Planning

Baby is a year old!  A monumental day that must be recorded. 

From the waiting for the tiny life within to make its way into the world, then those first few weeks when you wondered how you, and baby, were going to survive…  First smiles, first giggles, first claps, first peekaboos… Sitting up, crawling, and possibly first steps - this year has been filled with joy, terror, triumphs - and now you have this little person, on that fine line between baby and toddler, celebrating their very first birthday!  I'm not sure whose celebrating more - the baby for being one, or the parent for surviving the first year!!  So now you invite family and friends to share your joy, fill the space with balloons and laugh together as baby discovers cake and icing - enjoy.

 

What is your "Party Picture"?   First Birthday Party Ideas

• Although a Baby's First Birthday is technically a child's party - in reality, it's really a unique party where the décor and Theme is going to be inspired by the baby, but really the party itself will be driven by who your guests are.  Baby won't really be "doing" anything - other than giggling, crying and eating cake.  So, plan your party around who will be attending. 
  
  
• Will it be mostly family? If so, plan for a casual time spent with loved ones and review our tips for a Simple Family Gathering for additional inspiration!
  
  
• Will it be family and friends, but mostly adult?  Consider our "General" party basics pages for your event planning.
  
  
• Will there be family and friends with children?  Consider our "Entertaining with Kids" guidance to give your event a boost. 

• Ultimately, the focus is on Baby, but your guests drive this particular event.
  
  
• Because babies are, well, babies, if you want to minimize stress for your little one, keep the party simple, the guest list to a minimum, and most of all, moderate your expectations.  You will probably have video footage of an overwhelmed, tearful child, don't fret, you can always edit!
  
  
• How much have you budgeted for Baby's party?  Consider decorations, food, drinks, rentals, entertainment, activities, favors, photography...
  
  
• How much help and support will you have from friends, family?  Will you be hiring professionals to take on some of the responsibility such as catering, planning, photography? 
• Delegate, delegate, delegate.  The less any one person is responsible for (especially Baby's parents!) the more everyone can enjoy the event!

• How many people are you intending to invite/do you expect to attend?  These numbers are not typically the same, be realistic in attendance estimates as this is the number that really matters.
  
  
• What time of year, week, day will your event be?  Are there any conflicts that will limit your event (such as holidays) or perhaps may open budget boosting options for your event (such as hosting a brunch rather than a Saturday event)?
  
  
• Babies take NAPS!  Remember, that at twelve months, babies are right in the thick of stranger anxiety and separation anxiety.   Compound that with lots of commotion and activity, and if baby misses a nap you really can end up with a very cranky, anxious, uncooperative baby.  Try to work with your baby's best time of day to minimize stress and crankiness.
• SCHEDULE - plan any activities that involve your baby early in the party.  The photo ops, the cake, the presents - get them all done early so that if your baby gets over-stimulated or tired then it will be okay to leave the party area and you won't have missed an element you were planning.

Picture it! - Take pictures!  Print them!  Share them!   First Birthday Party Ideas

• This is one of those parties where it's more about the pictures than the actual party!  I've heard it's actually a crime in many states NOT to have a picture of your baby smeared with cake and icing.  The following photos are a MUST have for your scrapbook or memory book:
  
  
  • Dressed up for the party in the thick of the decorations.
  • If he or she will allow, try to get pictures of your baby with each of your guests.
  • Baby's face looking at the cake.
  • Baby eating cake… smearing cake… wearing cake…  Plan to take a LOT of pictures of this event.
  • Baby after eating cake.
  • Baby screaming while Mommy tries to clean off the cake…
  • Exasperated Mommy simply removing baby's clothes and a follow up of diaper clad baby…
  • Baby having temper tantrum because of over-stimulation, sugar high and exhaustion…
  • Sound asleep baby (either during the party or after) that has passed out at the end of their big day.
    
    
• Have a plan in place to make sure that you get all the pictures that you want.  Note, the same issue exists here that exists for food - it's hard to hold the baby AND take the pictures.  So make sure you have a stand in who is responsible for taking the pictures you have to have.
  
  
• Consider hiring a photographer.  Having a photographer come for an hour or two to catch the moments that are important is far less expensive than you probably think.  These are pictures that last a lifetime, and will mean more to you than the pose at the local photo studio.  Compare the costs of a sitting or two with hiring a photographer to come to your party for an hour or two.  If you can manage the expense it's definitely worth the investment.

 

 

Theme

Creating a Sense of Cohesiveness and having a little FUN.   First Birthday Party Ideas

• Baby's party will have some sort of Theme - there are a lot to choose from.  However, consider your guests when deciding on your theme.  If it is primarily adults, think about selecting a theme that can be "babied up" but also can have a more adult twist such as a safari/animal theme or a circus theme.  Or you can simply have fun with primary colors. 
  
  
• Work your Theme from start to finish - from invitations, decorations, tablescape, music, food, drinks - even your activities and entertainment.  
• Baby's First Birthday is definitely going to be in your scrapbook or memory book.  Consider this when selecting your Theme.  Consider how you will have fun with pictures and souvenirs to memorialize the day.  

• Once you've selected a theme that inspires you, consider all five of your senses.  Find ways to invoke the theme in each of the senses, allowing the guests to immerse themselves in the moment, shedding the every day for the mood you are creating.  Whether it's a the spicy, colorful, hot tempo of a fiesta or the relaxing, mouth tantalizing, of a wine tasting - invoke each of the senses.  The food, the décor, the sounds of your party should all play a role.

 

Venue

• Remember, the point here is to celebrate your Baby's First Birthday, so select a venue that is baby and child friendly!  This may seem obvious, but consider all of the times you've seen people trying to entertain somewhere with a screaming baby and a room full of irritated patrons.  Nothing  blows the festive mood like a dark remark from another patron or venue staff.
• Depending on how high your aspirations are for your little dear's First Birthday, your options may include:  your home, your backyard (open or tented), a restaurant, a hotel, a rented house, a park, or an event based venue such as the zoo.

• $$  Having a party at home can boost your budget, but it also requires more effort on your part - consider price comparing offsite and onsite options, you may be surprised how little you actually save when you factor in the cost of food, decorations, rentals, and how much effort you are able to delegate to venue staff that will allow you to enjoy your own party!
  
  
• How many guests do you expect to attend?
• Offsite options will let you know capacity maximums and minimums
• When entertaining at home consider - REALLY consider how many guests your home can comfortably accommodate.  Consider how you can open your primary rooms to maximize space, or can expand into your outdoor space.  However, don't fall into the common pitfall of overestimating the actual capacity of their home.

 

 

 

Invites

• Invitations are the opening salvo for your grand fete.  They set the mood and provide a tantalizing peek into what you are planning, sparking your party mojo. 
• Make it obvious what you are celebrating - take a fun picture of your little angel with a party hat on and make that your invitation cover!   

• Don't forget the practical stuff:
• Time of Party
• Location of Party
• Party details that they may need (Kids included?  Meal served? Directions?)

• Invitations go out 2 to 4 weeks before your event, however, it never hurts to send out a "save the date" notice earlier to ensure that your guests have a clear calendar!
• How formal does your Party Picture require your invitations need to be? 
• Printed - all the bells and whistles
• Printed - basics
• Printed (and designed) at home with invitation software
• Prepackaged with details filled in
• Treeless invitations sent by e-mail

• Include a link to your Party Page with party details, directions, and RSVP information. 
• Have a system to track RSVPs
• RSVP Tracker on your Party Page
• Notebook by your phone
• RSVP Cards

• Send a "Party Reminder" a week or two before the event - this will provide an e-mail version of your party details and directions in case your guest loses the original copy.
  
  
• Thank you cards can coordinate with the invitations or the theme.  My favorite is to take the "cake shot" of your Baby trying cake and icing (everywhere!!!) and make a Thank You card with that on front.  Chances are your friends and family that are important enough to share this special day will want a snapshot for a frame for fridge.

Decorations

Decorations - A couple of balloons or the whole enchilada, it's up to you!

• Remember here that there is a little cruiser on the loose - so whatever you use, keep it up higher than little hands can reach!!!  Balloons are a HUGE choking hazard for your little one, so if they are within reach, keep an eye out. 
• Bright colors and favorite characters are already beginning to catch the eye, but really, your baby is going to be focusing on you and all of the activity, so decorations are really more for you and your guests than for your little one.

• Take a favorite photograph and frame it in a matte.  Have each guest sign it with a little note or wish for your baby - this is perfect to either frame or include in your scrapbook.
  
  
• Grab your inspiration from your Theme.  Inject the details into the décor and tablescape. 
  
  
• Little touches can have big impact, so think it through and remember the fine details as well as the large strokes.    
  
  
• Select three or four colors that you will primarily be working with - this defines your color scheme. 
  
  
• Walls, furniture, lighting, centerpieces, linens, chair backs, tablescapes (see below), even the ceiling and floor can all work into your decorations.  No surface is off limits when it comes to decorating!
  
  
• A great inspiration comes from a friend of mine.  They filled dozens of latex balloons with helium and filled the ceiling in the party room.  Brightly colored balloons were everywhere and each had a ribbon hanging down just in reach of their little girl.  A friend took the most wonderful picture of Becca gazing raptly up at the balloons and reaching for the ribbons that drifted around her.  

Tablescapes - Your tables are your prime real estate, maximize the effect!

• Presentation is key in entertaining, and the table is the frame for the refreshments and meals that you will serve.  Make HOW you serve as important as WHAT you serve. 
  
  
• Not only are the tables the primary presentation for the refreshments, but they are also the focal point in the room.
  
  
• If you are entertaining and feeding a crowd, determine how your tables will be arranged - served meal, buffet meal, light appetizers… one long table, several smaller tables - start by building the design.
  
  
• Have fun with your centerpiece, as it’s the focus of the table.  Consider a montage of photos of the first year of your baby's life set within flowers or items that are inspired by your Theme.  You can also incorporate your linens, place settings, crystal, place cards, napkin presentation, and even chair accoutrements if you are planning to take this party over the top! 
  
  
• Functionality and safety!  Consider your baby, other children at the party and your guests when dressing your table.  Don't let your centerpiece be a visual obstacle or select items that may be hazardous to young guests.  Keep safety in mind when entertaining with children and babies. 

Food

Refreshments - The heart of the party, amusingly, is the stomach!   First Birthday Party Ideas

• Before we talk about anything else, let's talk CAKE.  Baby MUST have cake and icing, and it must be presented in a way that results in cake and icing all over the face and in the hair!  Here are some tips:
  
  
• Many bakeries offer a "first birthday cake" free with the purchase of a regular cake.  This allows you to let your baby grab, stuff, smoosh and drool all over his or her cake without impacting the desert your OTHER guests would like to enjoy!  If you are making your own cake, consider a small individual cake just for baby.
• Consider (nut free) alternatives that are dressed up like cakes - banana bread, pumpkin bread, or apple cake with frosting.  This will minimize the sugar rush that will inevitably compound the over-stimulation and anxiety your little one is probably already experiencing.
• Chocolate may have the coolest photo, but it's really not a good option for a baby.  The caffeine added to the sugar in the chocolate typically results in a tummy ache.  (And chocolate coming back up is even messier than chocolate going down!) 

• Now, back to the practical stuff…. What time of day will your event be and how long will it last?  Can you get away with snacks or do you need a full meal? 
    
• No matter whether you are serving snacks or a meal, if your party includes children and toddlers, select some items that will be appropriate and appeal to younger diners.  Cheese toast, simple pasta and chicken fingers may not be gourmet dishes to your taste, but to toddlers it's a feast.
  
  
• If serving a meal, how will you serve it? 
• Formal seating - limits guests to a selected meal and is typically more expensive when catered.
• Family style - dishes are served as they would be at home, allowing guests to select what they want while at the table.  This is less formal but more personal than buffet.
• Buffet - Allows guests to mingle while they eat, adds variety to the meal selection, and guests can graze throughout the event, reducing rigidity of schedule.

• If you are cooking plan ahead so that your time in the kitchen and serving is minimized as an over-stimulated baby with stranger anxiety is most likely going to want NO one but Mommy.  And it's hard to cook while toting your little one.  Have a plan, have help, and take every measure to save time as possible. 
  
  
• Have a plan that volunteers will implement for you.
• Make dishes before the party that only require reheating or mild prep work.
• Purchase pre-made platters and dishes that you pick up and simply set out (such as deli trays or appetizer trays). 
• If cost isn't an issue, HAVE IT CATERED.  Letting someone else do the work and clean up is the ideal way to enjoy your child's first birthday!

• Have a plan to keep everything hot, or cold, as necessary.
  
  
• Include beverages for the kids.  Many parents don't allow sodas, so have drink boxes ready as these minimize spillage on your floor and usually meet the standards of the most stringent parents.  For your adult guests, use the Drink Calculator to determine what you will need
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FunStuff

Entertainment - When you want more than just your stereo…   First Birthday Party Ideas

• What's your Party Picture, and what's your budget??
• Consider your Theme - is there a specific type of entertainment that would compliment it? 
• Don't plan entertainment for your baby - chances are this would simply scare them (their favorite character on TV may be cute and cuddly, but in person, well, it's simply not pretty).  But entertaining your other guests is important.  Remember your mix - toddlers, children, adult - and plan accordingly.
• Explore what's available and get a couple of quotes, it may not be as expensive as you might think to make your event even more memorable.

Activities - Get people talking!    First Birthday Party Ideas

• Chances are that most people at your Baby's First Birthday probably know each other, however, even these more personal celebrations can mix a few people who are unfamiliar with your regular group.  Find ways to get everyone introduced and talking so that no one is on their own.  Get people talking so that there isn't an opportunity for anyone to be shy or out of place.
  
  
• Work in any items you want as mementos of this Birthday. 
  • Signatures on the photo mat for your scrapbook or wall.
  • Make a hand/foot print and have guests sign around it as a memento of the first birthday party.
  • A fun picture that guests try to come up with a caption for with prizes for creativity and wit.
  • Photos of family and friends with your baby to commemorate the day.

 

Prizes/Favors

A little something to remember your event by…  First Birthday Party Ideas

• Party favors really aren't expected at a First Birthday Party.  However, if you feel the need, consider something that is special to this very significant celebration.  Chances are, the people you have included in this party are probably close friends or family who would appreciate something as simple as a picture of your child.  Find a cute frame and a fun picture (if you have a picture of your baby with that particular guest, all the better!) and give that as your favor.