Elle’s Dress: iloveplum | Elle’s Denim Jacket: Gap Kids (on sale right now!) | Custom Phrase Balloons: Etsy | Rose Gold Birthday Candles: Etsy | Cat Plates: Etsy | Baloon Garland: Amazon | Happy Birthday Balloons: Amazon | Cake & Cupcakes: Local baker, message me if you live in the area | My Dress: Sold out, but similar style here, here, here & I really like this one and this is so cute! Ivy’s Bow: Little Lopers | Ivy’s Dress: No Longer Available
We celebrated Elle Belle’s third birthday and I still can’t believe it. My little baby is three years old!? I tried to include her in choosing a theme, but she is still to little to grasp, I think. Even when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she just said “a present” – haha. So sweet.
That said, I decided on a kitty cat theme, as she loves cats. I also thought it was different from all the unicorn and disney princesses and easy too! I basically ordered some cat plates on etsy and picked up some balloons at the local party shops and a balloon garland kit from amazon. It was the first time I created balloon garland and won’t be the last – it was so easy, inexpensive and pretty. Elle loved it! I also customized some letter balloons to read “are you kitten me?” Along with a cat cake and cupcakes to fit with the theme.
Trying to decorate was a bit of a gong show. I mean, it usually is, because there are never enough hands and these things tend to be last minute. Also, throw in with the two babes. It was hectic for sure. I am so thankful I had my mother and niece there to help! Although, in the midst of the chaos, we must have put one of the N’s backward in the Kitten phrase – haha. Oh well, far from the heart. A friend once said to me, “don’t let the perfect get in the way of the good!”
With a background in event management, I really have always enjoyed organizing occasions such as this for friends and family. Although completely unnecessary to have decor, in order to have a wonderful celebration, I feel like decorating is my love language, haha! It also just makes me feel good to think I am making someone feel extra special. In all honesty though, you don’t have to do much or break the bank to make any occasion stand out. It’s all in the details.
Perosnalizing occasions is the key. Find a theme or a colour scheme that you feel the individual would love or that suits them. Then add personal touches. For instance, for Andrew’s birthday one year, I had a special menu created and named some dishes after him. I then also had a naked two tier cake made out of banana loaf with mascarpone cheese icing and drizzled salted carmel on top. He isn’t a cake person, but he loves banana loaf and salted carmel. It was a huge hit – seriously to die for!
Cakes can really double as a beautiful piece of the decor or theme. I love that! Also, printing off photos and putting them in frames is another way you can personalize a special occasion (you can then save and reuse these later or gift them to the person). For flowers or arrangements, when in season, I like to just cut flowers from my garden and put them on tables as centre pieces. We did this with Elle’s birthday ever year, as her parties are always in summer when we have fresh flowers in bloom.
I buy a lot of decorations, such as balloons, candles, cake toppers on amazon. You can’t beat the prices. I tend to do the dollar store for any helium (foil balloons will last sometimes weeks, but regular balloons just a few hours, so keep that in mind when you’re ordering).
This was the first year we did treat bags for the kids, as they are getting old enough to appreciate this detail. I picked up some cute packages of nail polish, little toys, and candy and split them up. We only had a couple kids, so this was easy. I also picked up some prizes this year, for kids to play games and add some excitement. I planned on giving them all a chance to choose a prize. I tried to use simple games, like popping bubbles, etc., but I think it was still a bit too soon for the concept of “games” and it was a bit of fail (just as an FYI if you’re thinking about doing this, age four or five might be better). That said, they painted unicorn glass ornaments to take home for their windows and played and got to pick some prizes, so they didn’t care.
All in all, her birthday was a huge success. Not because there were a hundred kids there (I like to keep it to her closest friends she sees on a regular basis) and not because of all the decorations, but because she had the best day. That’s what it is all about. When I asked what her favourite part of her birthday was, she said it was eating cake and playing with her friends. I’ll cheers to that! All you need is delicious cake and a few good friends.
What themes or birthday ideas have been a success for you or your littles!? I would love to hear all about it and any tips on games to play, etc! Please comment below!
