A Mom’s Step by Step Guide to Themed Party Planning (DIY & budget friendly)

Recently a first time mom reached out and asked “how do you go about planning a first birthday party? I don’t know where to start and I think a lot of first time moms could really benefit from a party planning guide”

I realized this is something I love to do and tend to go big on birthday parties and themes. I love a good theme and a good pun and usually take them and run. That being said I do not have the huge budgets many “instagram moms” have, but a regular mom budget.

Don’t get me wrong, I do splurge and this price tag is not 0, but it is not huge and elaborate either. Very middle ground party planning.

**I find by buying things that can be used for many parties to come takes up a bin of storage, but helps in saving money in the parties coming (for other kids or other birthdays). We have 3 kids and Favor bags last 2 years! Center piece vases also work for baptism parties, 1st communions, siblings parties, etc.

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So I present: A mom’s step by step guide to a themed party planning.

Party Planning

I have created a checklist for you, click the button below:

Party Planning Checklist

Theme

I start with picking a theme–and often a pun. This is going to be the basis for everything else. I take it and I RUN with it. Thing of rhymes, common phrases, movie quotes, etc.

A full list of parties we have posted and links to their posts can be found HERE

Birthdays are updated in April, June & August. Follow the blog by email or on Social Media for new and upcoming party ideas.

Carry theme through the invite, clothes, decor, signage, table needs, food, cake, & favors

Invite

Once my theme is picked, I find an invitation I like. I personally like a digital option to text to everyone and then I print a couple copies for grandparents and ourselves to remember that year and put in their memory box. I also try to make photo cards. I have recently started making in Canva sometimes purchasing clip art from ETSY. This opens up the door to carry the same theme throughout the party.

Decor

I like to search “theme birthday party” in pinterest, amazon & etsy

Decor I try to pick for each party:

Clothing
- I do like to get the kids a shirt for their party with the theme (they wear afterwards and is kept in memory box after outgrown). Family tries to coordinate in a color or style but we do not get shirts for everyone typically.
Photo backdrop (behind the cake table)
- I am a big fan of balloon arches or canvas banners. To save money, I have found that if I buy the balloon arch ribbon and air machine I can buy cheap balloons to make for each party at a low price.
- I also like to have banners. I either make these in Canva, or purchase printable ones (to customize size & wording)
Centerpieces/hold down table cloths
- For centerpieces especially, I like to find containers that will match just about anything (mason jars, vases, etc) and just change the fillings for each party.
Signage/Labels
- Signage around the party I try to make using the same invitation template/fonts/clip art. Remember the puns! *Photos expand on click*

Table Needs

For table and eating needs, I head to Walmart or Dollar Tree and pick up packs of tablecloths in a color that compliments the theme. Plates, utensils, napkins, cups all from here. Budget friendly and unifies the look.

Cake

I get ideas for a cake, make the cake at home, and my sister in law that has some cake decorating background comes over and frosts with cans of frosting and food coloring I purchase and mix with her. Grocery store cakes can be amazing too!

A simple cake with a perfect cake topper can also perfect the look

happy emoji flappy birthday party cake nolan 8

Food

Pick food the kid would love, and then find fun names for it based on the theme (if making food tent names)

Activities

I honestly try not to over plan a party’s activities.

A pinata, coloring table (you can find themed personalized coloring pages!) or things like that make great time fillers and favors.

Bounce house, sprinklers, games

Favors

I purchase a 500 pack of paper bags with handles, print off a tag/that clip art I purchased, and voila personalized favor bags. Favors can be the decor (so you aren’t stuck with it all!) or activity left overs (so feel free to make the bags but have them empty)

I personally try to name the bags so they know who’s is who’s ahead of time and you can be sure to have one for everyone (but always have a couple blank in case).

Set Up/Flow of the tables/areas

Take into consideration:

Enough seating especially if food is being served
Pathways around certain areas (can you walk around the food table, reach it all)
Food set up order of needs: plates, utensils, bun, meat, condiments, sides, etc
Zones: Art/messy zone, wash hand/clean up zone, eating area, play area, game area, cake area, favor area, present area, food area, garbage area

General plan, schedule, order of events

I try not to over plan but plan the order of events:

activity (does it need dry time?), eat, cake presents
Eat, play, cake, presents

1st Birthday Add Ons

Smash Cakes

It is common to let kids have cake on their first birthday and let them go crazy “smashing” the cake. We did a smaller cake only they would touch because of the mess it would make. (baby 3 was a Covid kid and since there was no party he got his whole cake) One thing we learned: softer the frosting (whip cream) bigger them mess–take that as you will. Expect very discolored diapers after.