Invitation
It all started with the invitation. I often go to the internet to find inspiration and then go off on my own tangent. While looking for a Polaroid type invitation, I ran across a good search result for someone who stuffed their wedding invitation in a film canister. Why not take a step further and roll it into an actual film cartridge! I got a box of discarded cartridges from a local processing shop for free and the rest is history! Just kidding, I measured the cartridge reel and made strips of invitations on regular paper and rolled them up. I'd say this is the most amazing thing I've ever created and to this day, it's my creative pride and joy.
Party Decor
I created the main setup with a banner of both Noah's monthly growth photos and framed his camera shots to make the main display. We then printed around 500 of daily pictures of Noah, pictures with family, him doing funs and silly things, and some from our professional photo shoots. Then hung them on kraft paper to decorate the empty wall and pillar space in the back yard. There was essentially no wall overlooked for a chance for photos :) Hardly overkill...right?
The rest of the decor was in complimentary colors of film companies; blue, yellow, and green and covered in balloons. I utilized the remaining cartridges for food item cards and balloon weights, and made time capsule cards for guests to fill out. These are in a box for Noah to read when he turns 18. It was a fun way to see what people think he'll do and for him to experience his life before he could remember!
Games
Most of the kiddos who came to Noah's party were older than him, but still toddlers so games were pretty easy. We had a kids' table covered in kraft paper with juice boxes, stickers, chalk, and bubbles for Noah's friends to decorate and an inflatable pool filled with plastic balls, pool noodles, and bouncy balls. The ball pit was such a hit, two friends borrowed it for their birthday parties and we bring it out quite often!
Cake
We got a simple sheet cake with a camera outlined iced on top, and a mini cake for Noah to eat. Which he did with gusto!
Yes, the camera on the sheet cake is upside down. An important lesson on communication with your baker :)
Documenting the Party I Created <-- see what I did there
We hired a photographer to come and shoot the party. A client of Matt's asked him to do the same for her son's 5th birthday and it seemed to be a great way to just relax and not have to worry about getting pictures. I also created a Polaroid cut-out for guests to take pictures that had the birthday party mark.
It was a lot of work, but I really love the outcome. I know so many people scoff at large baby parties but as an event planner, it was something I enjoy doing and makes me happy. And it was really a celebration for me as much as him. I know many don't see kid's birthdays that way, but I had quite the journey in Noah's first year and this was the most magical way to look back and see the whole forest through the trees.
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