Who doesn't love the 80s?? The music, movies, bright clothes, funky hair! Those who grew up in the 80s always keep remembering and coming back to that decade. So for my husband's 35th birthday, I decided to have a throw back and take everyone back about three decades to big hair and metal bands! Oh and this was a surprise for him! Everyone dressed in 80s clothing with hair and makeup and had a blast!
The guest list was made up of mostly Russians in their 30s from the former Soviet Union...so I thought why not bring in the Soviet Union vs the U.S. aspect of the 80s! And this is what I came up with...
THE DESSERT TABLE
The dessert table was a mix of candy and sweets the Soviet and American kids remember from their childhood: Turbo and "Love Is:" gum (really had to search for these online! Had to get "Love Is" gum all the way from Lithuania!), Razzles, Pop Rocks, Hubba Bubba, Kit Kat, Chuppa Chups, Kinder Suprise, condensed milk (that still looks like it's from Soviet 80s!), Soviet champagne, etc. It was a kaleidoscope of candy and color! And the cake!! I used House of Pastry in North Hollywood (my go to bakery!) and they did an amazing job on the cake! Even had an edible photo of my husband as a kid! Found a whole bunch of Soviet memorabilia (communist flags..ha!). It was a lot of fun finding this online and putting it all together! I printed out 80s posters and got U.S. and Soviet flags to put up on the walls. It was awesome!
THE THROW BACK TABLE
Now this table brought back a lot of memories for the guests, which was the goal, and was something my husband could remember from his childhood. I found my old books from my childhood, VHS tapes of 80s movies, various memorabilia online, etc. Made a collage of my husband's childhood photos from the 80s and photos of his hometown from the 80s. Came out pretty good, if I do say so myself!
THE PARTY
We had the party at the De Luxe Lounge in Burbank, CA, and it had the perfect little room for our little shindig. He finally arrived and it was awesome to see how surprised he was when he saw the guests all dressed up and the decor! As in the Soviet times, the birthday boy was enlisted into the Pioneers, which was a group of Soviet children that were to contribute to Communism. Found sort of a poem in which he had to take a shot when we all congratulated him. So fun! Pinned a folded hat on his head, tied a red scarf on his neck and changed him into 80s clothing, and he was ready to party! Oh and did I mention the DJ played Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" while I was changing him in front of everyone?! Ha!
We played 80s trivia games, had fun contests, and at the end, everyone had a great time reliving the 80s through the decor, entertainment and music! The birthday boy was happy as a clam, and I had a great time planning it!
Vendor Credits:
Planning and Decorating: SMLA Happy Events Decorations: Amazon, Party City, eBay Photography: Style Imaging (www.styleimaging.com)
Location: De Luxe Lounge in Burbank, CA (www.deluxebanquethall.com/lounge) Cake: House of Pastry in North Hollywood, CA (www.houseofpastry.com)
DJ: Ruslan Dali
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