This week one of my dear friends had her twenty-first birthday party and of course in Manhattan, Kansas that typically means one of your close friends throws you a party where you attempt to take 21 shots because, of course, you have been deprived of alcohol what seems to be your whole life and you're finally legal.
So anyways now that everyone knows what a shot night is, I got this honor of just helping decorate. So here is the list of what I would recommend and plan for!
Balloons
This is a huge must! If it is your birthday your going to want it to be full of balloons. We had balloons on the walls, floors, and in the air. They sell so many different types and if your balling on a budget you should check out the dollar tree and hobby lobby for a good and cheap selection.
Sparkles & glitter
https://unsplash.com/photos/4jLj-GdRn_A
Yes, everything must sparkle and shine because it is your golden birthday. We popped a few sparkle balloons on the floor to let there be glitter for the dance floor.
Streamers
https://unsplash.com/photos/8t7b5qY3-ks
Streamers are another really cheap and fun way to decorate a place. You can hang them across the ceiling or down the walls. This also make for a really good backdrop for photos and trust me.... lots and lots of photos will be taken so you want the space to be aesthetically pleasing for that.
A birthday sash
https://unsplash.com/photos/FTidJBLW1AY
Make your birthday girl feel special by picking up a birthday sash for her to wear around for the night and so that if she leaves to go out everyone will get to celebrate her and know that it is her birthday!
Heavy duty speakers
https://unsplash.com/photos/u8-QI4tRES0
We celebrated fortunately at a fraternity's out of house so they had multiple huge speakers for us to utilize but this is a huge must because everyone there wants to be talking and dancing, so definitely get a fun playlist made prior with you and your friends favorite songs.
A tiara
https://unsplash.com/photos/JdntgyV5w0Q
its no birthday if your not in a tiara. It may seem a little extra depending on the friend but it is very appreciated and a must for a successful night.
Dinner
https://unsplash.com/photos/sQoIRY84a2E
This is an important step of the night, you really want to make sure that everyone is hydrated, has eaten a quality meal, and, of course, dessert. Especially if they are drinking because you don't want anyone getting sick on their birthday.
Alchohol
https://unsplash.com/photos/YNMjGIPgD_c
Of course this is needed if you are throwing a shot party. However, this was not my deal or business because I am not 21 :)
The shot book
https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-photos-and-notebook-2874998/
Another key element to a shot party is to have someone close to the birthday girl organize a book with 21 scrapbook pages that all her best friends make to celebrate her.
Usually the pages consist of nice and funny pictures of their friend as well as dares, shot info, notes, stickers, and glitter of course. The book is really fun and special to the birthday girl so don't forget it. Plus it is cool to see how different everyone's pages are and to see the friend's personality and aesthetic in each page.
Entertainment
https://unsplash.com/photos/8Jl0bnOLuDk
This could be a lot of things but you just don't want the party to die so make sure to have games, movies, animals ( we had an iguana at our party),.. to keep everyone having fun throughout the night.
Hopefully, this helped any first timers to plan an awesome shot party! It is really all just about the decorations and making your friend feel special and loved on her big day.