A chic summertime party thrown by David Tutera.

The Birthday Boy

Event planner David Tutera has an idea that just might make the world a happier place: "Everybody should celebrate their birthday every year," he says.

David Tutera believes in celebrating every birthday with a party.

You can't stop birthdays from rolling around, so why not embrace them?

Indeed, you might say that Tutera is on a mission to bring more confetti and pomp into people's lives. You can't stop birthdays from rolling around, so why not embrace them with open arms and a bottle of Dom Perignon? It's possible to re-experience that blowing-out-the-candles thrill that you felt as a child.

Tutera, who has thrown birthday bashes for more big-name celebrities than he can remember, says he sees more grown-ups than ever throwing big birthday parties, "because they're realizing they need to enjoy life." In his new book, Big Birthdays, he makes the case that you don't have to be a celebrity - or a 5-year-old - to make a big deal about your birthday.

Each chapter focuses on a party he's thrown, from a little girl's very first (where the menu was made up of organic yogurt and teething biscuits) to a couple celebrating their 100th birthdays with an intimate dinner party (decorated with the wife's favorite kitchen utensils hanging from the ceiling).

Seven of the 10 chapters cover parties for adults, starting with a "disco inferno" put on for a 25th birthday, which Tutera writes can be "a New Year's Eve of the self." He lit high-design Lucite candelabras and launched cannons of confetti for the bash.

For a chic country club 40th, Tutera bought bushels of flowers that he used to decorate chairs with roses and hydrangeas, and tables with vases of calla lilies. No detail was overlooked, from the tablecloths to the quirky martini glasses from a Seattle designer known for fashion-forward tableware.

But you don't need J. Lo's budget or a party planner on retainer in order to celebrate in style. Here are some of his tips on creating a birthday party that you'll never forget (at least until the next one rolls around).

Put careful consideration into the invite list. "I think every good party requires a good guest list," he says. "It's the people you're inviting who will make the synergy." Seat couples separately to encourage conversation throughout the evening, and to mix things up, ask the men to change seats at dessert. If you're hiring staff, he advises making sure there's at least one server per every 10 people (and one for every 5 for more formal affairs).

All the senses have to be indulged, which is why Tutera's book breaks parties down into look, scent, touch, taste, and sound. This can mean custom-colored M&Ms, soft pillows for small children to snuggle, or carefully selected tunes (a jazz quartet for a small Gatsby-themed event; Aerosmith and Tom Petty on the stereo at a big barbecue).

Send out invitations 6 weeks in advance. Keep in mind that it's the first taste guests will get of the party. If you're going to get them professionally printed, Tutera is a fan of invites from Encore Studios.

Pace the party. "It's very easy," he says. "Just make sure there's something different every 30 minutes. The music, the food, or move everyone to a different room. [It will make] people think, 'This party was great, even if they didn't spend $100,000.'" Light candles when night falls, and switch to up-tempo tunes after dinner.

For his own recent birthday, his 40th, Tutera celebrated with 900 of his closest friends at a nightclub. Sometimes, however, one party isn't enough - he's planning to take a much smaller group with him to Italy this summer for a longer, more intimate celebration.

But the party planner believes that all birthdays, not just the "big" ones like a 40th, are cause for festivities. "Don't wait for the milestone," he says. "Every year is a milestone."

Posted on July 10, 2006