All About Easy & Charming 40th Birthday Invitations

As you begin planning a 40^th birthday celebration, one of the most important steps is inviting the guests. You need to know who is coming so that you can ensure a perfect party for the guest of honor, as well as everyone attending.

The first step is making the guest list, followed by selecting and creating the invitations. Once they’re out, you’ll be able to gather RSVPs and get a head count so that you can prepare accordingly.

Here’s everything you need to know about 40th birthday party invites 😉

Etiquette for 40th Birthday Invitations

Who should be invited to a 40th Birthday Party?

Who to invite may be influenced by the type of party that you’re planning. For family-friendly festivities, invite the birthday celebrant’s relatives of all ages and their family friends and close personal friends. For an adults-only celebration, like a brunch, invite the birthday guy or gal’s close friends and relatives.

When should the birthday party invites be sent out?

Getting your invitations out on time is critical to ensuring a great event! After all, a party without guests won’t be much of a celebration for the guest of honor. Invitations should be sent out 4 weeks ahead of the party date. This gives your guests enough time to check their schedule and plan to attend, as well as to get a gift if they wish to do so.

If you choose to mail hard copy custom invitations, you’ll need to allow enough time for selecting or creating your design, having the order processed, and shipping time. Be sure to take note of those details when browsing invites and plan accordingly.

The Basics of 40th Birthday Invitations

Every party invitation has to include some basic details to give the guests the information they need. It helps the guests make their plans for joining the fun festivities in advance.

Let’s take a closer look at the things you simply must mention on your 40^th birthday invitations:

NAME OF THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRANT

Let guests know just who they’ll be celebrating! The birthday guy or gal’s name should be at the top of the invitation.

DATE(S)

Make sure the party date is clearly included on the invite, and if there’s a rain date for an outdoor event, list that as well.

TIME

Note the starting time next to or under the party date. If it’s a surprise party, be sure to list the time that guests should arrive so that they’ll be there before the guest of honor is scheduled to come.

VENUE/ LOCATION/ ADDRESS

Include the full name and address of the venue/party location, whether it’s a restaurant, bar, home, or other site. You may even considering including short directions for out of town guests.

HOST/RSVP

Let guests know who to contact with their RSVP by including your name, phone number, or email address. You can also indicate whether text message is an acceptable alternative to a phone call.

PARTY THEME*

While it isn’t essential, you may want to include the birthday party theme on the invitation. This can help guests when they’re considering gift ideas and well wishes, since they may want to choose a complementary item or greeting card.

*Optional Information to Include

The Do’s & Don’ts of 40th Birthday Invitations

Make sure when creating your invitations that you follow these simple Do’s and Don’ts:

DO Coordinate your 40th birthday invites to the party theme. Think Color Scheme at the very least.

DO spell your guests’ names correctly!

DO Include all the important & necessary basic info (see above for The Basics of 40th Birthday Invitations).

DON’T Mention gifts, unless only to say, “No Gifts Needed”.  Gift registries and anything that gives the appearance of asking for gifts isn’t appropriate for a 40th Birthday Party. Stay Classy!

DO Proofread your 40th Birthday Invitations before they are sent. Typos and Date Misprints are NEVER a good thing!

DO Send out the invitations at least 4 weeks in advance for an informal 40th Birthday Celebration or 8 weeks in advance if you are hosting a more formal affair.

DON’T Plan your party on a Holiday or Long Weekend, as it may affect guest attendance numbers.

DO Use engaging language. Have fun with your 40th Birthday Invitations – Remember, you want each and every invited guest to want to be at this milestone event!

40th Birthday Invitation Wording Samples

Have you found yourself at a loss for words as you sit down to make your invitations? Don’t fret, because we have a variety of creative wording samples to help you find just the right message to make your invitation hot just the right notes.

Take a look at these wording samples broken down by style and type and select just the right one for your 40^th birthday invitations:

Simple & Classic 40th Birthday Invitations Wording

Keep your invitations both classic and classy with a simple, clear message:

Wording Ideas for Elegant 40th Birthday Parties

Spread the word with a sophisticated message to guests about the elegant 40^th birthday bash you’d love for them to attend:

40th Birthday Party Invitation Wording for a Brunch

Let guests know that you’re hosting an early bird party with something similar to one of these brunch wording samples:

Wording Examples for a 40th Birthday BBQ

If you’re hosting a casual and cool backyard barbecue bash, or having a cookout at a park, try one of these wording ideas:

More Wording Examples for 40th Birthday Invitations

Still searching for just the right tone to match your party vibe? Browse through more wording samples to consider:

Hard Copy Paper Invitation vs. Online Invitation: Which is better?

Before you can create your invitations, you need to choose which type you’ll send out to your guest list. You have two main choices to consider- hard copy paper invites, or online/electronic invites. Each one has pros and cons, so find out more before settling on the right type for your special event:

Hard Copy Invitation

Pros

• Offers an elegant look and a variety of beautiful designs
• Gives guests a tangible reminder of the event and details
• Can be a keepsake item for the person celebrating a milestone birthday
• The classic way to invite people to a party

Cons

• Requires postage and sending through snail mail
• Guests may lose or never receive their invite
• Has to be designed and purchased or ordered well in advance
• Can be pricey to create, purchase, and mail

Online Invitation

Pros

• Easy to create with an online service from your phone, tablet, or pc
• Convenient way to track RSVPs
• Several excellent sites and options for creating and sending entirely for free
• Can be very affordable and in many cases, completely free

Cons

• Some older guests may not use email or have a mobile phone
• Not as classy and elegant as an actual hard copy invite
• Free options may offer limited customization
• Invitations could be lost in spam email or never received

Hard Copy 40th Birthday Invitation Ideas

If a hard copy invitation is the right choice for your party planning style, you’ve got quite a few specific options to consider.

Next you’ll need to narrow it down to one of these types:

Handwritten Invitation

Give your invitations that personal touch by writing them out by hand. Each one will have a custom look and feel.

Computer Printout Invitation

If you’d like to make your own invites right at home, you can print them out from your computer. This allows you to control the design and add the info in typeface for a neat and clean invite that you can send out in the mail.

DIY Invitations

Let your creative juices flow and come up with an original, one of kind design by doing a DIY invite. Visit our 40th Birthday Invitations Pinterest Board for great Ideas!

Generic Store Bought Invitation

Go the simple route with a generic invitation. All you’ll need to do is fill in the details on the blank lines, address the envelopes, and get them out in the mail. You can find a variety of designs at your local Dollar Store or party supply store.

Custom Invitation

Have an original design created by a talented designer or artist to match the theme of the party with a custom invitation. You can find great vendors on Etsy!

Online & Electronic 40th Birthday Invitations

If you’ve chosen to send out online invitations, there are several great services that make it as easy as possible. These sites also offer a variety of beautiful designs at affordable price points, with many even being free to create and send.

Take a closer look at a few of our favorites:

Evite

Evite is an ideal service for sending invitations via email or text message. You can create the perfect invitation for free, send it out through the electronic or online method of your choice, and track your RSVPs quickly and conveniently.

Minted

Minted is home to thousands of gorgeous designs from independent artists, giving you an incredible array of invite design choices. You can include a custom envelope design and enjoy free recipient addressing. It’s the easy way to create an elegant invitation without a lot of effort.

PunchBowl

With Punchbowl, you can make and send beautiful invitations for free, right from your laptop, tablet, or phone. Simply choose your design, personalize it with your party details, and send with a click. Guests can send their RSVP with a quick tap and you’ll receive a push notification instantly. It’s an easy way to track your guest list in real-time.

Paperless Post

Paperless Post offers thousands of gorgeous designs for every occasion. Customize your selection to match your style, and then send it off to your guests. The easy interface allows you to change photos, add text, and choose your colors and types for fonts. Import your contacts list with a click to get your invites out on time.

SmileBox

Create quality invitations online for free with Smilebox. Choose your invitation, upload your selected images, and send to your guest list! It couldn’t be easier to do right from your laptop or pc. You can create animated invites with slideshows of photos you choose and add.

pin these 40th birthday invitations for later!