My little girl's favourite thing in the whole world is marshmallows. So there was definitely no other theme for her 2nd birthday. I did a simple setup for her, I wanted something that was effortless and not time consuming but was still pretty enough for my baby girl.
Look out for my tips to effortless (and budget friendly) party planning at the end of this post.
I needed something that would add life to the pink and white pillows of sugariness that Yara loved so much. I used sprinkles in bright colours on the digital artwork and through the decor.
Just like with Yusuf's donut Bash, i used the white shutters on our patio as the backdrop.
Instead of digital sprinkles on the paper decor, i used the real thing and glued on actual sprinkles. Easiest way to add colour to the table.
I ordered this drip cake without any decor on it. I added all sorts of mallows, chocolate shards with sprinkles and a paper decor sign with her name on it. I wanted the cake to capture her crazy beautiful personality and I think it did just that.
I purchased a sand art kit online, and it was such a hit with the kids.
These favour tags read, 'Enjoy these treats over your next bowl of ice cream'.
This girl of ours!!
May you be happy, healthy and protected always!
Tips to budget friendly and (almost) effortless party planning:
It's not each year that you break the bank and go all out for your kids birthday parties. Each year is as special for them though and they look forward to their special moments all year through. Below are my insider tips and tricks (shh, don't tell) to make even the smallest event extra special:
1.
Make use of what you have- I used our white wooden shutters as a backdrop and added simple paper decor to match the theme.
2.
Purchase simple baked goods and add your own paper toppers, sweets or sprinkles.
3.
Party favours need not be pricy, a simple creative idea packaged well could easily do the trick.
4.
Buying everything you can possibly find within your theme is almost always a bad idea. Not only is it crazy expensive, but these items are most of the time too busy, which makes it difficult to achieve a polished look. For example, rather buy plates, cups, serviettes etc in your colour scheme and personalise or bring in the theme with a paper tag or similar.
5.
For me, the choice of colour scheme is one of the most important factors in party planning. Be sure that your colour combos work well together. A beautiful colour pallet will easily bring a spectacular look to your event.
6.
Your choice of theme is also another important factor. Choose something your kids love, they will love that you took the time to create something that's especially what they love (and that's a whole lot of love to go around). I love how more and more clients are choosing unconventional themes. Something as simple as a marshmallow or donut can be enough to create a party around.
7.
Concentrate your decor in one area or on one table. This works better than attempting to theme an entire room or venue. It's less time consuming and will cost you far less.
8.
If you are going to splurge, do so on one aspect of the party that will make it amazing. For my big boy's donut party, we got a Mini Donuts company come do donuts for guests. Everyone from kids to the adults were excited about this. Not only did guests (kids and their parents) enjoy bottomless mini donuts we also used the donuts for:
- Activity for the kids- We gave the kids chocolate coins and they 'purchased' donuts from Yusuf's Donut Shop. They then decorated a box of donuts with sweets and sprinkles
- Party Favour- The kids took their decorated box of donuts home as the party favor
So if you are going to spend on one aspect of your event, do so wisely so it works to its max for you.
9.
Out of the box activities for the kids- When you aren't always able to hire a jumping castle and those wonderful motorized rides, in the case of an at home party where space is limited, creative activities for the kids work well. At my kids joint parties, I purchased a sand art kit online, kids made their own mini pizzas which they ate as their lunch and we had a donut decorating station too. These activities managed to keep 18 kids under the patio, out of the drizzle and entertained for 2 hrs.
10.
I always stress to clients how useful it is to hire a good photographer and/or videographer. Once your event is over, the pictures captured are all you have. Too often do clients tell me after an event that it went by so fast and they didnt manage to get many pictures. If a professional is out of your budget, make a family member or friend the designated 'photographer'. This will ensure that you'll have a set of memories to look back on later.
11.
Remember that there are no set rules or boundaries to party styling. Get your creative juices flowing, and you are sure to do a great job that your kids will love.
Much Love,
Event Styling & Decor:
Paper Craft:
Digital Artwork:
Cake & Coconut Mallows:
Cake Decor:
Cupcakes:
Photography:
