Hi all! I’m hiring a big air bnb in Dorset for a long 30th birthday weekend with 12 of my friends early next year. The house has an amazing indoor pool so I’m planning on making the most of that on the Saturday, but I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas/tips for making the rest of the weekend extra special? It can be day/nighttime options, food/drink ideas, decorations, themes, games or anything else - all inspo welcome! X
3 Likes
Hi Liv,
On the food front, have a look at these recent cookbooks – both are filled with feast-friendly dishes. I made a few from Eleanor’s at a recent 13-person hen do and they went down really well and weren’t labour intensive!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/More-Get-Loose-Kitchen-Cookbook/dp/1761500104
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Friday-Night-Dinner-Recipes/dp/152664360X
1 Like
We did a similar thing for my husbands birthday this year and hired a private chef for 1 of the evenings. We designed the menu, tailored to the occasion, with the help of the chef and sent it to everybody in advance, to create some excitement. The dishes were so beautifully presented and everything was cleaned away by the team afterwards. It was such a treat, it felt special and extravagant and really made the weekend. I’ll link the chef we used - he has lots of example menus on his website with pricing. Would highly recommend!
1 Like
Thanks Heather - the art of the Friday night dinner arrived today and it’s fabulous 
1 Like
Thank you, I’ll definitely look into that!
So pleased! By the way, the party potatoes and the bloody mary pasta are both bangers!
1 Like
Oh love a weekend away birthday! I think if you want to do a dinner for the evening, you should definitely add little menus to each table setting (you can ada personal bithday touch to them, ie name meals or drinks after things) and I personally love to add a dress code. That will make the dinner so much more exciting!
Don’t forget to make a playlist matching the theme if you have one, adds that extra touch.
For the memories I would get some disposable cameras that people can use throughout the night/weekend.
For daytime I feel like it’s always fun to do a craft activity, like painting some ceramics etc.
1 Like
Gigi and Olive, typically known for bridal decs and accessories do lots of fun party decorations that can be used for big events not just weddings
I often order balloon arches from Amazon that are always pretty good! What about a guided cocktail making evening Mobile Cocktail Making Class in Dorset | Сocktail Masterclass at Home | Instant Quote & Availability
1 Like
Ahh all fab ideas, thank you! Crafts during the day is an excellent one 