The last one year has gone by in a flash and before you know it, your baby will be a year old! Your baby does not even understand the meaning of a birthday yet, but you want to make his/her first birthday most memorable. And you have never planned or organized a birthday celebration before. You have so many questions in your mind. Whom should I invite? When and where should I have my party? How can I organize a good party without denting my bank balance? Look no further, here is a step-by-step planning guide to ensure that you have a fun party which everybody can enjoy.
Decide the Guest List
Ask yourself –
- Do I want a private party with only my immediate family and near & dear ones?
- Do you want to go all out with a big birthday bash?
- Have my extended family, friends and co-workers had a chance to meet my baby?
- How much budget do I have?
Answers to these questions will be based on your personal preferences. Maybe you want both a private party and a birthday bash.
To get started with the guest list create your own must-have, maybe, maybe-not list. You can then prune these lists based on the budget and head count.
Decide the Event Time
Ask yourself –
- Is the birthday on a weekend or a weekday?
- Which day will most of my must-have guests be available?
- Do I want it to be a morning or an evening event?
- Will it be a full-day affair?
- What is your baby’s nap time?
- What time is your baby most active or happy?
To get maximum attendance for the party, you need to plan it on a weekend. So if baby’s birthday falls on a weekday, then either the weekend before or after can be a good bet. It will be ideal to plan the party after baby’s nap time, as then (s)he will be well rested. Even if your kid is the most outgoing kind, they all get over-stimulated by the noise, crowd and new surroundings. So having a full day party is generally not a good idea, as you want your baby to have fun too, right!
Decide the Event Venue
Ask yourself –
- Do I want to host the party at home?
- Do I have enough space to host the party at home?
- Do I want an outdoor party?
- What is the average weather on the event day?
- In which region or city are most of the guests staying?
- What is my budget for renting a party space?
Throwing a party at home can be a good option when you have a close group of people coming over for the party or if your house has enough space to host a big party. This will help you save some money which you would have otherwise spent on renting a space. Guests can stay longer and you get to spend some quality time with them. Baby is also familiar with the place and can take some rest when he/she needs it. But if you decide to rent a restaurant or a party hall, then you don’t have to worry about the clean up of the space before/after.
Does the weather permit an outdoor party at that time of year? Why not have a garden party or a pool party or a picnic in the park – they are all such fun ideas and you can enjoy the outdoors over picnic food or grill, while the kids can enjoy the play structures, if one is available. You might have to enquire about permit issues with the authorities.
You also want the location to be easily accessible for the majority of the guests, your budget permitting.
Choose a Birthday Party Theme
Ask yourself –
- Is there a toy or teddy that my kid likes to snuggle with?
- Is there a color or fruit my baby likes?
- Is there a book he/she likes or I like reading to my baby?
- Is there a cartoon character that my baby likes?
- Do I want games for kids in the party?
You can select a theme based on any of the above answered questions. If you are not sure, then you can always select the theme based on a color or a season or anything you fancy! Maybe you found some nice idea on Pinterest. Then plan for the decorations around the theme. Maybe you want a theme which can be photographed well. You can also add games for kids to your party theme, it keeps the kids involved and have fun. Also, there is a latest trend to have a cake smash and splash party for the first birthday. Our upcoming post will talk more about that!
Send the Invites
Ask yourself –
- What is the guest count?
- Is it feasible to send personal mail invites?
- Do I want to send a personalized electronic invitation with RSVP?
How you want to send the invite is a personal choice. But if you have a huge guest list, then sending mail invitation may not be a financially viable option. Electronic invitations work just well for most of the situations.
Plan the Budget and DIY
Ask yourself –
- What is my max budget and what is my ideal expense amount?
- How much time do I have for all the preparations?
- Is there a sale going on before the party?
- Do I need new set of clothes?
- Do I have all the baking and craft supplies I need for the DIY projects?
Your Budget for party = Party place rental (optional) + Food + Clothes (optional) + Decorations + DIY supplies(optional) + Party Favors
If you know what you will need for the party, then it is a good idea to shop ahead, in order to save some money. If you are lucky to have the birthday around the holiday or sale season, then make the most of it 🙂
DIY projects like baking, decorations etc. can help you save a fortune and add a personal touch to even small things. They also make party preparations a fun process, wherein you can involve family and friends. But one needs to be careful with DIY projects. You do not want to get carried away and overload yourself with work. The idea is to enjoy the party and you need all the rest and time before the final day. So there is no harm in baking the cake from a cake mix, or cookies from a cookie mix or buying decorations from party supply stores. At times, the cost of DIY projects can turn out to be more if you have to buy new supplies. True, that the supplies can be used later as well, but you need to consider the budget in hand as well. And don’t forget, along with your DIY projects, you also need to look after your little one! So draw a line between what needs to be a DIY project vs what needs to be outsourced.
Plan the Menu
Ask yourself –
- What is the guest head count?
- What is your budget?
- Do I need to plan for dietary restrictions like vegetarian or vegan?
- Are the guests mostly adults or do I have kids from all age groups?
Keep the menu simple. If you are making all the food and cake at home, then you do save a lot of money. But then again you don’t want to spend all your time in the kitchen. You can order-in some of the food to make it easy on you. Catering is also a good option, if you have enough money. Don’t go overboard with the list of items, as then you end up having lot of leftovers.
Gather all Helping Hands
It is always a good idea to distribute work among family members or close friends who are willing to help. It not only makes things a little easier on you, but it also makes it fun to prepare together for the party. You can assign each of them some tasks like food, decorations, taking pictures, clean-up etc. On the day of the event grandparents, babysitter or friends can help look after the baby.
Arrange a Photographer
You want to capture the memories of this special day. So make sure you have a designated photographer for the day. I understand that some of us start thinking “I can take good pictures, I don’t need anyone else”. But you want to spend time with your guests and your baby and not behind the camera. You can consider hiring a professional photographer, if you can afford one. But it can also be one of your friends or relatives whom you trust can take some good pictures.
Birthday Party Favors
Ask yourself –
- What is the age group for kids in the party?
- Do I want a party favor that the whole family can enjoy?
- What is the party theme?
- What is your budget?
Be sure to count each and every kid for the party favors, regardless of the age. The return gifts can be fancy or small depending on your budget and party theme. Also, consider safe toys or gifts for kids under 3. You can also send home a party favor which the whole family can enjoy. If you have enough time, get crafty and make some fun party favors for the kids. Remember, kids enjoy receiving these small but special treats!
Enjoy the moment
With all the hard work and planning you have done, it is now time to relax and enjoy yourself along with your baby and your guests. Just make sure that someone is freezing those precious moments for you into life long memories by taking pictures. Your baby will not remember most of this, so you want to pass down these memories to your kid when he/she grows up. Make an album or write about it, like I did for Akira’s First Birthday Party.
Have you planned a first birthday party for your precious one(s)? How was your experience? Do you have some steps or tips you would add to this list?
