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!
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.
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!
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!
Fox helped Woody secure the balloons along the walkway. He was such a happy helper, and I love this sweet photo of him.
The runner on this table was from our wedding reception! I love reusing pieces that are beautiful and meaningful.
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!
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!
A “Mae”mosa bar? I couldn’t resist.
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!
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!
Mae sharing her cupcake with Daddy melts my heart every time.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
