Style Up 40th Birthday at the Lake

It's official. I'm 40!

... kept the guest list small, but made the experience grand!

Having a birthday in summer means I always contend with the heat. It was really important for me to keep things outdoors, so when I had the opportunity to host at the lake (cue wonderful lake breeze), I started planning!

My guests had some dietary restrictions, so I knew I wanted to use a caterer that could work with gluten, vegan and nut allergies. When I came across Flour Girl and Flame, I knew they'd be perfect!

I also love the social justice and social responsibility component to Flour Girl and Flame. I also absolutely wanted to support a fellow woman run business who knows how to pull a trailer too!

Charcuterie, wood roasted scallops, bone marrow, and all the pizza one could desire prepared and cooked right on sight. Amazing! I also love that Chef Dana and her team use local produce, local ingredients wherever possible. It truly is a farm-to-fork experience.

I paired the food with a delightful beverage experience of local and Mexican beer, vodka lemonades, wine and hard kombucha. I also honor my non-drinking friends with a fabulous mocktail, Blueberry Cooler.

For serving, I wanted a more elegant experience which is why I used real porcelain plates, cloth napkins, and vintage glassware. For silverware, I found a beautiful disposable set of 20 (perfect for my small gathering), with a Danish design. Using all real stuff, but then disposable flatware made cleanup easier and with it being such a beautiful design, I didn't feel like it took away from the night's elegance at all.

White Pine Creative Co. took care of our floral. The vibe I requested was natural, Wisconsin florals, a variety of heights and vases. Boy, did they deliver! I love how simple the floral looked, yet so incredibly stunning.

Alpha Lit MKE provided our marquee numbers. The perfect touch to the celebration! It was so fun to see the lights get brighter as the night got darker. I think we finally turned them off around midnight!

My lovely sister Amanda, created the cake. Lemon creme with multiple layers and raspberries on top. Plus, gluten free so all of my guests could enjoy! It was so fun to serve it from our brand new serving station, Coco the Cart!

We ended the night with a live concert from my husband, Cristian, and a champagne toast in the lake. I sent my guets home with custom cocktail kits utilizing Flour Girl and Flame's Hot Honey to keep the #40andSpicy party going. What a special night!

Big thank you to JHics Photography for capturing all of the fun and being an absolute joy to work with.

Credits:

Photography: JHicks Photography

Floral: White Pine Creative Co.

Catering: Flour Girl and Flame

Cake: Amanda Singh Art

Marquee Numbers: Alpha Lit MKE

Everything Else: Style Up Group