I can't believe we are here again, a 1st Birthday for my littlest babe. I was trying to come up with a theme for his party so I asked Emery what she thought. She said "A tree party", which was perfectly fitting for Alder. There are several reasons behind his name, one of them being one of my husband's favourite verses:
Psalm 1: 3
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding it's fruit in season, whose
leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does."
I wanted to keep his party simple but still cute. Thankfully we already had this vintage window from our cabin hanging in the kitchen so I based the decorations around it. Originally I wanted to fill some mason jars with Alder branches but Alder trees are hard to find around here, so I just found several Alder botanical prints on Pinterest instead to print out. I already had the pom-pom banner from Alder's room and used that across the mirror.
In the past I have always stressed out what kind of food I'm going to serve, especially if the party is around lunch and supper time. I just want to be able to enjoy the party and not having to worry about cooking food. Obviously ordering Panago Pizza is the answer. Everyone loves pizza, it's delicious, and so so easy! We have some people in our family who are vegan, gluten free and dairy free, and Panago has those options available which is so awesome!
When these two play together, it might just be my favourite thing ever.
I ordered from Whipped Up, and she made these dairy free with a yummy marshmallow filling. They are also made in a gluten friendly kitchen. She was super accommodating, especially since I ordered these super last minute.
My Mother-in-Law had these wood stumps and slices already cut from their yard so I just borrowed them. It made a perfect mini cake stand for his little smash cake. I very quickly painted a number "1" on a bigger wood slice to put it up on display. I already had the wood crate so I used it to create some height to the table display. I put out some Instax photos of Alder from the past year as a sentimental touch. It's so crazy how much they grow and change in one year.
This little guy could not love those balloons anyone more, so obsessed! We just got a bag of balloons from the Dollarstore and blew them up. I know the foil number balloons are fun but they can be a pain to order or to go pick up. Alder didn't know any better, it was super simple, cute and he loved it!
Right before the party it looked like it was going to storm but it blew over right away, so grateful we could be outside.We just put out all of our outside toys and some bubbles, (including a water table) for the kids to play with. It was simple, and the kids just played together and entertained themselves. We didn't have to plan any fancy or complicated party games or activities (they can be awesome and fun, but we were trying to keep it as simple as possible).
Again going with my simple theme, I found a little cake at Safeway and Emery & I re-did it together. We took off some extra icing on the bottom and top, added macarons, moved a few things and added sprinkles. When in doubt, add sprinkles! I feel like as Moms we sometimes put this huge added pressure on ourselves that we have to do everything and we have to do it perfectly. I like baking but cakes aren't something that comes naturally to me, so I didn't want to add extra pressure or stress to myself by attempting to do it . We also decided to throw this party pretty last minute so this option worked best for us. You could also order a little cake from a nearby bakery. If you are in Edmonton, I would definitely check out Sugar and Spiced off Whyte Ave. They make the cutest cakes!
Oh he went right for that cake! So so cute and funny! Of course I had the kids matching in their Forest From Harper outfits, they were just perfect for the theme of the party. I love that they both can still wear these so many months later (see here).
Alder had the best time and loved seeing everyone, and that's all that matters to me. I was so glad I choose to keep things much simpler this time. I broke down some tips for you to keep parties simple.
4 Tips for a Simple & Cute 1st Birthday Party
1.) Use items you already own for decorations, borrow items from a friend or family member, or scour Pinterest for simple, printable items.
2.) Order food. Take off any added stress by ordering food such as pizza, sandwiches, treats, etc.
3.) If possible have the party outside with simple toys you already own, or at a park. Kids are great at playing together and using their imaginations.
4.) Buy a simple cake from a grocery store bakery and redecorate it with your own touches. Or order a cake from a Cake Shop.
What are some of your tips for keeping Birthday Parties simple? Let me know!
<3 Kastles
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