Surprise! A carnival-themed birthday party

You might remember my former roomie and best friend Alexis; I’ve mentioned her a few times. If not, here’s my recap: she’s hilarious, supportive, a meme queen, can teach anyone how to dougie, and she is fiercely loyal and big-hearted. Did I mention funny? I feel like that’s important to emphasize.

And, she just turned 25.

To celebrate and give Alexis the love she deserves, I teamed up with her girlfriend (who also happens to be one of my very best friends), Jessica, to throw the ultimate surprise party. It was a carnival-themed birthday bash, and it was awesome.

The Prep

Jessica and I divided our duties so that she would take care of booze and food, and I’d take on decorations and games. Jess, the angel that she is, also booked a magician for the night, sent out the invites, and picked out the venue, not to mention the day-of details. She’s the best!

I knew, as soon as she mentioned the magician, that this party was going to be lit.

Once we nailed down a date and venue, it quickly became a race for me to figure out doable and affordable options for décor and fun. Chad, my mom, and I all brainstormed ideas, from colors to easy and portable carnival game options. From there, I loaded up my Amazon cart and got to work on sketching out designs.

Games

• Duck, duck, cup
• Bottle toss
• Cake walk
• Pin the nose on Alexis

Other Entertainment

• Magician – Shawn Preston was amazing! 10/10 recommend booking him for your event!
• Polaroid photo booth

Refreshments

• Popcorn machine
• Homemade pasta salad, spaghetti, and pulled pork. So good!
• Delicious strawberry cake
• Cotton candy
• Chips
• Candy for prizes
• Beer, cider, White Claws, fruity wine coolers

Carnival-themed Birthday: Do It Yo’ Self

The bulk of the games and décor were accomplished through DIY efforts. Here are some pictures of the finished result, taken before the transport.

Surprise, sucka!

In the end, it was a bad ass carnival-themed birthday party to honor our even more bad ass loved one. Alexis is the best, and I hope the party did her justice. We love you, pal! Happy 25th to my bestie for the restie.