7 Party Must-Haves
As some of you know, our oldest girl just turned 7 and I’m a little perplexed as to how that happened so fast. Some days I feel like she’s still a baby, and other days I feel like she’s a teenager… but I digress. We had so many thoughts when it came to birthday party ideas and I wanted to share my must-have list with you!
Birthday Balloons
Whether it’s a balloon arch or a balloon bouquet, balloons in general are one of our daughter’s favorite birthday things! You can DIY your own balloon arch with this DIY kit (it’s really easy), or you can hire someone local to come set it up for you. Either way, it’ll be super cute and festive! If you’re going to do the balloon bouquet route, you can DIY that too! We have a helium tank at home and we make our own, but Party City is convenient and you can even have them delivered to your house because who likes to drive with 50 floating balloons in the car, am I right?
A Fun Theme
I love a good theme, don’t you? I’ve found that if I don’t have a theme for whatever I’m celebrating, my thoughts can get a little scattered and I become unsure very quickly. Themes can consist of an actual character you’re thinking of, cartoon or otherwise, or as simple as a color combination. This year for Olivia’s birthday, my theme thought were the colors pink, purple, and turquoise. She loves those colors and it seemed appropriate for a 7-year-old going on 14. 🙂
An Elevated Unique Beverage Experience
I recently came across Tippy Tap Co. at another birthday party, and it was LEGIT one of the best ideas I’ve seen! Tippy Tap Co. is a mobile bar that delivers vintage charm and that unforgettable element to your parties. You can customize Tippy’s 6 taps to serve any beverage combination for both kids and adults (i.e. juice AND alcohol so everyone is entertained). A Mobile Bar Service in Atlanta and a fresh alternative to a standard bar service, they have customizable packages to fit your budget. It’s definitely a must for any party, and we’re actually planning our vow renewal soon and Tippy Tap Co. is at the top of my wish list!
Party Favors that Multi-Task
One of my best friends Dori always has the BEST candy stations at her parties and a great part about that is that they can double as party favors for your guests, and who doesn’t love a candy station am I right? Not only do they make great party favors, but they also serve as a pretty tablescape for your party and you can also make the cake the centerpiece of that table!
Birthday Cake
I was diagnosed with Celiac so we are a gluten-free family and that makes finding a (tasty) gluten-free birthday cake difficult sometimes so when we find a fantastic bakery, we stick with it! We use Slice Bakeshop in Atlanta, but if you are looking for a gluten-free cake as well, I would do some research on great bakeries in your area. I love the idea of using the cake as the center piece to the candy station and also a great idea of how to incorporate your party’s theme. I’d also have a separate “smash cake” area if you’re throwing a birthday party for a one year old.
Age Appropriate Activities
We love when we see a bounce house at a birthday party, but sometimes the little siblings aren’t able to enjoy themselves in it so having something small like a craft table, water table, party shakers, or something else for the littles to do is not only entertaining for the kids, but also helpful for the moms! Unless you’re not inviting the siblings, then a bounce house is perfect and then the adults can get in it after the party is over too! Just a thought.
Photo Area
I don’t know about you, but I love taking pictures. I do study photography, but I still love taking pictures with my iPhone (102,000 later…. that I should really do a back up on) so having a photo area is a must for me! Hiring a photographer might not be in everyone’s budget but setting up a backdrop with some cute fringe garland and props (you can even get the balloon arch in there too!) is such a fun addition to your party and memorable as well and anyone can pull their phone out for a photo op!
Have Fun
Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy your baby’s birthday! Remember that they don’t care if everything is perfect, they just know that you love them and that you were there to create special moments and memories with them.
This post was written in partnership with Tippy Tap Co.
