I know we usually take a little tour of wee baby clothes on Widdle Wednesdays, but this week I thought we’d mix it up a bit and take a look at First Birthday Parties! Whooo hooo! (insert fancy tooter sound effect here) So listen, I’m always torn on the First Birthday Party. I mean, on the one hand I think a sweet little cake and close friends is plenty for a one year old. Don’t feel pressure to do it up crazy. And there *is* pressure. I mean some of these parties you read about are SOOOOO over-the-top and I think, “Really? Does this child even know what the heck is happening or truthfully even really care that you picked Meyer lemons from Martha Stewart’s backyard for lemon curd and then hand crafted artisanal wee tartlettes topped with lavender scented whipped cream while the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba performed an accoustic set in your solarium??” But then the more I thought about it I realized, in a way, the First Birthday is almost like an anniversary party for the parents. Like, “Hell yeah! We made it through a year of no sleep, poop blow outs, crying and we now have mad diaper changing skillz!!” So when you think about it like that, why the heck not?? So I’m here to tell you….it’s all good. You can go big or go small and it’s all A-OK. I recently found a few First Birthday parties that were truly inspiring and SOOOOO pretty and cool I just had to share them with you.
This first celebration was an awesomely cute First Birthday for a little fella—although it could easily be for a little girl. Or a grown woman (hint hint…..August 22 is just a stones throw away, my friends. Ahem….). Presenting, Finn’s Woodland Wonderland!
The party was held in a park—a portable table served as the centerpiece with mossy silhouettes and all kinds of yummy goodies to nibble on.
The desserts were created by pastry chef extraordinaire Melody Brandon, from Sweet and Saucy Shop in Long Beach, CA. She made owl cookies, mini key lime pies, mini candy bar cupcakes, rustic pies and other tasty treats!  Insanely adorable. The mushrooms decorations were crafted by the super cool mama, Sarah.
See that clever use of an old vintage framed mirror up there? Smaht!
Those lollipop cakes are all the rage—I’ve never tried one, but they look amazing!! Also, look at the adorable photobooth. Very clever take on those “stick yer head in the window” ones. A basket of cool props completed the fun.
Amazing! I can’t lie, this is probably WAY more effort than I would be able to muster up….but I am pretty smitten with the level of detail this mama went to. OH, and one more bonus track. Now, this last image isn’t from the same party but I thought was another adorable take on the woodland treat—mushroom cupcakes! (Or perhaps for a Mario themed party??)
Images: My Sweet and Saucy. Mushroom cupcake from magnolia designs blog
The next First Birthday party is for a sweet little girl named Audrey and featured pink peonies —and adecidedly more feminine look. The theme here was a girlie, vintage sweets table. It’s so pretty, wait til you see.
A big, personalized paper banner set the tone—and how cute are these hats? I love pom poms. By the way, I think that sweets table is fancier than my wedding.
Again, super yummy pastries were the highlight. Served on beautiful vintage china and pedestals, they were like edible decor.
I love the little crafty paper flowers with Audrey’s baby photos in the middle and the super sweet little bundles of wild flowers. A charming contrast to the chic elegance of all the fancy cakes!
Speaking of fancy cakes…dig this birthday cake. Wow. The cake featured sugar paste “lace” and the most incredible hot pink sugar peony flower. You can see more of the party on Melody’s blog.
The final party was created by my lovely friend Sandy, from the Winding Road. Sandy put together a totally do-able, sweet party for a lovely little girl named Kate. The theme? Teapots & Blossoms!
I am in love with this big fluffy paper flowers! And just look at this amazing “button” teapot Sandy made on a blue canvas. So simple yet so genius.
The cake was made by a friend who recently started a cake making business. Gum paste cherry blossoms? Wowza.
What I love about this party is that while it seems super fancy and pretty, it’s actually a really clever collection of totally do-able items. Gorgeous tissue paper flowers, stacks of tea cups and a fun banner with the birthday girl’s name on it. Sandy is so talented and artistic. Be sure to swing by her blog. She is an amazing photographer too.
So there you have it. Some pretty adorable parties my friends. I view parties like these as inspiration and eye candy. I’m not saying you have to go this all out, but glean some fun ideas for your own versions—like buying a bundle of paper flowers from the craft store instead of balloons….so cute! Can’t wait to see what you guys rustle up in the coming year.
[TOP SECRET KIDDO SCOOP: Don’t tell anyone—but technically we didn’t buy Wolfie any birthday presents for his first three birthdays!! I mean, listen, he got enough stuff from friends and family and we figured he was still little so he wouldn’t notice. Hey, I’m serious. Don’t you tell him or I’ll be paying in Pokemon for the next year!! Also, it rained on his birthday this year and we had to cancel his party—so he technically hasn’t had a birthday party this year either. Woot! Let’s hear it for Mom of the Year Alix! See? No pressure from me on fancy parties….but just you wait. When I finally get it together it’s gonna be the bomb. Pinkie swear.]
I never thought it about it like an anniversary of getting through a whole year of baby! In that case, maybe I would do it up next time. With Ingrid we did the small family and friends in the living room, which suited me just fine. I don’t think I’m able to do themes, I lose motivation halfway through planning…
1. i need to start a collection of cake pedestals. i passed one up that was green a while back and i have regretted it ever since. ARGH. but these are soooo cute and i love how they just make even a cupcake look fancy.
2. need some pics of the wolfie party with the popcorn bags. truman LOVES popcorn and i am thinking of taking a tip from you alix and getting one for his 4th bday/harry’s first.
3. lollipop cakes. dude.
4. woodland party is adorable. alas, i think we will be having toy story 3 this year. hee heeee
5. did you see that show, i can’t even remember what channel, that covered crazy kids parties a while back???? they need to keep making those because they are AWESOME! the parents are popping xanax (sp??) and the little kids are like asleep in the corner. LOVED IT. but we know lishy likes a good train wreck.
100. i don’t think we have gotten tru anything for his first 3 bdays. seriously. he’s none the wiser. i got him a lightening mcqueen at the toy store the other day and he played with it for 2 hours yesterday. 3.99.
I am just in awe. I thought Stella had a fab 1st bday party… this made me look like I had 3 year olds planing and producing the party… thanks to you I have inspiration for bday #3.
the woodlands theme is amazing! Yeah my middle child somehow got screwed out of a party 2 years in a row- don’t feel quite so guilty now that I hear I am not the only one. and besides I threw her some pretty amazing ones when she was little. ahh something to make therapy worthwhile for her later.
i totally agree about the first birthday requirement of being ridiculously big. and i do look at each year like a congratulatory party for us, the parents who have kept you alive and mostly in one piece for the last year. my family all thinks i’m crazy, but i love doing it and i know that putting in all the time planning and pulling it off will give them fabulous memories…when they are old enough to remember!
now that my oldest is old enough to have likes and dislikes, i plan around the likes. i find that her party themes are also serving as a reminder of what she’s into at 3, or at 4, etc. last year she was really into the local nature center. so we rented their party room and had a turtle party! she even had a bunny, owl and snake visit (accompanied by a short educational talk for each one by the employees). her friends were CRAZY over this! this year, she wants to be an elephant veterinarian, so we just had an elephant party at the Elephant Bar.
that woodland party is awesome! i want to have one for me.
most of our kids parties are family and friends….i have yet to do a “kids from school party”. i do seem to always have a theme. like we had a backyard movie theater complete with “cash” money, a concession stand, and popcorn cupcakes.
but in the 9, 6 and 3 years of parties we have never bought our kids a present for their birthdays.
but the siblings just started getting each other something with the money they earn.
As a woman who snapped a photo of her daughter at 15 months with a cupcake and birthday crown, I’m OK with not doing the party. But if I was going to do it, it would have been more for me and my sweetie–a sort of ‘we did it’. After we put her to bed, we toasted over sushi and champagne.
But heck, I love a good party! And would have loved to have gone to any of these gorgeous parties! Ladies, you rock! You are in inspiration to go ahead and just do it!
Woodland creatures rock! I love that cupcake as mushroom. Genius. I might have to snag that idea!
And could we talk about that ruffle tablecloth? I’m officially going to try to make that!
i agree about the anniversary feeling. i totally felt like it was a celebration of our survival.
those parties are adorable. my head and stress levels explode for two months prior to birthday time just trying to put something basic together. and this year, it’s a 2 for 1 event (violet was born two weeks after oliver’s birthday).
Holy bananas! Those are gorgeous. And will definitely wait until she’s at least 3 for the crazy party, mostly because we have no room for cakestands in our apartment, and also I am so not crafty as to be uncrafty.
I feel a mite guilty because Eliza’s first birthday will be spent–wait for it–FLYING TO PITTSBURGH. Oy. The upside is that her 5-year-old cousin will be waiting for her at the Rocket Homestead, and I fully expect her to go Spongebob-Disney-Princess-Baby-Eliza peanuts making Eliza’s day-after-first-birthday the most fabulous preschool party EVAH.
BethR–I love your kid’s names! Violet! Oliver! Two of my favorites!
oh my good golly, those are some mighty fine birthday parties!!!!!!! i love the little gingham goodie bags sooo much! and the dotty mushroom cupcakes?! i die!
and alix, next time you’ve got a birthday post in the pipeline, check out the fabulous parties that lady hula has thrown for her kiddos— GORGEOUS.
Thank you for such sweet comments! My husband has been in grad school for the past 2 years so part of our excuse to give Finn an “over the top” birthday party was just to get all our friends together, who we don’t have as much time to see during this season of our lives!! I also wanted to give credit to “gifts created” for the mushroom accents. My sewing skills basically stick to straight lines right now (i.e. the square goodie bags). They’re darling, eh?