Mae's Garden Themed First Birthday Party

I already feel emotional writing this post. I LOVE planning my children’s first birthday parties. Like, I’ve-considered-planning-parties-as-my-job level love it. I enjoy the challenge of choosing a unique theme and finding a way to tell a story to create a world of wonder and joy where we can celebrate with our nearest and dearest.

Note: Mae’s party was in November 2019, it’s just being shared a year later!

garden party first birthday

I start the planning process months in advance because I enjoy it and because it helps me emotionally and mentally prepare for the milestone. Every Momma is different, this is just part of how I’m wired to do it.

Developing a Theme

Early on, a garden party idea inspired me for Mae, all sprouting (see what I did there?) from the classic rhyme I personalized for her: April showers bring Mae flowers, Join us as we celebrate Twelve Months of Mae.” (insert my giddy smile here). I loved it.

My first iteration was a very colorful and classic take on a garden including clay pots and white picket fences. But as I got further into the process, I was drawn to a whimsical, fairytale approach. Once I landed here, the floodgates opened and I was off to the races.

garden themed first birthday invitation

I knew I wanted to work with an illustrator to create an invitation and a few printable pieces for the party to make the theme really shine. My friend Kayla, who also did Fox’s first birthday invitation, created the sweetest “Twelve Months of Mae” design for the special day. It featured happy flowers, a pretty pink bow, and a few sweet little butterflies!

garden themed first birthday party
I found these natural wood month cut outs at Michael’s and they were the ideal addition.

In addition to the invitation (which is still hanging in Mae’s room because I love it so much) she designed a display for me to share Mae’s monthly photos. Since the party theme was based on the twelve months of her life, I wanted to give it a grand display!

Party Decor

I enjoy setting the tone for a party and creating a special experience for guests as soon as possible. This starts with the invitation, and at Mae’s party guests were welcomed with a heart-shaped balloon-lined walkway and paper lantern porch. I loved how special and celebratory it felt. And most of all, Mae was a fan, which is enough for me!

garden themed first birthday party heart balloons
garden themed first birthday party heart balloons

Fox helped Woody secure the balloons along the walkway. He was such a happy helper, and I love this sweet photo of him.

garden themed first birthday party_heart balloons
garden themed first birthday party paper lanterns
garden themed first birthday party paper lantern porch

The runner on this table was from our wedding reception! I love reusing pieces that are beautiful and meaningful.

garden themed first birthday party paper lanterns with ribbon
garden themed first birthday party heart balloon walkway

The inside felt like walking into a colorful, oversized garden, and I was pretty touched when one friend got misty-eyed upon entering! For me, a celebration is an opportunity to transport guests to a memorable place that we share together. By breaking up our everyday life, a party gives us a moment in time to experience and remember collectively.

I started creating paper flowers in the summer, and I was captivated by the art of it. Before I knew it, I was special ordering tissue paper from Etsy and clearing out space in our small historic home to store all my creations! I followed a video tutorial, and made my own tweaks as I learned the technique. Friends and family jumped in on the fun when they could, and Mae’s garden really started to take shape!

garden themed first birthday party handmade paper flowers
garden themed first birthday party handmade paper flowers
garden themed first birthday party handmade paper flowers
garden themed first birthday party
mae first birthday party
garden themed first birthday party hand-painted party hats

I have a thing for making birthday hats, and these were surprisingly easy to do! I used a mix of white, ivory, and blush cardstock paper and painted them with watercolors. Then, I rolled them, hot glued the edges, and later added the elastic band. They were a darling touch!

garden themed first birthday party party hats
garden themed party
garden themed party

A “Mae”mosa bar? I couldn’t resist.

garden themed first birthday party
garden themed first birthday party
handmade tissue paper flowers
garden themed first birthday party flowers
garden themed first birthday party
garden themed first birthday party paper party hats
garden themed first birthday party handmade tissue paper flowers
garden themed first birthday party paper lanterns with butterflies
garden themed first birthday party paper lanterns with butterflies
garden themed first birthday party paper flowers and lanterns

I saw the idea on Pinterest to add butterflies to a paper lantern, and I knew I had to incorporate it. I love the light and airy, fanciful touch they give to the dining room. I found two floral garlands on major sale at Michael’s (I guess that’s one perk of buying springy florals for a party happening in a fall month!) and ended up winding them around our chandelier, which turned out really pretty. I was also thrilled to find two Land of Nod butterflies at a clothing consignment sale. The colors were perfect and added a nice three-dimensional element!

the cake + Treats

I used my favorite local baker, Bec’s Cakes, for the cake, and since we were doing such a springy party in the middle of fall, I decided to give a slight nod to the actual season we were in and do a pumpkin flavored cake. It was DIVINE. I chose to do a cupcake for Mae instead of a larger smash cake, and I’m so glad I did. She enjoyed it, and I didn’t have to stop her from eating the whole thing—which she did quite happily! I also splurged on some gorgeous cookies by Rea Bakes, and she did a stunning job using the invitation as inspiration for these sweet treats!

garden themed first birthday party layered cake
garden themed first birthday party cake and balloons
garden themed first birthday party hand painted cookies by Rea Bakes
garden themed first birthday party twelve months of Mae
garden themed first birthday party smash cake

I’ve seen so many cute high chair banners like this, and while I was feeling crafty, I decided to try my hand at it! Turned out really sweet!

garden themed first birthday party smash cake cupcake by Bec's Cakes
garden themed first birthday party smash cake cupcake

Mae sharing her cupcake with Daddy melts my heart every time.

The actual definition of a “smash cake.” Good job, Mae Woodcock.

The Experience

My friend Rachel is a pro at thinking through the practical ways people experience a party. Things like, “does everyone have a seat?” and “is the food easy for children to eat?” and so on. I often stop at “is it pretty?” and go from there! ha! But she has taught be that an event can (and should!) be pretty and functional. So for Mae’s celebration, I cleared out some of our living room furniture and added bistro tables to accommodate more guests. I also put the food on a long folding table in the kitchen (I usually display it in the dining room) to allow guests to sit at our dining table. Additionally, I had a ball pit for the kids to play in as well as the most precious picnic basket lunches for the children, which were inspired by an adorable party I found online!

garden themed first birthday party kids mini picnic basket
garden themed first birthday party kids mini picnic baskets
garden themed first birthday party kids mini picnic baskets
garden themed girls birthday party
garden themed first birthday party table
garden themed first birthday party menu
garden themed first birthday party high chair banner
garden themed first birthday party menu
garden themed first birthday party menu
garden themed first birthday party
garden themed first birthday party ball pit play
garden themed first birthday party

Sentimental Touches

I am about as sentimental as they come, and there are a few extra-special details from Mae’s party that still make my heart pitter-patter! First of all—Y’all. She wore the same dress I wore to my first birthday party! I cannot even get over this! Props to my Mom who thought to save it and who preserved it so well (wonder where I get my sentimental side from?!). Mae looked absolutely precious in it, and it just happened to fit her party theme to perfection.

garden themed first birthday party
garden themed first birthday party
Maes fireflies and fairytales runner

One of my favorite elements from Mae’s nursery is her custom curtains from Fireflies & Fairytales. When I chose the garden theme for her party, I soon decided to incorporate the same fabric from her curtains into the decor. I worked with the precious team of Fireflies & Fairytales to have a runner made, and it even had the same pink-check ruffles as the curtains. It’s a beautiful keepsake, and I love that it’s connected to her nursery, where we spent so much time her first year.

garden themed first birthday party floral linens
garden themed first birthday party

As I did for Fox, I created a birthday plate for Mae with her hand print on the back and thumbprints as part of the design. I plan to use their birthday plates to serve them a special birthday meal every year, and I just love it!

Photography

As with any party, it’s the people you get to share it with that make it mean the most. I’m so thankful for our family and friends that love us well and celebrate these special milestones with us. As I look at the photos and see the happy faces and moments of conversation and interaction, my heart lights up.

One of the best decisions I’ve made for both my children’s first birthday parties is to invest in photography. My dear friend Mary Margaret is the QUEEN of capturing the details of an environment, and she helps preserve the sights and memories of a party with excellence. I can’t sing her praises loud enough!

Mae's garden themed first birthday party
Wondering how we got (most) of the children to smile for that picture? An enthusiastic rendition of “Baby Shark” by the parents did the trick!
These three babes turned one just weeks apart, and seeing them all together is the cutest!

These three babies were all born just weeks apart! We shared our pregnancies and their first year together, and it’s really special to see them all together here.

Toward the end of the party, we made the impromptu decision to let Mae open gifts on a quilt outside. The day was ideal with the warm sunshine and cool fall temps. As she opened, it was also the perfect spot to tell our guests goodbye as they began to depart (nap time was calling for many!). Mae was delighted and the kids loved playing outside. It’s one of my favorite memories from the day.

Mae's garden themed first birthday party family photo
Mae's garden themed first birthday party
Mae's garden themed first birthday party
Mae's garden themed first birthday party

Thanks for sharing in these special memories! Whether large or small, I hope you gained some sort of idea or inspiration to help you enjoy your next celebration to the fullest. I love getting to share party fun, and I’m happy to answer any questions I may not have covered in the post!

xoxo!

Our Favorite Books for Babies and Toddlers

We love books in our house! We’ve been reading to Fox since he was a baby, and one of my favorite parts of motherhood has been watching him experience books with such delight. I also look forward to sharing the joy of books with Mae as she grows, and I hope she will love them, too! We typically read 1-3 books at night before bed and often at other times throughout the day. As Fox has gotten older, it’s been fun to see which books he loves most and watch him interact and recite parts of the stories.

There are so many books out there, and our favorites ebb and flow in seasons, but there are a few that stand out to me right now that I think are worth adding to your child’s collection or selecting as a gift. I’m sharing our top picks by category, and I hope you find a new book to love on this list!

Also, I’d love to know—what are your favorite books for babies and toddlers? Which ones do we need to add to our bookshelves?

favorite+kid+books
favorite kids books
favorite books for babies and toddlers

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15 Minute Family Beach Photo Session

One of my focuses for the year is to embrace my role as our Family Storyteller. I have informally occupied this role for a while now, but making it my official title (given to me by myself!) reminds me of the importance and value this job holds.

One of the ways I love telling the story of our family is through photos. It’s something Woody and I have valued spending time and money on since we were engaged. We’ve done big shoots, small shoots, planned-out shoots, and spur-the-moment shoots. We’ve worked with photographers we’ve hired and photographers who are friends (let’s be real, they all end up being our friends!). No matter how we’ve done it, I’m always glad we did.

Despite what you might think (and what I often think), you don’t have to plan perfectly to get photos you love.

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite family shoots we’ve had. It happened this summer at the beach. We were there with two other couples, including one of my best friends, Rachel, who is a very talented photographer. Obviously already being with a photographer was super helpful, but even so, all the rest came together with little to no planning. So, hire yourself a photographer and don’t overthink the rest!

We decided that day we’d all do photos. I didn’t know what we’d all wear until that day, and I did my own hair and makeup (as I usually do any time we get photos taken). Fox was 18 months old, cute as can be, but not 100% cooperative. I was 30 weeks pregnant with Mae and easily winded walking in the sand. We didn’t plan poses, pin inspiration, or find the perfect location. We simply got cleaned up, walked down to the beach access closest to our rental house, and spent 15 minutes laughing with our toes in the sand.

But what a precious story these photos tell. They remind us of the changing season as we were preparing to add another little life to our crew. They celebrate chubby baby legs, summer heat, and sun-kissed skin. They tell our story as young parents, a couple in love, and Fox’s first beach vacation. This little moment in time is one worth preserving. And I know I’m biased, but the result is pretty near perfect to me.

Woodcock Beach-0001.jpg
He did not want to let go of my hand…

He did not want to let go of my hand…

…as you can see.

…as you can see.

Photos by Rachel Coffey Photography

How do you preserve your family’s story? What matters most to you? Do you have any favorite photo shoot experiences? I’d love to hear!