Courtney Warren is a Texas-based interior designer whose work has been featured in Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Apartment Therapy, and Today.com. She is a frequent consultant on Fox 4 TV’s Good Day program in Dallas, was ranked in the top 3 percent of interior designers in the US by Houzz.com, and starred in the Dallas episode of TLC’sFour Houses. She delights in helping overwhelmed clients create beautiful spaces—and will never turn down a warm chocolate chip cookie or Diet Dr Pepper.
It is a big birthday, so naturally, when I began brainstorming unique 40th party themes for a woman, I knew I wanted something truly special.
After all, what better way to celebrate turning 40 than with a unique 40th party themes that makes the year feel golden?
For me, that means hosting a beautiful, intimate garden brunch.
It is the perfect way to step into my (ahem) middle years with both style and sass!
What is the best unique party theme for a 40th birthday?
To begin with, let’s talk about the table—it is sooo pretty! Each place setting included a hand-lettered menu, a sprig of fresh rosemary, and a framed photo of me with the guest seated there.
To make it extra meaningful, I dug through my collection to find the oldest photo I had with each person. Some pictures went all the way back to my elementary school days!
Moving on to the invitations, authentic seed packets served as the base, tucked into hand-lettered vellum envelopes.
The party details, written in gold, paired together with a whimsical artist rendering of me, the birthday girl.
As the guests arrived, we greeted them with flower crowns, which tied perfectly into my love for florals. Accordingly, the table was decorated with low bouquets of my favorite flowers: ranunculus, hydrangeas, eucalyptus, and black-and-white anemones. This arrangement not only looked stunning but made it easy for guests to chat. And, speaking of conversation, subsequently the table was full of it!
To help everyone get acquainted, we peppered conversation cards along the table with prompts like,
“What’s your first memory of Courtney?” (Do I really want to know?) and,
“What’s the most useless thing you’re really good at?”
The responses ranged from “always knowing what time it is” to “being able to pick up things with my feet.”
These lighthearted questions created laughter and plenty of hilarious exchanges, unquestionably helping the party come alive.
Next came the food.
We served delicious options like avocado toast, Fruity Pebble French toast, and handcrafted drinks called 1979s—made with ginger ale, orange juice, orange slices, and raspberries.
Of course, we couldn’t skip dessert.
The showstopper was a gorgeous lemon birthday cake coupled with sweet-tart frosting.
Finally, we wrapped things up with some thoughtful party favors. In keeping with the theme of “favorite things,” each guest obviously received sugar cookies decorated to look like Diet Dr. Pepper cans and Sonic drinks. Additionally, everyone went home with a journal and a personalized pencil that cheekily reads, “I stole this from Courtney Warren.”
Certainly, it was a celebration I’ll never forget. From the heartfelt details to the endless laughter, the day was filled with love, joy, and all the little things that make life so sweet!Photography: Shannon Ho PhotographyFlowers: Flora and VineBalloon Arch: Worker Bee Parties/ Bonafide Betties PieCake: Bittersweet BakeryCookies: Cookie LoveCalligraphy: Sidney Hunter Design CoVenue: Marie GabrielleDesign and styling: Carolyn Gehring, Melissa Holland, Courtney Warren Home
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