Exactly one year ago today I had the honor of celebrating my birthday with girlfriends near and dear to my heart.  When I thought about how I wanted to celebrate that special birthday it was on my heart to do something to honor and thank the amazing women friends (including my mom and mother-in-law!) in my life.  My hope for the day was that these women would feel appreciated as great friends and maybe even be inspired by or learn a little something from a new friend around the table.  It was a wonderful day full of good connections, laughter, yummy food and most importantly, friendship.

I made a photo book so I could easily remember and enjoy all of those special moments.  Since I’m not sure how all of my friends feel yet about having their pictures online I went for the shallow depth of field approach with this picture!

A few takeaways from this milestone birthday experience…

1.  Don’t hesitate to celebrate and nurture your friendships.  I felt very a little uncomfortable about organizing an event like this.  Although my intention was to honor and thank my friends, I worried it would come across as self-centered or self-serving.  But the moment the first woman walked in the door it became clear that they were excited to have a reason to get dressed up, see old friends and meet some new ones.  And I loved the chance to let everyone know, in person, how much I value their friendship and why they are an important person in my life.

2.  Sometimes your friends are great at reminding you about what makes you you.  When I was talking about the lunch with my good friend and party planner extraordinaire I mentioned a few ideas I had for place cards and favors.  She was quick to concur that of course there should be photos involved!  And hence the personalized photo place cards.  She also helped me feel comfortable about the beautiful journal books I sent home with the women.  My friends all know how much I love to capture and document everyday life.  So while they may have rolled their eyes a little, they knew it came from a genuine place when I encouraged them to use the books to

–       tuck in their car to record the funny things their kids say

–       keep by their bed and use as a daily gratitude journal

–       tear out pages to leave love notes for their kids and husband

–       track their work goals

–       staple in receipts and bits of their daily life

–       or if nothing else, give it to another friend who might enjoy it!

3.  I love making photo books for special events.  It is such a great way to tell the story of the day.  I was so lucky to have my mom fly out to join us – I made her a copy too as a memento of the nice day we shared together.  Oh, and a little thank you for making my birthday possible in the first place.

4.  Ask a friend or hire a photographer to capture images of the special event.  Since I am often the one who takes the pictures at events, I knew I needed to outsource this so I could be present and enjoy every moment with my friends and family.  I am thrilled with how the images turned out, taken by the very talented Patricia Rossi.

I imagine I will write more later about creating a milestone photo book as a gift for someone who will be celebrating a big birthday.  But for today, I just wanted to share my thoughts on the importance of capturing the celebration as it unfolds and then doing something with those pictures after the fact!  And, most importantly, how these special birthdays are a wonderful opportunity to let the people in your life know how much they mean to you.