40th Birthday Ideas For Women: The “Four T”s of Turning Forty
Forty.
As I type this number, I find it hard to believe that they will represent my age in a matter of days.
I don’t find the number to symbolize being old. It’s not necessarily a symbol of maturity. To me, it isn’t a determinant of anything I was hoping to be by now. Perhaps that’s because so many people I know have completely reinvented themselves in years much past the ripe age of 40. It’s not a big deal, right? It’s not about beauty or youth. Some of the most beautiful women (and men) I have ever met are older than 40. Some are first time parents! I spent weeks thinking of 40th birthday ideas.
So what is it? What captivates so many people about this age?
While I remain perplexed about the hoopla of this birthday number to avoid at all costs, I think turning 40 is one of the single most important rites of passage a person can experience. Here are FOUR reasons why I think this is true.
The “Four T”s of Turning Forty
Transition from Youth.
At one time, people used to consider themselves middle-aged at forty. People twice this age used to be seen as frail or on death’s door, perhaps dying in a nursing home somewhere. Today, people are living into the 100s, so therefore it seems that forty year olds aren’t exactly halfway through their lives yet. Although 40 isn’t the midpoint anymore, I do think that people who are 40 are in an ideal situation. They can see quite clearly the past and its impact on a potential future. A forty-year old can recall with ease, and sometimes angst, all the ways he or she has improved over the years. We can think back and smile, remembering the mistakes we made, with the knowledge that we won’t recreate the same experiences, if we can help it.
Trust in Oneself.
Because there have been four decades of experience accrued, a forty-something person have gleaned quite a history of experience. While the teens and twenties were about wondering what our friends thought, and the thirties concerned with what the neighbors and Facebook friends thought, forty is finally the time where it’s about What “I” think, and what “I” want. Having lived through years of choices made upon the suggestions of others, a person’s inner compass is much more in command. Instead of being fearful of what might happen when making a big decision, I can remind myself of how I have lots of resources and connections to help me should things not go as planned. Less panic, more support. Less worry, more belief in oneself.
Total Body Acceptance.
Once predominately a vehicle for getting attention, through overall shape, body art, or muscular agility, our bodies have proven themselves to be miraculous temples. Many forty year olds have experienced childbirth, illnesses, and weight gains and losses at least once in their lifetimes. Wrinkles have appeared and gray hairs have triumphed. No longer can we survive on 3 hours of sleep and nacho chips and soda diets. And while we may feel as though our bodies have failed us, we realize the importance of taking care of it. Our bodies are with us through every experience.
Dating as a forty year old is drastically different in comparison to dating in the twenties. Often times, the opposite sex has learned to appreciate the wisdoms offered by and experienced partner perfection becomes overrated. Being 40, for many people, is the time they do less comparing of themselves to fashion magazines and more to the weight that feels best for oneself. And while many of us try to get back the bodies we had in our twenties, we find comfort in knowing that our peers also join us in such reminiscing. To be honest, I’ll take a few fine lines on my face over acne any day of the week!
True Friendships.
Being forty is especially wonderful when you can think of friends you have known for most of your life. There are few finer things in life than the shared memories between longtime friends. During the twenties and thirties, we were still testing out some of our friendships. By forty, we often tout friendships that span 20+ years.
I have a friend that I met when I was about 18 years old. I think of all of the talks we have had, the adventures we have been on, the times we covered for each other, the times we didn’t speak to each other, the ups and downs of relationships we have been in, and the highs and lows of life in general. Now that we both have young children, the joy we both feel in watching our children grow up together is magnified by our rich history. When I compare my friendships to those I had in my teens and twenties, there isn’t any question of which decade I’d rather be in with my friends.
For many reasons, including the Four Ts I outlined above, I look forward to my own rite of passage, my entrance into the era of my 40s. Armed with a real appreciation for what truly matters, I’m excited for what is yet to come. I’m still young enough to get out there and try something different. I could only think of two perfect 40th Birthday Ideas for myself. Dinner with my very dear friends and boldly planning my boudoir photo shoot at the castle. I was tempted to plan a boudoir portrait party, maybe next milestone.
How did you celebrate your birthday? Please share your stories with us. We’d love to customize your experience at Je Revele and make it unforgettable.
40th Birthday Ideas For Brides-to-Be | Boudoir Photos the perfect grooms gift!
Looking for an art piece for your home: something a bit anonymous could make the perfect fit.
Life, in many ways, is just beginning. Welcome, forty. I’ve been expecting you!
~Charity Fues
Also featured on our boudoir blog: http://newjerseyboudoirjerevele.com/40th-birthday-ideas-for-women-boudoir-glamour-photos/
We invite you to celebrate turning forty with a boudoir photo shoot in New Jersey at the Je Revele castle. If you’re looking for the best boudoir photographer New Jersey, we’d be grateful if you’d consider our studio for an unforgettable experience. Are you looking for: 40th Birthday Ideas For Brides-to-Be, including portrait parties, or unique ideas? Give us a call anytime.
Je Revele Fine Art Photography Studio & Gallery
433 River Road | Highland Park, NJ 08904 | NJ Castle: 732-964-3773
Website: www.jerevele.com | Blog: www.blog.jerevele.com
Check-in with us on Facebook & receive $25 Credit: https://www.facebook.com/JeRevelebyNatalieLicini
International Award Winning Photographer
PPA Photographer of the year 2012
NOW BOOKING COMMUNION PORTRAIT SESSIONS AT JE REVELE AT THE CASTLE
So often, when a new client arrives at our studio, they are amazed at the beautiful grounds and romantic, gothic stone and brickwork. Steeped in tradition, our castle offers a historical charm that is unique and timeless. It’s the perfect backdrop for a revered event such as your child’s First Holy Communion.
In the Roman Catholic faith, the sacrament of The First Holy Communion is a precious, exciting and memorable day in a child’s life. The photographers Je Revele Fine Art Photography would be honored to help you visually celebrate this joyous occasion for the enjoyment of your entire family.
Having participated in, attended and experienced many First Holy Communions in and around the New York Metropolitan area, our photographers are very cognizant of the essential poses parents wish to remember forever. Who wants to forget that dress, those shoes, how grown up, yet still so innocent your precious child has suddenly become?
Some examples of images you can expect may be such as your child holding his/her First Holy Communion Certificate and/or symbolic gifts. We can memorialize children praying or just being themselves, as well as many other important candid moments in a fine art portrait images. At the castle we have beautiful arched windows, award winning stairwell, and lush grounds. And in NYC, our studio boasts oval-shaped windows, a balustrade balconette railing including french doors with small colonettes. Your child will look like a member of royalty on one of the most special days in his or her life!
Our photographers offer creative enhancements to the images. You might decide to make one or more of your lovely images into a fine art piece, which results in a priceless oil painting or water color masterpiece. You’ll be amazed at our products for displaying your masterpieces. Just let us know what you’re dreaming of for your little angel. We can make it happen!
Call today to find out availability for you to have holy communion photos taken at the Castle at Je Revele or on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. We take pride in capturing life’s precious moments as work of art.
We are already booking up quickly, so please call the studio as soon as possible to reserve your date.
…and after your communion portrait, take a beautiful new family portrait!
This year, we offer something special for your little prince or princess to help them remember this blessed day: • Pre Shoot Consultation • Your choice at our Castle studio & grounds…or one of our fabulous outdoor locations • Free hair styling for your little girl (or for Mom!) by our talented in-house stylist for all Castle sessions • 1 Hour session • Our classic Je Revele hospitality with sweets and beverages • Indoor and outdoor scenery at our gorgeous historic Castle studio • A special photo keepsake for your child to remember their photo experience with us.
~Natalie
Je Revele Fine Art Photography Studio & Gallery
433 River Road | Highland Park, NJ 08904 | NJ Castle: 732-964-3773 | NYC Studio: 212-787-2175
Website: www.jerevele.com | Blog: www.blog.jerevele.com
https://www.facebook.com/JeRevelebyNatalieLicini
International Award Winning Photographer
PPA Photographer of the year 2012
VISIT US at our NEW location in Manhattan on the Upper West Side!
RE-STYLING THE SWEET SIXTEEN
Turning sweet sixteen is not what it used to be. It’s still the first of life’s major milestones for American girls, but it’s become so much more than a right of passage. Many young girls approach their sweet sixteen celebration like they would a wedding, and while everyone loves a GREAT party, we wanted to create a new experience to give the next generation a fun and fresh way to celebrate in style.
As always, we set out to devise something truly unique and memorable. The result? The Je Revele Portrait Party: a fabulous fusion of pampering, partying, and hi-fashion photo shoot, set against the backdrop of a gorgeous castle. This is not your average photo session!
How does it work?
- Customize your package options. Choose things like professional hair and makeup, designer wardrobes, a 5-star dinner at the castle, and even chauffeur transportation.
- What’s your style? Would you like to high-fashion photos, glamour or beauty portraits? All of the above?
- Have the birthday girl gather her closest friends for a day of relaxation, beauty, and celebration.
- Allow our staff to indulge your party with complimentary refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.
- Watch the girls live out their superstar fantasies as they strike their best poses for the camera. We’re open to different themes—creativity is welcome!
- Leave feeling fabulously refreshed, with gorgeous images of the day to relive over and over again.
- Relish in the success of sharing this amazing day with the birthday girl and her guests.
What’s the point of having our studio in a castle without playing dress-up and celebrating like The Royals? It’s fun for us to watch clients laugh and let loose with their closest friends.
The experience alone is exciting, liberating, and unforgettable, but even when the day is done, it all continues in choosing which incredible images to print and having that gift to treasure forever.
If you love making a mark and stepping up old traditions, this is for you. We still have a lot of love for traditional sweet 16 parties: many clients, including the one featured here, choose our Portrait Party as an addition to having us shoot their formal event. And as a special bonus we offer a large 12×18 portrait of our birthday girl which can be displayed at her Sweet 16 party and in her home for many years (inquire about terms & details for this special offer).
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Even then, we photograph new jersey sweet 16 parties with a modern twist. Check out the photos below for a glimpse of how we spice it up with imagery as energetic as the party itself.
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Can you envision a day of decadence amongst friends? What kind of shoot would be your ideal? Share your thoughts with us below!
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Je Revele Fine Art Photography Studio & Gallery
433 River Road | Highland Park, NJ 08904 | Studio: 732-964-3773 | Mobile: 917-886-5666
Website: www.jerevele.com | Blog: www.blog.jerevele.com
LIKE us on Facebook & receive $25 Credit: https://www.facebook.com/JeRevelebyNatalieLicini
International Award Winning Photographer
2012 PPA Photographer of the year
2012 IMAGE OF THE YEAR CONTEST | NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHER | NEW JERSEY PHOTOGRAPHER
The 2012 Image of the Year Contest has been an enormous success. A special thank you to our client nominees who rallied their own fans to join us in a little year end fun. What a great way to ring in 2013!
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
GRAND PRIZE WINNER (100+ LIKES): AVIS WASHINGTON | NEWBORN | Italian designer handcrafted photo album
1ST PLACE: JOIE BENEVENTO | INTIMATE PORTRAIT| 12×18 Heirloom Wall Portrait
2ND PLACE KAREN KENNEDY | NEWBORN | Custom iPhone app with top 30 favorite images
3RD PLACE: EVELYN QUIGLEY | FAMILY | Music Video Slideshow
4TH PLACE: KATHLEEN COTTER | NEWBORN | 12 Month Calendar
5TH PLACE: MEREDITH HUNT | INTIMATE PORTRAITURE | Mini Memory Book with 10 images
6TH PLACE: CHRISTINE & JAMES HANLEY | WEDDING | iPhone Case or Stone Coasters
…In addition to our Top 6 PRIZES, our Top 10 finalists will be receiving a complimentary mini-session plus a free 8×10 image. We are announcing two dates for our mini-sessions this Winter.
7TH PLACE: JAMIE HART | INTIMATE PORTRAIT
8TH PLACE: KATHLEEN COTTER | NEWBORN
9TH PLACE: The HUSBAND FAMILY | FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY
10TH PLACE: CARLA MURINO | FAMILY
VOTER PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Three lucky voters have been randomly selected from the voter pool to win a free mini session + 8×10 Image Print:
1. Kimberly Vogt
2. Danielle Mark
3. Janise Haberstroh-Stout
PLUS, AS A SURPRISE THANK YOU TO ALL OUR CLIENT NOMINEES FOR PARTICIPATING:
All nominees will receive one of our NEWLY RELEASED “Facebook Timeline Covers” to adorn their page with some of their favorite images!
Thanks all who joined us in some year-end fun. Stay tuned for our next big contest later in 2013! We’ll be in touch with all winners on how to claim their prizes.
Happy New Year to all!
Much Love,
Natalie & Cate
TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF FAMILY PORTRAITS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Every year, we see clients rush in to sessions stressed and harried, squeezing in that essential portrait before the Holidays. Oh no! What should they wear?”… “What if he doesn’t smile?”…”The shoes I ordered her haven’t arrived.” Some clients find the idea of portraits more stressful than fun.
Our philosophy has always been that art and memory making should be a source of joy, for these are milestones of your life. We want our sessions to be as joyous and free flowing for you as they are for your child.
As our clients begin to book their family portrait sessions this holiday season, our goal is to demystify the process and redefine the portrait-taking experience in our new Castle Studio. We’ll show you how to avoid the lines and shop easily online at our favorite stores; how not to sweat the details; How to kick back, relax and enjoy some “down time” in our Castle studio. All the while, your children will be having a blast with us in their session.
Timelessness and authenticity is important to all that we do. We like to offer our clientele these top 5 tips to create something truly spectacular and enjoyable:
- WARDROBE STYLE
Avoid trendy clothing and bold patterns that may go out of style in a few years. Instead, opt for classic or even historic-inspired looks that can help you create an image that will be as relevant in 5 months as it will be in 50 years. Some of our favorite places to shop or draw inspiration for children’s wardrobe include:
- Chasing Fireflies http://www.chasing-fireflies.com
- Janie and Jack Special Occasion wear www.janieandjack.com
- J. Crew Cuts Special Occasions http://www.jcrew.com/girls_category/dresses/specialoccasion.jsp?navLoc=left_nav
- www.Kidsformal.com
- www.woodensoldier.com
- Ralph Lauren Special Occasion for Kids http://www.ralphlauren.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=12574038&cp=1760783&ab=ln_children_cs8_specialoccasionshop
- Strasburg Children http://www.strasburgchildren.com/stores/default.asp
- Tuesday’s Child http://www.tuesdayschild.com
- COLORS & PATTERNS
- The viewer’s eye will be drawn to pops of color. The child wearing the boldest or lightest color (like white) will in most cases draw the most attention.
- Red makes a hint at “holiday” but works all year long. Red always makes a gorgeous pop of color in photos. When the tresses are stark and the skies are grey in November, the child becomes the centerpiece of the image, as shown in this image below.
- Patterns are nice, but we like to avoid pattern clashing (the plaids and florals). If more than one child is in the photo, avoid the patterns and opt for solids or subtle small patterns.
- Avoid the “matchie-matchie”. Years ago, the whole family in white shirts and jeans was considered “edgy”. Now, by today’s photo style trends, it may start to look dated. We like to keep photos looking like real life (but maybe just a little extra special). Similar but varying color tones looks great (like jewel tones, pastels, or varying shades of whites.)
- Contrast (like ivory skin next to a dark green velvet) looks equally gorgeous as monochrome (light skin and hair wearing a winter-ivory).
3. DON’T SWEAT THE DETAILS!
- I have a friend who simply WILL NOT book her session until she has the perfect socks and shoes. She waits until last minute and then rush-prints her cards. The truth is, the image rarely notices the socks and shoes (old, new or otherwise), and we don’t want it to. If your child were not the most important element of the image, it would be US doing something wrong.
- My son’s tie was crooked and his shirttail hung out of his pants in last year’s holiday card. But I LOVED that. It was authentic…because his shirt is almost always hanging out. In my opinion, Natalie captured that perfectly the image featured here.
- We always get the call about the last minute cat-scratch, scraped knee or facial blemish days before the shoot. It won’t matter. These elements can easily be removed in our post-production retouching process.
4. RULES NEED NOT APPLY
- We ALL want well-behaved children. But sometimes, they DON’T, or they WON’T. That’s OK. Some of our best images are from sessions where the parents considered their children’s behavior poor. What parents may see as incorrigible, we see as opportunities to capture expressions, energy and independence. The photo shoot is NOT the place to enforce discipline, but rather make it a fun experience where “anything goes”. We’ll let you know if we need your help reining them in, but that’s a rare occurrence! Because in reality, it’s a blast for the child and us when we work one-on-one.
5. KICK BACK AND “FEEL” THE HOLIDAYS
When you’re at our Castle studio, we want you to feel the hospitality of an exquisite home. It’s a special place that allows you to take a breath, experience its history, and soak in the comfortable space we have created for clients. While we’re photographing your child, you’re free to relax on the couch with a glass of wine or a hot cocoa, enjoy our signature homemade Panini, read a long-neglected book or magazine, or listen to music. Our photo sessions should be as enjoyable for you as they are for your children. While we’re making art, you can focus on the art of being YOU (even if just for an hour).
We hope we’ll get to work with you and your family this holiday season! If you haven’t done so already, please call our studio to book your session. Be sure to ask about our special holiday-season promotions. We’ll be looking forward to hearing from you!
Cate & Natalie
