Birthday Banner Ideas You Can Make Your Own

What to put on a birthday banner

Start with the name. A first name or a nickname is enough, and it should be the biggest line, because it is the first thing guests read. Then add the age. You can use a number, an ordinal such as 50th, or a phrase such as Turning 40. If the age is a secret, leave it off and let the name and a funny line do the work.

Next comes one line with some personality: a joke, a toast or a welcome. Last, decide whether guests need to know when or where. A short line such as Saturday at 6 pm or Party in the backyard helps people find the right house.

Aim for three lines or fewer. People read a banner in a few seconds, often while walking up the driveway. Every optional line in our builder can be switched off, and the live preview shows the banner exactly as it prints. The dashed example text you see in the preview is not printed.

• The name: first name or nickname, on the biggest line
• The age: 40, 40th or Turning 40
• One line that sounds like the person: a joke, a toast or a thank-you
• When or where, only if guests need it

Photo banner or words only?

A photo turns a birthday banner into a portrait of the guest of honor. It suits a big birthday, a surprise party, or any party where people will pose for pictures in front of the banner. Birthday photo banners come in three layouts: an instant-photo frame with a big script number, a photo in a ring, and a photo on the left with large words.

Words-only banners are quick to order, and big letters carry well across a yard. Custom vinyl banners use your words in six color pairs: white on red, black on white, white on blue, black on yellow, white on black and white on green. They fit a joke, a tribute, or a person who would rather not see their own face on the lawn.

Any phone photo is a fine start. Upload a JPG, PNG or WEBP, and the site finds the faces and frames them in your own browser. Drag to move the picture. Zoom in, and the face stays where it is. A note tells you how sharp the print will be, so you know before you order. Pick a photo with a large, clear face in good light. You will also tick a box saying you took the photo or may print it. A studio portrait usually needs the photographer's print release.

Milestone birthday banner ideas

Round-number birthdays earn a banner with the number front and center. Younger milestones, like 16 and 21, look good in bold color with an instant-photo frame. Older ones, like 70 and 80, look warm with a clean layout and a favorite photo of the person from any decade. For a mom or grandma, purple and gold, maroon and gold or purple and pink look warm. Here is wording that fits each one.

• 1st: a baby photo, a big 1st and the child's name
• 13th: Officially a teenager
• 16th: Sweet 16, or Sixteen and ready to drive
• 18th: Officially an adult
• 21st: Twenty-one and fun
• 30th: Hello, 30 or Thirty looks good on you
• 40th and 50th: Forty and fabulous, Fifty and fabulous, or Aged to perfection
• 60th and 70th: Sixty and still sparkling, or Seventy and still going strong
• 80th and up: a favorite old photo, the name and We love you

Birthday banner ideas for men

For him, bold and simple tends to land. Black and gold, navy and red, green and gold, and black and orange all give a strong, high-contrast look in the photo designs. Among the words-only banners, white on black and white on green keep the same serious mood.

Humor is a safe bet. A joke about age, such as Over the hill or Aged to perfection, makes a dad or a friend laugh at his own party. A plain tribute works too: Dad, you are our hero. If he has a hobby like fishing or golf, put a nod to it in the small line. Keep the name big either way.

Birthday banner ideas for kids

Let the birthday child pick the colors. Royal blue and gold, teal and black, red and white, green and white, and purple and teal all print clearly, and pink is one choice among many, not the starting point. Kids like seeing their own age as the star: Noah is 7, or Today I am 6.

Our banners print words and a photo, so the theme shows up in your wording and your color pair. A line such as Level 8 unlocked suits a gamer. Cake at 2 pm tells parents when to come back. For a teen, go with a bold color and a dry joke instead of baby talk.

Where to hang a birthday banner and what size to pick

Hang it where guests arrive: across the garage door, along the porch rail, on a backyard fence or on the wall behind the cake table. The vinyl is printed on one side and has hemmed edges with brass grommets around them, so you can tie it or use zip ties. A 6 x 3 ft banner weighs about 1.6 lb. Our guide on how to hang a banner walks through each spot.

For size, think about distance. A rule of thumb from the sign trade is about 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet. A banner read from the street at 30 feet wants letters near 3 inches tall, and the live preview shows the letter sizes on the banner itself. The table on this page matches sizes to common spots. See also our banner sizes guide.

Order ahead of the party. A banner ships in 1 to 2 business days, and ground shipping then takes 2 to 5 business days, so leave room for a change or two. If you would rather not lay it out yourself, Design it for me adds $35: you upload files and notes, we email a mockup within 1 business day, and nothing prints until you say so.