We could not have been more excited to get the call from Teresa’s daughters, Helen and Anne, to plan her 75th  birthday shindig! As we gathered to plan the celebration, the trio knew exactly the overall feel they wanted to experience:

  • A modern but casual environment
  • Full of color and texture
  • Soulful food experience that felt like you’re eating at home
  • Interactive activities for the guests
  • Music that would keep everyone grooving on the dance floor.

Teresa led and still leads an adventurous and youthful lifestyle.  A retired adult literary specialist who married her high school and college sweetheart, travels the world, active in several book clubs, and created a prosperous home life in Memphis, the Carolinas (Durham), and Springfield, Virginia.  And wouldn’t you know this literary genius favorite television show is Jeopardy; her daughters say you absolutely can’t disturb their Mother when Jeopardy is on the tube!  Lastly, the irony of planning this celebration for Teresa, in our conversations we realized we had something in common, she raised one of my best friends in Durham, North Carolina – talk about small, small world!

Now that I knew the background of Teresa and the overall outcome they wanted to achieve for this milestone celebration, I knew exactly what I had to do to accomplish an unforgettable moment.  In my design presentation to the ladies, I presented a clearly defined design with thoughtful details that included:

  • The venue was the perfect background. A historic landmark in Fairfax County, the old Lorton correctional facility, which is now, the Workhouse Arts Center, a creative campus for various artists, hosts several locations to host events.  We chose the McGuire Woods Art Gallery – a modern functional space that provides a great deal of natural lighting
  • A bold color palette that embodied fuchsia, lilac, purple, teal, and gold
  • Modern textured centerpieces with painted monstera leaves and baby’s breadths
  • Depth in the room with a hanging balloon installation with metallic and matte balloons of various sizes in vibrant colors of fuchsia, lilac, purple, teal
  • Textures in the tabletop with velvet style linens; straight velvet on our high tops and bold multi-color linens on the guest tables
  • Textured double entrance of purple velvet draping to welcome guests as they entered the party space
  • Intimate touches with agate stones with the guest names displayed at each table setting; this also served as a gift for guests to take home
  • Two interactive activities: a game of jeopardy played by all the guests during dinner, and a photo booth for guests to let loose and frolic and to leave a special note for our birthday honoree with a special shadow box frame we designed
  • One of our favorite deejays – that always keeps the party rocking for any occasion
  • One of our best loved catering partners whose menus exudes soulfulness.
  • An alternative to wedding cake, we created a dessert station and sourced mini bundt cakes for each guest in 3 various flavors which also served as another gift for guests to depart with if they decided not to eat their cake at the party.

The night was nothing short of amazing for Teresa, our birthday honoree.  The smile on her face and the smiles of her daughters watching on as their Mother embraced her friends and all the festivities around her!  Our opportunity to create such an unforgettable celebration was such an honor, and as Teresa proclaimed, she was not celebrating getting old, she was celebrating because she could and that every day of life should be celebrated!

(See additional photos – click here)

Special thanks to our event partners:  Perfect Planning Events (planning & design); Ana Isabel Photography (photography); Workhouse Arts Center (location); JR Flowers (florals); Caribbean Caterers (catering); DJ Gemini of Chris Styles Events (deejay); Chris Styles Events (photo booth); Sweet Pearlz Cheesecakes (mini cheesecakes); Nothing Bundt Cakes (bundt cakes); DC Rental (linens); Drape Kings (draping); Bellwether Events (balloon installation); Cygnus Studio (calligraphy agates)