Caveman Theme for a 40th Birthday Party | Real-Life Party

Denise, a reader, can teach us a lesson or two about party themes. She likes parties and it shows. Her design looks amazing. She is obviously talented but her strength is to let her imagination flows and she is not afraid to put the efforts.

Many of her parties include rentals, new accessories mixed with things that she already owned. But not this one.

Denise developed the Caveman theme for the 40th birthday of one of her friends. For her own words, this over the hill birthday party was easy to prepare. And with her tips, you will know what to look for if your wish to experience the prehistoric charms for a night.

This tabletop for 12 guests costs less than $100, in fact $7-8 per person. Denise found everything locally and at really good prices. Let’s review how she did it.

The decorative elements

The dinosaurs belong to her kids. The stone chargers come from the home improvement centre. Denise roughly cut the edges. Then she decorated the economical stepping stones with a brown craft paint and dirt to simulate old stones.

Nice touches can be found everywhere in her tablescape. That is the attention to details that make her design successful. For a more rustic look, she used brownish washcloth instead of textile napkins. The texture of the washcloth works well in these surroundings. You could display a simple canvas or if you are willing to spend more, natural pure linen napkins as long as they are not hemstitched.

The food was all served in baskets and plates that she had. She used her own glass and silverware. She slightly tore the top brown grocery sacks to serve bread and potato wedges.

The “egg” planters were under $5 each. If you cannot find similar pots, Denise suggested you make your own vases out of paper maché.

The fur fabric and the black & white spot textile for the back of the chairs are widely available, juts go to a local textile store. You need about 2 yards for the tablecloth. She used plastic bones from a costume store to hold the fabric on the back of the chair. For a more authentic look, Denise suggests actual bones from your butcher. Just make sure to bleach them well before.

The “vines” were military camouflage nets which can cost less than $20. She hanged them under or on the side of her canopy tent. Go to China town or a store like Urban Outfitters to find similar paper lanterns. If you cannot find them in the right color, buy them white and paint them. Ask the craft store for the most suitable paint.

Be prepared

Once you got and tried all the elements, setting up the table goes pretty fast. The important thing is to try putting your elements together before the event. This way, you can resolve possible problems or find out what is missing. Preparation is the key for a stress free event.

I hope that by seeing this whimsical yet stylish Caveman tablescape, Denise and I inspire you to be creative for your next milestone party. In a few days, you will discover the insights of a more elaborate party Denise did in 2004.

SOURCING:
Photo credits: dbaker’s Caveman Party photos – copyright photos by Denise