A Peter Rabbit 1st Birthday Party - For Briar
A first birthday is one of the most important birthdays for your family! Planning your babies first birthday can be exciting but at the same time very STRESSFUL . But with a bit of planning ahead and my ultimate first birthday checklist it can be pretty easy .
Here are my favorite tips and tricks on planning a Peter Rabbit party for my sons first birthday .
Styled , planned and created by myself @thevandorpfamily *
Plan -
Planning usually comes effortlessly to me; I tend to be very well organized in majority things I do. I know that not everyone can achieve this, but try to accomplish as much as you can. This will help the party's general perspective, budget etc. I typically have a good generalized idea 2-3 months prior to my children’s birthday but start getting serious with the planning part 2 months out .I frequently DIY a good portion of the things needed , so two months is plenty of time for me to complete everything without feeling pressured. If you take the more hands off approach and not so much into the DIY’ing that’s OK to , and most likely wont need the 2 months of planning .
Whether you have a large amount of money or not, it is always a good idea to have a budget in mind on what you want to spend . I always like to set out a strategic budget on what i specifically want to spend on certain things ( food , decorations , activities etc ) taking into consideration unforeseen expenses that can arise.
I also prefer to create my guest list at this time so you can get a sense of how many people you are planning for. Along with the time of day you had planned it for. I prefer to host parties for no more than 2-3 hours. especially among children who are 4 and younger. I'm a sucker for the 1-3 or 2-4. For our family, the sweet spot is after everyone has finished eating lunch and nap time is over, allowing you to simply set out a variety of snacks without having to prepare a full meal. Alternatively, you can always make plans around serving a meal. Do what works best for you and your family .
2. Venue
When most parents consider a venue, their homes are the first place that spring to mind. Of course, there is a valid explanation for this. One benefit is the significant cost reduction. However, if you don't have enough room in your home to host the party or you are prepared to spend more money, make sure you choose the appropriate location.
3. Collecting inspiration and making a mood board
I prefer to make a Pinterest board and search for inspiration after deciding on a theme or coming up with a few ideas. I pin everything that I find appealing or inspiring. I go over it several times, deciding what I might want to change or how I want my party to appear. I also decide what I can buy vs what I want to DIY. This helps keeping my budget inline .
4. Invitations
To make it more formal, you can make invites. However, if your budget and time are limited, you can easily send invitations via email, text message, phone call, or even in-person. Adobe also offers a great selection of FREE birthday templates to ease the stress of creating invitations, or to simply just get you started Birthday Invitation Templates
5. Food
When deciding on a time frame for your party, you should also consider food. I like the 1-3 time slot because it doesn’t require me to provide a large meal on top of cake and snacks. I like to serve cold plates to guests, such as veggie platters, fruit platters, charcuterie boards, and so on. It goes without saying that having some of your baby's favorite foods is a must!
Pinterest is full of inspiration, and it's always fun to add your own personal touch. But nevertheless, don't let unrealistic expectations stop you from enjoying the moment. You have no control over whether your baby cries during the birthday song or is uninterested in opening gifts . Have a good time and remember to take pictures. The birthday boy/girl is unlikely to remember their first birthday party, but you can remember how special it was and later on, they can hear all about how much fun it was and see photos of the perfect day and how cute they looked on their first birthday!
Vendors - Our Peter Rabbit Party was full of a handful of amazing vendors helping bring Briar’s first birthday vision come to life .
Party Supplies - Cutlery , Themed Plates , Napkins , & Cupcake Toppers - @Chromacelebrations
Arched back drops , Peter Rabbit life size cut out , & Milestone board all printed on foam core done by - @boylanimaging
Wooden script writing on back drop & cake topper all cut by a wood laser cutter done by - @knottypinedesigns
Peter Rabbit Themed Cookies - @cookiecreationsbyrobyn
Balloon Garland - @keris.kreations.mh
Party Favours ( Hannah and Henry the bunnies ) - @cuddleandkind
Party outfit - @hafsewscreations & @adelisaandco
Everything else included in the party was sourced out by myself through thrifting, FBMP , dollar stores , craft shops , DIY’ing etc.
I want to say a huge thank you to all these amazing business’ for helping me through my visions , and trusting me with my ideas! Briars first birthday was such a magical setup , and everything I imagined . I am so happy we got to give our sweet boy such a beautiful fun filled first birthday . Enjoy all the pictures, details , and be sure to email me or send me a DM on Instagram with any questions you have .
