8 Steps To Plan an Awesome 1st Birthday Party 

First birthdays are so important! You only get one birthday a year, and this is the very first one to celebrate your little one’s first year of life! While this party is the very first, try to remember you’ll have so many more. And don’t get me wrong, it’s a great reason to have a party, splurge and spoil your little one. After all you’ve both earned it! From delivery to the first steps your little one takes…it’s been a busy year for baby & mom. With all of this in mind, just remember that this is a party for a one-year old and it doesn’t take much to make him/her happy. Celebrate with a simple and cute 1st birthday party.

Tips for an awesome 1st birthday party:

Relax! Your baby won’t be happy if mom or dad is exhausted and stressed out from planning a party. Try to make it as easy on yourself as possible, so you can enjoy time celebrating with your baby.

Make sure your baby is well rested before the party starts. The best way is to plan this party around your baby’s naptime. This may help limit tiredness and fussiness during the party.

Limit your party to 2-3 hours. Your little one will be able to stay up this amount of time before needing another nap (or if late) ready for bedtime. During naptime or bedtime you wouldn’t want a loud party still going on. That way your baby can get a peaceful sleep.

Now, that that’s out the way….If you’re ready to plan an awesome, budget-friendly birthday party, this is the best guide for you!

Here are 8 Steps to Plan an Awesome 1st Birthday Party

1. Set a Budget 

What do you want or have to spend on this first birthday bash? The budget is so important that it should be the very first thing to consider when planning a birthday party. Your budget will ultimately help you decide so many things, like the number of guests, type of food and venue. Base your birthday budget off what’s comfortable financially for you. Before picking a party budget, make sure you include the cost of  a gift. At one years old, your baby will not remember this birthday. You can take lots of pictures for memories to look back on, but they won’t remember. So don’t worry so much about extravagant gifts and decorations and just focus on your baby having a good time.  

Example Budget:

Total Budget $250

Gift Budget: $50

Party Budget: $200

Click here, for One Year Old Gift Ideas

2. Pick A Venue 

This is such a milestone for your little one. As a new parent this is also a great milestone for you. How do you want to celebrate? Do you want to do a small at-home gathering, large BBQ, or go to Chucky Cheese? Based on your budget, picking a venue should be easy. Some other places to consider are a beach, park or rental hall. Many parks allow you to grill and set up a table or two with no expense. If you want a pavilion it will often be available to rent for a small fee.

Best Budget Friendly Plan: The easiest and least expensive way to throw a party is at your home or the home of your friend/family, keeping the budget for your venue at $0. Another way is to have a BBQ at a local park, which is often free as well. 

3. Pick A Theme & Decorations 

This can be just a color scheme, such as pink & white, blue & white, yellow & green…the list is endless! It can also be based around a character, such as Winnie the Pooh, Puppy Dog Pal, Peppa Pig, etc. Before you settle on a theme, make sure you search online to make sure you can find everything you need and that it will fit in your budget. A general list for party decorations include: balloons, streamers, tablecloths, plates, napkins and utensils. If you’re doing a party outside and it’s really hot, don’t waste your time blowing up a ton of balloons as they probably won’t last until your guests arrive.

Best Budget Friendly Plan: To save money, skip the character theme and simplify with a beautiful color scheme. Also try buying a decoration bundle. They often include most of the decorations you need and are much more cost efficient at under $30. There are some great choices featured below to save you a lot of time and money!

4. Put Together a Guest List 

Write a guest list on who you want to invite. Keep in mind that you have to provide food and cake to all those you invite. And goodie bags for children, if you so choose. Also think about your venue and how many people can fit comfortably in your space.

Best Budget Friendly Plan: If you’re trying to keep your budget small, keep your guest list small as well. Try limiting guest to close family and friends. This is a good idea, because you don’t want to overwhelm your infant. Too many people and too many loud noises can do just that!

Download: 1st Birthday Guest List

5. Invite Your Guests 

Put that guest list to work and invite your guests. If you’re traditional you can order invitations and mail them out. You can also use websites to create email invitations. Some sites offer a free invitation, but most invitations cost a fee. It may be worth it because you save money on stamps and time to mail traditional invitations.

Traditional Invites:

Best Budget-friendly tip: Use Facebook to create an event and invite all your guests this way or use a free email invite. For instructions how to create an event on Facebook, click here.

6. Choose a Menu 

Some people plan ahead to get back rsvp’s before planning what type of food to have at the party. Knowing how many people are showing up can change your menu options. The easier your menu, the easier it will be on you, especially if you plan on cooking the meal yourself.  Menu options don’t need to be extravagant because it’s a kid’s birthday party. Make sure that you are including foods your child enjoys eating.

Best Budget-friendly plan: Pizza. Most people love or will tolerate pizza. It’s a hit with kids as well. Don’t go with delivery because the cost will be high. However, if you cook the pizzas yourself it will be really cheap. Check out Aldi’s or Walmart’s ready to cook pizzas. Not the frozen kind, but the kind that is featured below. You can find it in the frigerated area. 4 extra large pizzas will cost up to $30. The same from a pizzeria could cost you up to $70. Add some snacks like chips, pretzels and dip! This is the best option if you have a larger group to feed. Another easy and cost effective options is hot dogs & hamburgers, especially if you are doing an outdoor party.

Dessert

This is one of the best parts of the party. Dessert!!! Dessert is so fun. You can bake and decorate your little one’s birthday desserts. You can also special order a sheet cake and/or smash cake if it works into your budget.

The best budget-friendly option is to bake the cupcakes or cake. However, if you aren’t into baking or simply can’t spare the time, try premade cupcakes and cakes from your local grocery store. If your party will have mostly kids, try mini cupcakes.

7. Find Some Fun Baby Activities 

Remember your one year old may get tired easily. At this age naps are still necessary to keep your little one fueled. Choose easy and fun activities that don’t overwhelm your baby. Some great activities are the cake smash, bubble machine, outdoor blow up pool, ball pin & baby swing. 

For a budget friendly option, check your local discounts stores, such as Ollies, Burlington, or Big Lots for fun infant toys & activities.

8. Pick an Outfit

Finding a cute 1 year outfit will be great for photos and let everyone know who the birthday boy or girl is.

If you are going to have a smash cake, a smash cake outfit is great for memorable photos. It also makes it easy to throw out and clean up. You don’t want to use one of your favorite outfits for this. All those fun and bright cake colors stain.

Enjoy!

I hope this helps you plan an awesome 1st birthday party in just a few easy steps!