Get ready to pop the champagne! There’s no need to cancel your birthday plans. You can still host an elegant party virtually - if you plan everything just right.
Hosting the perfect virtual birthday party is an art, and we’ve got it down to a science.
Quarantine may have us physical distancing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with friends… you just need to get creative to make the experience special and memorable.
In this post, we’ll cover everything you’ll need to know to be the (virtual) hostess with the absolute “mostest”!
Grab your guest list, party favors, e-invites, and custom prints, and let’s get to it.
10 steps to Host The Perfect Virtual Birthday Party
Step 1: Hand Select all of the Event Details
The first thing you want to do is decide the core details of the party. What time will it be? What date? Where will you host it? Will you use Zoom, WebEx, or Google Hangouts? What kind of theme do you want the party to have? You might have to discuss this with your friends and party attendees ahead of time so that you’re all on the same page. Make sure everyone is up-to-date on how to use your chosen technology as a virtual hosting platform. And just like any in-person party, try and choose a date and time that accommodates the majority of your guests.
Step 2: Curate Your Guest List
Speaking of guests, have you decided who’s invited to your virtual party? Things may get tricky here. While you can normally invite anyone and everyone as long as they’re welcome and enough space is available, you may have to limit your guest list this time around. This is because platforms used to host virtual meetings can start to glitch and lose connection when too many people are signed on to them. Think about your software’s capacity before you invite everyone. For this virtual birthday party, consider creating an essential guest list.
You can even have your carefully chosen invitees sign a digital guestbook for full flare! You can also host a few events for your different circles of friends.
Step 3: Send Specially Designed Invitations
Once the guest list is in order, it’s time to send out the invitations! Make your guests feel extra special with beautifully designed invitations. It is a lovely and personal touch to send invitations by mail, and we have some beautiful, customizable selections for you in our online store that you can instantly download, print, and send off!
Step 4: Order + Deliver the Party Favors
Your party may be about the birthday girl, but fun, custom party favors are a lovely, personalized touch for all of your guests. We recommend some lighthearted, quarantine-themed favors, like our sets of "quarantine hair, don't care" scrunchies + ties. You can make your gift bags ahead of and send them out by post or even a quick contactless delivery if your guests live close. Party favors are a great way to show that you’ve really considered all the details, as the wonderful hostess that you are! As an added bonus, they can be so much fun to put together.
Step 5: Set the Scene with Pinterest-Worthy Decorating
What’s a party without decorations? The good news is, you only have to set up a small space for decorating - as your guests will only see what’s in your camera's view. You can create a Pinterest-worthy party experience with only a few carefully selected decorations. Check out these digital prints you can easily display on the walls behind you for decoration. And if you’re feeling tech savvy, Zoom has virtual backgrounds you can try. Remember to take pictures and screenshots to post on your socials!
Step 6: Send the Delicious Goodies to Your Friends
This optional step is totally up to you. If you want to make your virtual party a bit tastier, send small packages of appetizers or desserts to your guests’ homes (Uber eats and other food delivery services are great options for this). This way, everyone can enjoy the shared experience of that special slice of cake or charcuterie selection.
Step 7: Time Everything to Perfection
While it’s okay to show up fashionably late to parties, you can’t show up after the birthday gal! If you’re worried about timing, have everyone hop on your virtual hangout platform a few minutes earlier than the birthday gal is expected to be on.
Step 8: Enjoy the Fun
A party is all about the activities! So though you may not be able to replicate all the in-person fun of a regular party, you can still get creative! Play virtual games, have a streaming party, Or just chat! Oh, and remember to sing happy birthday at some point (see cake delivery note above).
Step 9: Remember the Presents
If you’re doing gifts, try having all the presents sent to the recipient's address ahead of time, so that she can open the gifts during the virtual party. Just make the birthday gal pinky promise not to sneak a peek early.
Step 10: Wrap it up + Send Thank You’s
The teardown for this party will be a breeze! When your guests are ready to leave, or you’ve arrived at a pre-designated end time, all they have to do is say their goodbyes and log off. There’s one perk of a virtual party!
After the birthday party’s over, it’s a nice courtesy to send thank you cards to all the guests for attending. Again, sending a card via post is a lovely and thoughtful touch. You may want to post them a day ahead of the party so they arrive on their intended doorstep very soon after, or you might prefer to write them after the party so each can contain a special message. Whichever method you choose, you can save yourself a trip to the store and choose from our elegant selection of instantly downloadable, printable cards.
To wrap up, this year‘s birthday might be less traditional than usual, but that doesn’t mean it will be a flop.
With a little preparation, some savvy technology skills, and the will to make it happen, we know you’ll be able to host an unforgettable event.
So, are you confident you can take on this year‘s virtual birthday party?