Case study: Surprise party at Quaglino's

The Golborne Collection were approached by a lovely family to design a very fun and exciting party for a very special birthday. This had an added extra layer of fun though as it was a surprise party. We were working closely with the mother and daughter to design the event and ensure it was an incredible celebration for her 50th birthday.

The chosen venue, Quaglino’s is such an iconic London venue, perfect for parties. The feel of the venue is very impressive with a soaring overhead glass structure, a huge central bar and a red velvet-surrounded stage.

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The secret invite 

Guests were invited, in secret via Paperless Post in order to only leave a light digital trail – we couldn’t risk the birthday girl seeing an invite on a mantlepiece. Once we had our guestlist, we started designed the event. 

The event design 

The flowers were based on our client’s favourite colours and matched the drama of the venue – rich reds, deep chocolate blacks and pops of gold. The central staircase is such a feature within the venue and we couldn’t resist dressing this with overflowing flowers and foliage to create the perfect entrance to the room.

The central bar, already impressive in itself, was made into even more of a wow feature, as we suspended circular golden orbs hanging from invisible thread and seemingly floating. This created a truly showstopping design for the space.


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The entertainment 

Beyond the bar lay the stage, surrounded by heavy red drapes. Music was very important to our guest and her family so the band had to be impressive. Brooklyn Soul, the very same band which recently played at Brooklyn Beckham’s wedding, were flown in from the US to perform. As soon as the singers started their performance, backed by a full band, the dancefloor was full.


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The menu 

The menu was tailored to feature the family’s favourite dishes and drinks, including Rum Sours as a nod to their love of Barbados. Desserts featured the birthday girl's favourite flavours and the menu overall, some of their much-loved home-cooked dishes. To top off the menu a towering cake was bought into the space, complete with sparklers for the perfect birthday moment.


It's not often we are asked to plan a surprise party but we loved the excitement this added to the event and the reactions on the night. If you have an idea for a milestone birthday celebration - or any party in fact - we would love to talk it over and see how we can make it happen for you and your loved ones.