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FAB 40

Wanlyn's Fortieth Birthday

8 August 2026 · Thibaut & Wanlyn's Garden · Surprise Party

Moody Luxe

Dark tones · sculptural flowers · gold accents
Low-key, rich-bad-bitch energy

Guest List

Thibaut & Wanlyn (hosts) +3 Heather & Stefan +1.5 Molly & Koo +2 Lynn & Mathieu +2 Janina & Alex +2 Mathieu #2

Schedule

5:00pm — Cocktails 6:30pm — Dinner

Roles

Heather — décor/theme & menu lead
Thibaut — birthday-girl liaison; informally in charge overall (guest list, logistics)
Stefan — drinks & several starters/mains
Koo — grilling the pork belly live at dinner
Janina — Greek-style lemon potatoes
Lynn — Greek salad; teaching Miles & Wes a surprise piano duet

Surprise Program

  • Lynn is teaching Miles & Wes an easy "Happy Birthday" piano duet, to perform for Wanlyn at the party (timing to play by ear — cocktail hour, before, or after dinner)
  • No rehearsing at home while Wanlyn's around — keep it under wraps

Menu

Theme: Mediterranean / Korean fusion, eaten in the garden on the proper table

Setup & Logistics

  • Patio bar: the foldable table from the back
  • Main table (garden): the two office desks (confirmed Ikea model)
  • Seating: 6 chairs owned; Stefan bringing 5 more; patio rattan chairs move to the garden; small balcony chairs move to the patio as bar chairs
  • Extra chairs — Heather bringing 5 folding chairs + cushions
  • Lights — Heather's inventory confirmed: 1 light curtain, 2×15m + 1×6m outdoor string lights, 4 indoor lights
  • Light curtain for the backdrop — placement/sizing confirmed
  • Arch: WIP — red ribbons being tied on (more supply to extend to the ends), a "party portal" look. No feet on the arch, so it needs anchoring — the bald-patch potted plant may double as the anchor. Heather still has some doubts, "let's see how we go"
  • Table linens: tablecloth 420cm x 205cm; Heather can contribute 100 white linen napkins depending on the plates chosen
  • Plates: mix-and-match, plain white
  • Glasses: more Daiso glasses sorted; small vintage-style glasses also being picked up
  • Wine bottles for Heather's candle idea — all handed over to Heather already
  • Check if Mathieu has old bottles too
  • Liquor run: Stefan & Thibaut finished the brandy/cognac run — Glenfarclas, 5 bottles + 1 more via a Carousell deal
  • Decor prop: a wooden crate Heather found, possible grapevine/cornucopia styling — use still undecided; Thibaut also has a bunch of wooden crates (wine crates) as extra options
  • Decanter — Stefan bringing his own just in case; good to have a spare on hand
  • Special bottle: Thibaut & Wanlyn providing a really good bottle of wine, entrusted to Mathieu #2 to decant — he knows what he's doing, has had it stored in his wine cellar for the last few days (ongoing)
  • Party tattoos — sorted, Thibaut got tattoo sleeves, 3 pairs
  • Dress code: Comfy glam / rich bad bitch — communicated
  • Thibaut to clean the patio and balcony before the party, and get the garden trimmed 2-3 days ahead (~5-6 Aug)
  • Kids zone: basketball hoop & football goal consolidated into one spot, plus a picnic table for outdoor activities (color pencils + a big paper roll for a mural)
  • Bald patch in the garden — handled
  • Main table desks — ready
  • AC compressor cover: the Daiso rattan isn't available — needs an alternative
  • Electric mosquito repellent — bought
  • Move one floor-standing fan out to the garden
  • Extension cords for the fan and mosquito repellent — reassigned to Stefan
  • Kids' dinner — handled; Thibaut & Wanlyn's own helper will be there
  • Party playlist — sorted, Thibaut has a few options on Spotify; also moving a speaker out

Saturday Setup Plan

  • Morning: Heather — flowers; Stefan — moussaka; Thibaut — prep the house
  • Afternoon (from 3pm): Heather — table, arch & lights, tattoo station (bowl of water + sponge); Stefan — bar & extension cords; Thibaut — table setup, light install, plugs & music

Action Items

Thibaut
  • Finalize the full guest list
  • Send the invite — designed, Heather-approved, sent evening of 6 Aug
  • Cake — Bastille chocolate cake with maracuja, ordered; JD delivering Saturday
  • Confirm who's bringing kids
  • Kids' dinner — handled; our helper confirmed
  • Electric mosquito repellent — bought
  • Move one floor-standing fan out to the garden
  • AC compressor cover: Daiso rattan unavailable, need to adapt
  • Clean up patio and balcony before the party
  • Get the garden trimmed 2-3 days before (~5-6 Aug)
  • Clear the two office desks for the main table
  • Prep lots of ice — been on it for 3 days already (ongoing)
  • Get more of our Daiso glasses
  • Put fairy lights around the bar area
  • Confirm light curtain placement/sizing
  • Saturday afternoon: table setup, light install, plugs & music
  • Give wine bottles to Heather for her candle idea
  • Check if Mathieu has old bottles too
  • Ask everyone to bring one bottle of wine or bubbles per person who drinks
  • Prep the printed table menu
  • Charcuterie board — fully bought (cornichons, carrots/veg sticks, meat, cheese, bread, dips)
  • Grapes, salad, kids charcuterie/cheese, crackers, fruits + kids' snack board, green chilli — bought
  • Ice cream cones — bought
  • Vanilla ice cream — still pending
  • Buy the pork belly for Koo to grill
  • Bought a Korean grill plate for Koo to use
  • Go with Stefan for the finishing brandy/cognac run — Glenfarclas, 5 bottles + 1 more via Carousell
  • Party tattoos — bought tattoo sleeves, 3 pairs
  • Party playlist — sorted, a few options on Spotify
  • Move a speaker out for the party
Heather
  • Share draft menu with Lynn
  • Finish the arch ribbon decor; sort out an anchor since it has no feet
  • Order/confirm the light curtain
  • Get flowers for the table centerpieces (Saturday morning)
  • Decide on the wooden-crate decor piece
  • Roasted eggplant side for the menu
  • Hummus (tentative)
  • Bring 5 folding chairs + cushions
  • Non-alco: juice from FairPrice
  • Saturday afternoon: table, arch & lights, tattoo station (bowl of water + sponge)
Stefan
  • Martini bar plan, soju cocktail
  • Moussaka
  • Baba ganoush, pesto spread, tin fish dip
  • Bring 5 extra chairs
  • Set up the patio bar
  • Go with Thibaut for the finishing brandy/cognac run — Glenfarclas, 5 bottles + 1 more via Carousell
  • Non-alco: Sprite for soju mixers
  • Celery for the veg sticks
  • Saturday afternoon: bar & extension cords
Molly
  • Gimbap
Koo
  • Grill the pork belly live at the dinner table (Thibaut's Korean grill plate)
Janina
  • Greek-style lemon potatoes
Lynn
  • Greek salad
Mathieu #2
  • Decant a really good bottle of wine (Thibaut & Wanlyn providing the bottle) — he knows how to handle it, been storing it in his cellar for the last few days (ongoing)

Unassigned Items

  • Chair/ground stability in garden