5 Simple steps to planning a successful birthday party

One of the things I love most about being a mom is planning the kid’s birthday parties. Renan and I love hosting parties and when it comes time to plan our kid’s parties, it’s that much more special. Don’t get me wrong it can be stressful and does take a lot of work, but it’s all worth it when we see their faces light up. Over the years I always go through the same process when planning a party, and today I’ll show you how I plan successful parties in just 5 simple steps.

Set a budget

It is so easy to get carried away when planning a party (for me anyways) so one easy way I can solve that problem is by setting a budget! I usually give myself a rough estimate of how much I want to spend and then write a list of the things that will cost money, so venue, cake, loot bags…you get the idea.

Pick a theme

I usually do this step next because my kids usually have some sort of idea of what kind of party they want anyways. Themes we have done in the past included princess parties, superhero parties, beach and spa parties. This year Paige decided she wanted to do a unicorn theme party and also wanted to paint. Paige also loves pastel and colors so knowing this I incorporated pastel colors into all aspects of her birthday including her invitations, cake, and loot bags all while keeping in mind her theme of unicorns and painting. Picking a theme always helps me with the next step.

Choose a venue

Choosing a venue especially if you are not hosting at home will usually eat up the majority of your budget. The good news is most places offer packages that include food. Each package typically has a set amount of kids per package (usually 10) with each additional kids being extra. Remember to not only choose a venue that has age appropriate activities for your child who is celebrating his/her birthday but also for other siblings or guests who are older or younger. For example a play place may have a toddler space separate from older kids area. It is also nice to include activities for both genders. Because Paige’s birthday was a unicorn theme and they were painting unicorns, Pinnovate was able to provide an alternative for the boys to paint which was great.

Send out invitations

I have quite the obsession with stationery and all things paper so I typically like to hand out paper invitations but have been guilty for also creating invites on Evite or Facebook which is a great alternative. Invitations are typically sent out about 2 weeks prior the event although I usually like to send it out at least 3 weeks before. The invitation should include the date, place and time (both start and end time). I find that around 2-3 hours is about the longest kids can keep busy for before they either get too tired, or bored. Also include how you would like to receive your responses, whether by phone, email or the more popular way now via text. I like to have the RSVP date one week before the event as venues typically call 3 days prior to confirm numbers.

Take photos or videos

This I think is a crucial part of a planning a party. Be sure to take photos to remember the day. These days I find I enjoy taking more videos as well. Seems like the kids are growing so fast and for me documenting these special occasions is most important.