48 designs
40th birthday invitations
Forty and Owning It
These 40th birthday invitations range from gold-foil florals and burgundy cocktail designs to red baroque, groovy 70s retro and graffiti. Guests reply online, so the headcount keeps itself. Design free, pay when you send — from $9.99.
When should you send 40th birthday invitations?
Send 40th birthday invitations three to four weeks before a party at home. Allow six to eight weeks if guests will travel, and ask for replies about a week before the party.
For a surprise, give guests an arrive-by time earlier than the guest of honor's, and schedule the invitation for a morning when the birthday star is at work.
What should a 40th birthday invitation include?
Besides the date, time and place, a 40th invitation should cover:
- "It's a surprise" at the top, and who to ask with questions (never the birthday star)
- adults only or family-friendly, said kindly
- a dress code for a cocktail party
- gift wishes, such as "no gifts" or one charity
Example lines to adapt:
- Surprise: "Andre thinks he's meeting his brother for a quick drink. Help us prove him wrong: be inside by 8:15, he walks in at 8:30."
- Dinner: "Forty, fed and celebrated: a long-table dinner for Nadia at the Oak Room, Saturday at 7."
- Cocktail party: "Cocktail attire, a jazz trio and a toast at nine. Grown-ups only tonight, so book the sitter."
What InviteBird builds in for a 40th
Every event includes a shared password and a setting called "Only guests on my list can RSVP." The first controls who can open the invitation, the second who can reply. Read more about password and privacy settings.
The adult birthday games start switched on: Guess the birthday star, Who knows the birthday star best, Wishes & memories and a prize drawing. For a surprise, switch off Who knows the birthday star best: the birthday star answers that quiz on their own link.
Speech Studio drafts a birthday toast from the stories you add, with three drafts included per event. A share link sends it to whoever gives the toast.
Questions about 40th birthday invitations
How far in advance should you plan a surprise 40th?
Start six to eight weeks out. That leaves time to book the place, add one insider as a co-host and send invitations three to four weeks before the day.
Can I keep a surprise 40th invitation private?
Mostly. Use the password and the guest-list setting together. Neither checks identity, so ask guests to keep the party off social media.
How do I say "adults only" on a 40th invitation?
Put it near the reply line, warmly: "We love your kids, but this one's for grown-ups." Address the invitation to the adults by name, and set plus-ones to the number you mean.
Can guests who can't come still leave a message?
Yes. Guests who reply no are still asked for a wish or memory, typed or recorded. You can download every answer as one keepsake PDF.
For themes, a step-by-step surprise plan and drinks with a no-alcohol twin, read our 40th birthday ideas guide. Full invitations for a surprise or a dinner are in birthday invitation wording for every age.
About these examples: the names, places and times in the sample lines are made up to show the wording.
Plan your celebration
- 40th birthday ideas: party themes and surprises
40th birthday themes, a party-or-trip table and a step-by-step surprise plan.
Another trip around the sun
A number worth toasting.
Thirty, forty, fifty and beyond — mark the milestone with an invitation as bold as the year deserves.
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