With planning my son’s upcoming birthday bash, I was in desperate need of advice. So today, we are featuring event designer, Sunny Ravanbach, founder of White Lilac Inc. to provid us with tips for throwing a first birthday party on a budget, as well as “additional tips” on planning your kids’ next big bash.
When it comes time to plan your child’s next birthday, inexpensive doesn’t mean you have to settle! And if budget is a problem, she has some insider tips to wow guests on the dime.
Too Good to Eat – An over-the-top candy and dessert station is visually impactful and will make the kids go crazy (in a good way!).
High Budget: Fill apothecary jars with candy (in the same colors as the event) and place custom mini cakes and desserts on cake stands. Risers customized with fabrics and trims provide height variation and serve to elevate and cake stands. Finish it all off with trims for the jars as well.
Low Budget: Skip the custom desserts and focus on getting an assortment of candy and treats in the colors of the party. Definitely invest in a few apothecary jars, which can be reused though out your house after the party (did someone say cookie jar?). Cardboard gift boxes wrapped up in beautiful paper make for great table risers!
As Easy As ABC – Custom graphics are a great element that works well for any age. White Lilac is often inspired by an event’s invitation and will carry the elements throughout the event.
High Budget: Lines of cardettes with custom graphic add a great backdrop any event but for a larger impact, use the same custom graphics to create large decals applicable onto walls or dance floors. Alphabet letters are great for a younger birthday while a custom monogram or theme centered graphic work well for an older child.
Low Budget: Create your own graphics and print at home! Scour Google Images and Pinterest for pictures that coordinate with your theme. Print and frame them out, or even have them enlarged at your local office store for a nominal fee.
Cute Couture – Tutus are adorable on kids and also as a part of their birthday decor.
High Budget: Little tutus are perfect are perfect hung over the dessert table and can translate into custom table linens made to look like big, fluffy tutus! This idea can translate easily to all different types of clothing such as bow ties (a giant bow tie on the cake!), sports uniforms (pinstripe linens!), and shoes (cowboy boots to act as a vase!).
Low Budget: Thrift Shops are a great way to find tutus or clothing items that may work well with your theme. Better yet, source friends with kids who may have a great stockpile!
Additional Tips:
- Popular 1st Birthday Party Themes:“Inspiration is everywhere when it comes to planning a 1st birthday party: a child’s favorite book, color, movie, song – really, anything goes! For a 1st birthday, colors have been a big hit because developmentally, children of this age are going to be drawn to things with larger visual impact and contrast and not so much with smaller details.
- Personal favorite theme: “Personally, our favorite themes have been the ones that allow us to create a an environment to whisk the guests away, if only by imagination. Parisian and Moroccan inspired themes provide so many ways to customize an event from colors to flowers to furnishings!”
- Over-the-top or low-key: “This really depends on culture. For example, in the Korean culture, first birthdays are a huge celebrations that can definitely go over the top. However, most parents will want to to do something a bit more intimate at their home but still have decor that is over the top.”
- What time should you plan a baby birthday party: “Plan on having guests over about 45 minutes to 1 hour after your baby usually wakes up from her mid morning nap. This way, she will have time to get acclimated from the nap and be able to be the center of attention when guests arrive. Of course, we are all at the mercy of the child’s internal clock so be flexible as well. Guests will understand if the birthday boy/girl oversleeps or is a little grumpy. It’s her party and she’ll sleep if he wants to!”
- Baby-Friendly Foods: “Definitely present some of your child’s favorite foods in easy, kid friendly servings. For the adults, simply vary the preparation using some of the same ingredients. For example, if your child loves grapes and apples, have small cups of fruit for kids to grab and for the adults, serve a Waldorf salad incorporating the same fruits.”
- “There are also foods that will please everyone. You can take peanut butter and jelly sandwiches up a notch by using cookie cutters to cut them into fun shapes and serve them on a platter for everyone. Servings of fresh fruit and veggies with a variation of hummus and dressings for dip is also a crowd pleaser for all ages.”
- Party favors: “When giving out favors, it important to be sensitive to children’s allergies or parent preferences. Stick with things that are universally loved, like crayons, and incorporate things that match the theme if you have a particular book or movie you’re using.”
- “If you’re going with a specific theme, if would also be great to give guests something they can wear as favors. Check out Etsy for customizable paper crowns and superhero capes or Oriental Trading Company has a huge selection for parties of all themes.”
- Smash cake vs. cupcakes: “We love both! It’s really special to have a smash cake for that adorable photo opportunity and it would be perfect to include cupcakes with a similar design for guest favors or for the dessert table. To cut down costs, easy DIY cupcakes for everyone to enjoy would be great!”
- Tip for planning baby’s 1st birthday party to not go over-budget! “Start early! If you plan on doing the decorating yourself, be prepared to decorate a day or two in advance. That way, you’ll just have to worry about finishing touches and food on the day of the party”.
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Sunny Ravanbach developed a keen eye for design early on as a young girl being surrounded by live television sets and a constant bustle of creative energy at the television station where her mother worked. Since then, she has worked in the Event Design industry for over 15 years showcasing events that invite guests into completely transformed environments created by meticulously curated details. Sunny’s love for eclectic inspiration from all over the world and via all mediums of art and design is the cornerstone of White Lilac’s design perspective, and she works to continually bring innovative concepts to life. She has earned a respected client roster ranging from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Bulgari, to Chopard (to list a few).