First Birthday Checklist – My little girl just turned one and it reminded me that I need to plan a party and bring out all the goodness. In total, I planned four amazing birthday parties for my girls and I thought I would share my party list with you. If you’re cool and like cake and pizza without all the frills, this post might not be for you. However, if you’re a Pinterest go “everywhere” mom like me, keep reading!
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I am a mother of two beautiful daughters and that my child is now one. I made the decision to go “all out” for both of their first birthdays because even though throwing a party is a lot of work, the memories are worth it. I want to capture all these good times and special events and save them to show my children when they grow up and to show their children etc.
First Birthday Checklist
My husband and I hired a caterer who came to our house and set up a marquee and patio full of beauty and creativity, a chef (who is also my big sister, talk about luck!) served all of our meals and our birthday cake, we ordered personalized family clothing, and even personalized items. However, there are many other things to consider when you start planning a party.
Botanical Birthday Word Scramble Printable
Venue: Before you do any party planning, you need to decide on a venue. Have you rented a house? Do you want a park? Do you do it in your home? Grandpa’s house? First choose your location, that way you can see how many people you can invite and how big a hit you can throw.
Date and Time: Most children’s birthday parties are anywhere between 1-4 hours. However, it is up to you to decide how long you want the party to last. But, think about your baby, most babies can only handle an hour or two with all the noise and chaos, you don’t want to upset them, after all it’s their day. Decide the time, place and limit of how long the party will last.
Theme: The theme of your party is one of the most important decisions when it comes to planning and having the most fun! If I’m being honest, this is probably one of the best birthday parties you’ll be able to plan and your child won’t care too much about what you choose. Anything can be the theme now, unicorns, mermaids, fruit, ice cream, lemonade stand. Get creative with your study and try to think outside the box.
Guest list: Before you start making your invitations, sit down and make a guest list. Don’t feel pressured to invite everyone. Make a list of the number of adults who will attend and the number of children who will be present. It is also helpful to note the ages of the children, especially if you are making and distributing goodie bags or party favors.
Baby Milestones: Year 1
Invitations: Now that you have your theme set up, you can create an invitation. I personally like to move on
And finding a mom who can create one for me from scratch, call me a friend, but I’m not someone who wants to buy invitations that have been used many times. Plus, it’s fun and challenging to create invitations from scratch using your own theme.
Menu : The food you serve at a party is often the most expensive of all. Decide how much food you will serve if there is any, some people like to eat finger foods and soft drinks, while others want to serve all the food. I recommend calling nearby restaurants or using your grocery app to determine the cost of catering for your party. If you are providing food, write it on your invitation.
Cake : Now that you have a budget for your menu, think about what kind of cake you want and how many people you want to feed. Your cake will be the centerpiece of the party and most people will love to take a piece home. Call your local bakeries and get an estimate, don’t be afraid to ask for an opinion on the design.
Step By Step Guide To Plan A Successful Party + Printable Checklist
Entertainment: Will you be looking for a DJ? A clown? A group? Paint her face? If so, you will need to book in advance, especially during the festival. For example, June is one of the busiest months in the party world, as many people get married, graduate, have birthdays and much more during that time. If you choose not to have fun, make a playlist on Spotify or Apple Music and connect it to a portable speaker, try to listen to your audience when you choose your songs.
Decor: I love, love this part! But, here’s the thing, I’m not as creative as I want to be. For my older daughters and my youngest’s first birthday, we hired an event planner to come and set up our porch for us, and take everything down afterward. I contacted him and explained to him the theme I had in mind, the idea of it all and some ideas of what I would like him to do. The great part about hiring an event planner is that they take the pressure off and can decorate the entire event so you don’t have to buy decorations you won’t use again. It can be expensive but it saves time and money in the long run. However, if you don’t want to hire a planner, here’s what you need to consider when decorating:
-Food Decoration: Cakes, cupcakes, cupcakes, sticks, gift bags, candy bags, all are beautiful ways to decorate your decorations and make them more inviting.
-Cake Table: This is the focal point of your entire party, consider decorating this table more. Invest in a nice cake stand, maybe cupcakes too. Add decorations that match your theme and surround the cake with daisies that tie it together.
Bluey Birthday Party Ideas Kids Will Love
– Gift Place / Goody Bags: You can combine everything to save space and make it easier for your guests. When they enter, they can drop off their gifts and pick up a goody bag. It helps if you write names on the bags, write boy or girl letters, or make them all neutral. You can keep the decoration in this area minimal as it will be decorated with goodie bags and lots of gifts.
– Decorative Table / Place: This is an interesting decoration idea if you have time and space because you can use it to really tie the theme. If you are doing mermaids, you can have a fish tank and a shiny glass with a mermaid symbol, maybe a photo of your child added, or maybe even a picture box. The possibilities are endless and it’s a great way to make your child’s birthday Pinterest worthy – haha!
– Food Table: The best way to decorate a good table is to match the plates, napkins and dishes. You can also use aluminum serving trays and food tents to keep it simple yet elegant. You can buy all of these items at any local party store, food tents are all the rage right now and they make it easy for your guests to serve themselves.
– Guest Tables: Center tables are a fun and elegant way to decorate guest tables, I love that our planner used tablecloths and wrapped ties for each chair. You can do something similar and add a sprinkle of light confetti as well.
Best 1st Birthday Party Games Ideas
– High chair/Chair: Let’s be honest, most babies don’t go hand in hand with the guests at the party, meaning they don’t want to be touched by everyone. Having a place where your child can sit comfortably and enjoy eating is a great idea that you will be glad you did. You can decorate the high chair with “I’m one!” Banner to jazz it up.
– Ceiling / Awning: Our designer used an awning, which made it easier for him to decorate the ceiling, it adds a 3D effect and catches the eye. If you’re decorating, consider adding some decorations to the ceiling, whether it’s streamers, balloons, or something that goes with your theme! For example, a fishing net with plastic fish attached to it, for a mermaid theme.
– Front Gate/Entry: This is a great way to let your guests know there’s a party, some may find it loud and messy, but I mean, why not go outside, right? Consider building a balloon arch or using streamers. Make sure you store your accessories properly, you don’t want the wind to blow them away.
Birthday Girl/ Boy Outfit: The guest of honor deserves an equally adorable outfit! Consider getting a unique onesie or t-shirt that matches the theme of their party. Don’t forget to dress them well, there is nothing worse than getting caught in an itch
Custom Online Birthday Invitations And Rsvps
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