I hosted a 40th birthday party for my friend Destiny this past weekend. Here are the details of our very botanical birthday party!
Our friend Destiny loves the outdoors, so when we started planning her 40th birthday party, naturally we went with a botanical theme. From the food to the decor, we used herbs, florals, and plants of all kinds.
Signature Drink: Batched Mint Whiskey Sour
I wish I had taken a better photo of the signature drink I made, but it turned out so delicious! I love a whiskey sour, and wanted to make something that would be good with and without alcohol for those who don’t drink. This was the perfect solution.
Batched Mint Whiskey Sour
- 6 cups / 48 ounces of the best OJ you can find (minimal pulp though)
- 4 cups / 32 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice (I bought mine from the Wegman’s juice section so it was freshly squeezed but I didn’t have to press 100 lemons)
- Bunch of mint leaves for garnishing
Mix the above together and pour about 3 cups for the nonalcoholic version into a pitcher
Spike It
- 4 cups Whiskey
- 2 cups Cointreau
If you aren’t removing some for the NA version, add another cup of whiskey.
Because a classic whiskey sour doesn’t have OJ in it, I was worried it would be too heavy on the orange juice, but it was actually perfectly balanced with lots of lemon flavor and quite tart. If you do like a sweeter drink, you can sweeten it with simple syrup or maple.
Decor
This is the bundle we got with the table cloth, plates, napkins, etc.
The Herby Food
I made these smoked salmon sliders with cucumber and dill.
Everyone brought the best themed food! From pesto to caprese to salads and freshly baked herb bread.
The Cakes
Destiny’s boyfriend Jacob brought the cakes from Shyndigz in Richmond, and they were SO good! The vanilla cake had layers of fruit and reminded me of a wedding cake.
This was my first “big” party at the new place, and I loved seeing it full of people.
Botanical Toasts
- “Here’s to another year of putting down roots and growing wild!”
- “Hope your birthday is unbe-leaf-able!”
- “You’re looking tree-mendous — and you just keep getting better with thyme.”
- “To someone who keeps blooming brighter every year — may you continue to grow through what you go through.”
Highlight of the night: singing Elephant Love Medley (from Moulin Rouge) with DA and Jacob!
Happy Birthday to the sweetest friend and botanical queen!
