My youngest daughter turned one recently and I decided last minute to organise a small birthday party with close friends and family. Since our adults/kids ratio was 50/50 I thought it’s best to keep it classy. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against kiddy parties (I’m in awe of people who manage to host 10+ kids in their home) but I realise that it won’t be long before my daughters will want themed birthday parties, so I might as well make most of it for now and throw a party that mummy will like too!
I’m usually very organised when it comes to party planning but this time I had left it late. We had ordered the food but I hadn’t thought about decorations, colours or tablescapes. There was no time for online shopping so I drove to our nearest Hobbycraft which has been a godsend in the past when it comes to home-made decorations and crafts. I wasn’t sure what to expect but their collections really surprised me. I was very much spoiled for choice.
The Pink Ombre Paper Cups and Plates were my favourites. They are the perfect shade of pink and the gold embossed text makes them look very chic and stylish. I also loved the Gold Foil Polka Dot Range and I couldn’t pick between the two so in the end I decided to get both. I felt it might be a little too predictable to just stick to one colour so why not mix it up a bit. Luckily metallics and pink are a match made in heaven. I do think that plastic or paper plates are a necessity with kids. The best thing about paper tableware is that you don’t have to worry about doing the dishes afterwards. I also like that you can get a new set for each occasion. It would be a bit boring to use the same plates all the time, don’t you think? I’m also a big fan of paper straws and the Gold Polka Dot Paper Straws went perfectly with the pretty silver/pink theme.
A nice table cloth is an absolute must for parties in my book but I didn’t want to go for a white one. I guess it’s pretty obvious why. Kids are messy and the stains will show very quickly. So if you don’t want to get a paper/disposable table cloth, just go for cotton but choose a colour that is few shades darker. Stains won’t show as much and it will definitely make your table look smarter. I also placed the Chilewich Lace Runner in the middle to glam things up a bit and I love the way the design adds a bit of texture to the table setting. Of course my tablescape wouldn’t be complete without some pink flowers. Fluffy pink roses are always an excellent choice for girls and I mixed two different bouquets to get a bit of variety in our flower centre piece. It’s also a cost effective way to make yourself a statement bouquet as small flower arrangements tend to be a lot cheaper than one large one.
I mentioned before that half of our guests were grown ups so I wanted to cater for them as well. I made sure the table was filled with some savoury nibbles and macarons to keep the adults entertained. We got all the party food from M&S and their selection is pretty impressive. I’ll be using them for our next party for sure. Funnily enough, the kids ended up eating all the macarons before adults got to them!
You cannot have a birthday party without a pretty cake, right? I enjoy cooking but unfortunately baking is not one of my strongest skills. It’s just too much pressure when it comes to birthdays and I know I could never make it as pretty as I’d like. Luckily, M&S have a great selection of celebration cakes and I think the Number One Cake is one of the cutest I’ve seen. It’s quite a large cake so it makes a great center piece for your table setting. I always use my 3 Tier Cake Stand when entertaining and I honestly don’t know how I could cope without it. Our table is quite narrow so it’s ideal if you haven’t got a lot of room or a side table to use. I also love my Iittala Kastehelmi Cake Stand. The sparkly glass droplet design is timeless and beautiful in any setting.
I think the sweetest thing about organising the birthday party was how involved my eldest daughter wanted to be. She loved the decorating part and picking up the accessories with me. She also has the most amazing attention to detail so I must have brainwashed trained her pretty well! I also love how honest kids are. If something doesn’t look quite right, they are not afraid to tell you. I can’t wait to start decorating the house for Christmas soon. Not long to go now!
What’s your take on kids parties? Do you enjoy or dread organising them?
