Viceroy Santa Monica Cabana
Happiest Birthday to one of my favorite women in the world, Faith Kesington! You've surely seen her on my instagram and in photos because SHE is the woman behind making so many of my big life moments so special. From helping host my epic bachelorette party in Palm Springs to helping me find my wedding dress(es) and standing beside me on my wedding day as one of my bridesmaids to making my baby shower for Milly the best ever-Faith is one of my nearest and dearest. She is kind, soulful, giving, driven, inclusive, smart, successful and one of the most beautiful people, inside and out.
So when it came time to plan a day to celebrate her, I was beyond thrilled! Everyone deserves to be celebrated and it was an honor to host a party just for her with a dozen of her friends.
The Viceroy Santa Monica was the perfect spot for the chic soiree. Designed by Kelly Wearstler, the bold & modern space became the ultimate backdrop for my most fashionable friend. Our poolside private cabana provided plenty of room for all of us girls and with a few personalized touches, it went from #SundayFunday to a Young AF Birthday Party for our best babe!
I've always hated the whole "flirty and 30" party theme and "dirty thirty" is even worse. So when I saw these rose gold balloons on etsy I knew this would be a fun idea. And when it comes to decor, there's a fine line between going for it and over doing it. These made the space an instant party but so much of design is all in the details!
Adult sippy cups featuring flamingos and watermelon provided a playful touch and doubled as party favors.
For the tropical florals I met up with my friend, Drew of Rogue & Fox Floral Co the day prior at the LA Flower Mart to get the adorable mini pineapples, flamingo lily, scabiosas, pincushions, dahlias, David Austin roses and a "Queen" protea in the rose gold, coral pink color palette.
Even if you don't have access to a huge flower mart, check with your local florist to see what exotic florals they carry. I've even seen amazing range at my grocery store depending on the season. I really love the texture these florals bring to the space! I also made sure to pack a vase to arrange all of the flowers to give to Faith after the party.
Hosting an insta-worthy party is EVERYTHING and having a larger than life float is key at any pool party. I love this oversized ice cream cone from Sunnylife where everyone snapped pics for the gram. And how bombastic does our birthday babe look on this?
Anytime I host a party I like to have a few bottles of bubbles on ice so guests can be greeted with a drink as everyone arrives. As soon as our birthday girl got there, we kicked the afternoon off with a celebratory toast! And because the craft cocktails at Viceroy are so amazing, we opted for a few carafes of their jalapeño pineapple infused tequila cocktails. They were the perfect mix of sweet and spicy and so refreshing on a warm day.
After some delicious bites, (the cauliflower tempera and truffle fries were a huge hit) we sang Happy Birthday and satisfied our sweet tooth with homemade birthday cake cupcakes by yours truly. Covered in amazing Sweetapolita Sprinkles and decorated with cookie dough gems (recipe post to come-I promise!) Faith's featured a rose gold cake topper by Glam Banners.
The entire afternoon was flawless. Good friends, great vibe and a gorgeous day. I remember looking around and no one was on their phone, everyone was in or around the pool lounging, listening and laughing with each other. It was such a memorable birthday party. To see more pics of this chic and tropical Young AF party scroll down!
Let me know what you think in the comments! Do you have any other theme ideas for 30th birthday parties? I'd love to hear them!