Dr. Wendy Osefo shed tears when she celebrated her milestone 40th birthday earlier this year.
The Real Housewives of Potomac star tells PEOPLE she was overwhelmed with emotion at her glamorous soirée, moments after blowing out the candles on her birthday cake.
“I looked out in the crowd and saw everyone who meant something to me in my life and the tears just started flowing,” Dr. Wendy notes. “There were my best friends since I was 15, my sorority sisters from college, my friends in the political commentary space, and my Real Housewives sisters. Not to mention my husband [Eddie Osefo], our kids [Karter, 11, Kruz, 9, and Kamrynn, 5]. my mom, my aunts and uncles, Eddie’s family — it was really everyone! And they came out to celebrate me. That is a feeling I’ll never forget.”
“It was the cherry on top of an already magnificent birthday,” she adds.
Bravo viewers will likely never forget the beautiful bash either, which was seen on the episode of RHOP that aired Sunday, Nov. 24. It was one of a few celebrations Dr. Wendy has had this season around her birthday.
“I’ve joked that this is the 40th birthday that has not ended, because we did a girls trip to Lake Norman on my actual birthday in May, and then when I got home, Eddie and the kids and I went to Paris,” Dr. Wendy says. “Now, I don’t normally celebrate my birthday, especially after having kids because I was always so focused on doing all the bells and whistles for them. But entering this new decade, I felt like I wanted to mark its importance by doing something big. So I figured, ‘Why not throw a big party of my own?’ ”
The event, held at a private residence in Maryland overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, was themed “Dîner en Blanc” — French for “dinner in white.”
“If you follow me on social media you know one thing I love is color-coordination and one of my favorite colors is white,” says Dr. Wendy. “So having just been in Paris, it felt like the perfect theme.”
To help put the party together, Dr. Wendy turned to luxury event planner and curator OB Curates.
The space was decked to the nines with stylings from designers Everything Luxe Decor, as well as furniture from All Modern Rentals and lounge seating from Rues Design.
Gold accents — including a golden bar serving custom beverages by Liquid Lounge Cocktails with a menu by Created To Create Co. — helped give the space that extra zhuzh, as did oversized photos of Dr. Wendy and signage (from Aurey’s Creations) marking what was dubbed the author’s “Chapter 40.” There was even a golden Eiffel Tower that framed the dance floor, which itself featured an image of the structure as well as Wendy’s name, printed by Vanguard Event Solutions.
Lush white florals cascaded from nearly everywhere guests looked, including in the center of the two long rectangular white dinner tables and four circular gold tables where guests sat for dinner. Select Event Group Rentals provided all the table decor.
For food, Dr. Wendy enlisted the help of the renowned Chef Dee to cook an authentic Nigerian menu. She crafted a multi-course seated meal, that was made all that sweeter with a slice of that aforementioned cake from Hera’s Decadence. Later, Chef Blacque kept the Nigerian delights coming with some late night bites while food truck Funnel Fare served funnel cakes and fried Oreos.
“The food was so important to me because I am an easter,” Dr. Wendy says. “Next to my family, my second love is food. So I needed to make sure the food was right, because nobody goes hungry at a Dr. Wendy party. And let the record reflect, everybody ate well.”
Music was a big part of the day, too. A harpist set the mood as guests arrived, before DJ Mic Smith got the crowd on the dance floor (with some encouragement by emcee George Bannerman).
Photographer Javon Roye and videographer Final Shot Media made sure the event was documented from all angles.
There were other over-the-top touches too. Champagne was served off the dress of a performer from Artstella Productions; guests captured pictures in a photo booth from Memories from A to Z; Dr. Wendy and Eddie even did a lap around the bay in a jet ski car from Boatxshare.
“It was just amazing, it was so great,” Dr. Wendy says. “And then we had fireworks. I mean, you can’t believe how gorgeous it was.”
Dr. Wendy looked gorgeous herself, in two gowns, both by Ela Rose. In a sea of white, she stood out in a structured gold gown with a dramatic bodice and sheer skirt. She later changed into white to coordinate with her guests, including RHOP castmates Karen Huger, Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Mia Thornton, Stacey Rusch, Keiarna Stewart,Jacqueline Blake and Jassi Rideaux.
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As for her goals for this next decade, Dr. Wendy tells PEOPLE she has a new approach to life.
“Most of my life, I’ve been chasing something: chasing a dream, chasing a goal. I want to do this, I want to accomplish this, I want to achieve this. And for the first time in my life, I feel like I have done everything I’ve wanted to do,” she reflects. “40 is such a place of peace for me and my biggest hope for 40 is just happiness. Not an accomplishment, not a degree. Not to have another baby, even though Eddie wants to. No, it is just to be happy in this time in this space.”
“And you know… maybe I get a national TV talk show in the process,” she laughs. “I won’t say no to that.”
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
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