A surprise birthday celebration.

As an event designer, the most challenging events to plan are often those for the people you love the most. This one was especially sentimental for me, as it was a milestone birthday celebration for the person I look up to more than anyone else in the world—my mom, Stephanie.

My goal for the evening was to create an experience that was not only beautiful and special but also filled with the things she loves most: good food and great conversation with her favorite people. With this in mind, I organized an intimate dinner party where she could be celebrated by those who mean the most to her, without any time constraints or agendas.

The design was built around a set of gorgeous green floral tablecloths I had been admiring for some time. By intentionally incorporating grand floral arrangements and vintage-style tableware, we were able to create an atmosphere that was both elegant and timeless—just like Stephanie.

While I have a deep love for designing tablescapes, I believe a party is never truly complete without the small, thoughtful details that make it unforgettable and allow you to relive the evening for years to come. To make this celebration even more memorable, we put together a slideshow that showcased Stephanie over the years. We also created a birthday card station where guests could select from three custom-made card designs and write a heartfelt letter to the guest of honor—giving her a meaningful dose of her love language, words of affirmation.

Of course, no event would be complete without incredible food—arguably the most important element! We enlisted two amazing private chefs to prepare a mouthwatering spread that was the evening’s centerpiece. In addition to the delicious food, we served a selection of Stephanie’s favorite wines and topped it all off with a custom cake featuring the fun slogan: “50 is the new 30.”

Originally, the plan was to host a dreamy outdoor dinner under the stars. However, the weather had other plans. Just as the party was set to begin, a sudden thunderstorm rolled in. We had to quickly pivot—moving all the living room furniture into the garage and replacing it with a stunning new tablescape that would truly wow her. Although this last-minute change required a full team effort, it created a memory we’ll all laugh about for years to come.

This celebration is one I will always cherish as one of my absolute favorites.

This beautiful celebration was executed in collaboration with these amazing vendors:

Venue: Private Eaglen Residence

Planning & Coordination: H. Ownby Events

Chef Service: Megan Leubke & Leah

Photography: Brittany Roberts Photography

Florals: Hailey Elder

Rentals: Stewart’s Special Events

Tablecloths & Decor: Tablecloths Factory

Following the big day, Stephanie said the following:

“I have never felt so celebrated. I walked into a room full of my favorite people and the ambiance of the decor was absolutely beautiful. What I was unaware of was that the weather had flipped everything from outside to inside in the final hour before my arrival. Hannah handled the change of plans with such poise and professionalism. The food was impressive and everyone left with complements to the chefs. It was truly a spectacular celebration!” – Stephanie Eaglen | H. Ownby Events Client

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