Behind the Party: “Death to My 20s” 30th Birthday

Kim Angeli
Oct 31
2 min read

RIP 20s black balloon backdrop with heart-shaped mylars and large 30 balloon at Northern Lights venue in Milwaukee, styled by Let’s Celebrate for a 30th birthday party. — RIP 20s Black Balloon Backdrop

🕯️ Introduction

Halloween season is in full swing, but this wasn’t your typical spooky celebration. We recently helped transform Northern Lights Event Venue into a dramatic and chic “Death to My 20s” 30th birthday party. From black vases and dark florals to themed cocktails and skeleton décor, every detail paid tribute to the end of an era — and the start of a fabulous new decade.

Moody black vases and painted mason jars filled with red roses and baby’s breath centerpieces, accented with white skull décor for a Death to My 20s birthday celebration. — Death to My 20s birthday centerpieces

💐 The Décor

Centerpieces & Florals: We paired black vases and mason jars filled with deep red roses and baby’s breath (Trader Joe’s for the win!). A few black skull vases added a dramatic touch to the bar area.

Tables:

Large rounds: off-white runners on black table linens, candelabras, and flowers in our vases.
High tops: gold placemats, gold LED candles tied with black bows, white skull accents, and matching mini vases.
The entrance greeted guests with a “Hello Thirty” welcome sign.

Additional Venue Decor:

A few skeleton decorations, including a skeleton pillow and skull with snakes were scattered throughout the venue.
A disco-ball-wand-toting skeleton in the venue’s signature “chair from the ceiling.”

🍩 Sweet Treats & Signature Drinks

The guest of honor wanted donuts for dessert — so we showcased them on our donut stand for a playful twist.

At the bar, guests sipped themed beverages like the “Final Sunrise” and “Fiery Farewell.” A custom signature drink sign tied it all together.

🎈 Balloon & Photo Backdrop

A bold black “RIP 20s” balloon garland against a white backdrop set the perfect photo scene, complete with a large black “30” balloon and heart-shaped mylars for guests to pose with.

💨 The Cigar Bar

One of the most memorable features? A cigar lounge area — complete with a glass cigar jar labeled “Cutting ties with her 20s.” Guests enjoyed one last smoke to her 20s,

🎁 Favors & Custom Touches

Scattered on the tables or at the bar were personalized favors that every guest went home with:

Custom matchboxes labeled “Hello Thirty – Sam’s Birthday Celebration.”
Personalized coasters: one read “RIP Here Lies Sam’s 20s” and another “Thirty and Fabulous”.
Skeleton drink toothpicks for cocktail garnishes.
Mini cigar cutters labeled with the same “cutting ties with her 20s” theme.

🖨️ Pro tip: Coasters were designed on Canva and printed through CVS — a quick and fun DIY!

📸 Final Touches

The décor tied perfectly into the moody, glam tone of the event — black, gold, ivory, and deep red everywhere. The vibe was elegant, tongue-in-cheek, and unforgettable.