goodness!! I seriously wish I could turn 21 all over again haha
Something like ‘around the world’ could be cool too!
I’m looking forward to reading about the next step.
– Ashleigh
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Haha yeah so much fun!
Whats ‘Around the World’? Dress up like your from a different country?
Thanks Ashleigh
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Yeah! I was in an around the world dance concert and there was amazing costumes such as showgirls from Las Vegas, the Beatles from England, hello kitty from Japan..
– Ashleigh
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That sounds amazing!
Would defiantly make for an awesome 21st theme!
Thanks Ashleigh
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Great read, very informative, will be in touch for my next party.
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Hi Liz,
I’d love to give you tips for your next party! If you have a theme in mind let me know and ill try and incorporate some tips into my next posts.
Also thanks for sharing on Facebook.
Make sure you follow me (top left of your screen) to see my next posts!
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Hi, Madelyn.
Nice blog. I’m looking forward for more tips on how to organise cocktail parties. I find them fantastic!
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Hi Caroline,
Thank you so much! I’ll make sure to include details on planning cocktail parties in my next blog!
Make sure you follow me to get the latest posts 🙂
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Hi Madelyn,
This first post was really helpful, I have a 21st birthday coming up in October. I’ve decided to go with an ‘Old Hollywood’ theme. I will be following all of your posts for any ideas that might help me plan this party. Great blog!
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Hi Ellena,
That’s exciting! ‘Old Hollywood’ is a great theme i’ll try and include some tips and tricks for this theme in my next series of blogs 🙂
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Hi Maddy
Your blog is really awesome. A lot of great idea and useful tips. Can’t wait to see your next post 🙂
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Thanks Don 🙂
I’m glad you like it! I’ll be blogging about how to make amazing invitations on a budget, make sure you follow me to get updates!
Until next time 😛
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Hi Madelyn,
I really liked reading your blog. I’m not usually a themed party type of person but I might consider it for my next party. Thanks
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That’s great to hear!
Themes can be so simple and can really add to the whole party atmosphere.
Thanks for your comment, make sure you follow me and catch my next blog on invitations!
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That is really cool Maddy. Although i’ve passed my 21, but can i contact you when i’m making my 23th birthday? 😛
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Haha defiantly 🙂 sounds like a plan!
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Great blog Maddy! So many good ideas to make the party something really unique. So, how about the music? I play in a cover band and we do a lot of different events. We find that getting the music right can really help set the right atmosphere.
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That’s a great idea for a blog!! Whats your cover bands name? I might be able to include them in the blog 🙂
Thanks for your comment!!
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Love this! I’m a huge fan of dress up parties. Such a great list. I have done a rock themed party before which resulted in some pretty amazing costumes. I’m also having a one piece party in July, I’ll let you know how it goes!
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Such a beautiful blog. You’ve made me want to be 20 again so I could plan my 21st lol. I WISH!
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Hahaha same!!!!! Wish I could do mine over again, It was so much fun. But I get to plan my sisters this year so that’ll be good 🙂
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Themed parties are the ONLY kind of parties! they are so much fun! I love to get dressed up and even sometimes come up with a back story or character for the night. it just makes it all the more fun to play along!!
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Hahaha thats brilliant!!! 🙂
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