Hello Friends!
On Monday, August 24, we celebrated my hubby Jovan’s 46th birthday with good food, good drinks, good company—and plenty of basketball.
When I started thinking about his birthday, I knew I wanted the celebration to feel like him. Jovan loves basketball, sneakers, and bourbon, so instead of simply choosing a basketball theme, I pulled little pieces of those things together to create a relaxed brunch at home that felt personal from beginning to end.
We called it Brunch + Basketball, and our little phrase for the day was Cheers to another winning season.
I kept the palette mostly black, white, and silver, then added touches of orange throughout. From sneakers displayed around the house to a basketball-inspired brunch menu and tiny Nike shoe boxes at each place setting, the details were playful without taking over the celebration.
THE WELCOME
I always love giving guests a little hint of what is to come as soon as they walk through the door.
Our entry table featured a welcome sign designed especially for Jovan’s birthday, stacks of miniature orange shoe boxes, one of his pairs of sneakers, and a basketball book tucked underneath. It was simple, but it immediately introduced the Brunch + Basketball story.
One of my favorite details was the tree.
Yes, our very tall tree was still up in August!
Instead of taking it down, I decided to have a little fun with it. I added black and silver ornaments, miniature basketballs, silver “46” balloons, and Nike boxes around the base. What started as something we already had in our home became one of the most memorable pieces of the party.
THE STARTING 5
For brunch, I created a menu inspired by a basketball starting lineup. I wanted everything to be familiar, easy for guests to enjoy, and substantial enough for an afternoon celebration.
Our Starting 5 included:
- Tip-Off Shrimp & Old Fashioned Grits — shrimp, andouille sausage, peppers, and cheesy old-fashioned grits
- Courtside Chicken & Waffles — mini homestyle waffles topped with chicken and a drizzle of hot honey
- All-Star Fruit — a colorful platter of fresh seasonal fruit
- MVP Sliders — biscuits filled with maple honey turkey, sharp cheddar, and bacon
- Winning Finish Donuts — an assortment of glazed, chocolate, and old-fashioned favorites
I served the shrimp and grits in individual clear bowls, which made them easy to pick up while still giving the dish a pretty presentation.
The miniature chicken and waffles were another favorite. Small waffles, crispy chicken, hot honey, and those little silver-topped picks turned a familiar brunch combination into an easy party bite.
And because a brunch table always benefits from something fresh, I filled a large platter with grapes, pineapple, kiwi, cantaloupe, and oranges.
The biscuit sliders brought another savory bite to the menu, while a simple assortment of glazed, chocolate, and old-fashioned donuts gave our Starting 5 its winning finish.
THE 46
Of course, a 46th birthday needed a signature cocktail.
For Jovan, that became The 46, our take on an Old Fashioned made with Maker’s Mark 46.
I batched the cocktail ahead of time and poured it into a crystal decanter so guests could easily serve themselves. Rocks glasses, orange peels for garnish, and a framed cocktail sign completed the little bar setup.
One of my favorite photos from the day may be Jovan making his own drink at the bar. There is something I love about seeing the details of a celebration actually being enjoyed rather than simply styled.
For guests who preferred something lighter, I also set up a small mimosa bar with orange, pineapple, and peach juices alongside chilled sparkling wine. Even here, I carried the basketball-inspired details through with a framed sign and one of Jovan’s sneakers displayed beneath the glassware.
DETAILS THAT FELT LIKE HIM
Rather than adding basketballs everywhere, I used things Jovan already loves as part of the décor.
Sneakers became display pieces in clear acrylic cases throughout the kitchen and living spaces. Basketball books became coffee-table décor. Even our usual tree was transformed for the occasion.
Those personal touches are always my favorite way to approach a celebration. A theme can give you direction, but the details that tell you something about the person being celebrated are what make it memorable.
A SEAT AT THE TABLE
For the table, I kept the foundation clean and modern with black woven placemats, silver chargers, white plates, black napkins, and amber glasses.
Small arrangements of greenery, red-orange roses, and delicate white flowers ran down the center of the table, while black cordless lamps added height without competing with the flowers.
Then came the fun part: a miniature orange Nike shoe box at every place setting.
Inside each box was a miniature bottle of Maker’s Mark, an Old Fashioned cocktail packet, a dried orange slice, and a little thank-you card.
It was part favor, part place-setting detail, and one more way to carry the story of the celebration throughout the room.
I love favors that feel connected to the occasion rather than added simply because you feel like you are supposed to have one. These were fun, useful, and especially fitting for Jovan.
ANOTHER WINNING SEASON
At the center of all of the details was something much simpler: getting people we love together to celebrate another year of Jovan.
Later that afternoon, after school, Sebastian joined in on the birthday fun too.
The food was eaten. Drinks were poured. There was laughter throughout the house. And somewhere between the sneakers, basketballs, brunch, and bourbon was the part I always love most—the people.
I am always reminded after celebrations like this that making something special does not necessarily mean making it elaborate. Sometimes it is simply noticing the things someone loves and finding thoughtful ways to weave them into the day.
Cheers to 46, Jovan—and another winning season.
What are some of the little details you love incorporating when you celebrate someone special?
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