I wanted to share some party planning and design tips, since a big focus last month was for Elliot’s 1st birthday celebration. We had about 45 people or so at ours. Organization is key!

1. Make a list of all the orders you need to make and things you need to buy
2. Rent what you need and place food orders about a week or so before the event
3. Check things off the list as you do them
4. Keep all supplied and decorations together, tucked away
5. Make a drawing of the space with realistic measurements for accuracy
6. Use any help you get!! No one can plan a party alone

I chose to have a picnic theme. Pretty easy and casual. Here are a few photos from the party pre-arrival:

We set up some huge ONE balloons with a photo banner underneath with pictures of Elliot this past year. Something like this is a nice way to showcase growth and how much your little one has changed. And super easy to do!

I set up some drinks that most people like, Water with lemon and orange slices, and Iced Tea with lemon, as well as some soda. This is much easier that putting out bottled water or other drinks. And less to throw away or recycle!

For the tables I bought white tablecloths at a wholesale website because it was cheaper than renting them. And now I have them for future parties! Click here to visit the website I used. Then I bought plaid fabric from Fabric.com to lay on top. For centerpieces, I purchased some greenery from our local nursery and just wrapped them in brown bags with ribbon. This was easy, affordable, and I can plant them in our yard now that the party is over! There were also some games and coloring set up for the kids. And on each table were small bowls with snacks for people to munch on.

And you always should have enough seating for people to relax and talk as well, so we set up the patio with a comfy area perfect for catching up.

One of the last things I put together was goodie bags for the kids. I bought strawberry baskets and filled them with all sorts of little toys and crafty like things. Then wrapped them up with pretty tags. The kids loved them! It was definitely overwhelming to plan this party. I didn’t make that much food and I was still stuck in the kitchen most of the time, which didn’t make me happy. We had all the sandwiches catered and some other relatives made some side dishes as well. I bakes the cupcakes, icing and all, and they came out delicious!! Everyone raved about the food, and that is important. You want all your guests to have fun and leave with filled bellies. Hope these tips help you out for your next party. My last piece of advice…breathe!