Themed birthday parties may be all the rage these days, but sometimes they can be intimidating. Just look at all the inspiration boards for any themed birthday party on Pinterest, and chances are they probably cost an arm and a leg (and a lot of time) to stage at home. As a professional party planner, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to spend too much time and money to pull off a picture-perfect themed birthday party for your kids. In fact, putting up a DIY birthday party is a matter of strategy. Just ask yourself these three questions while you’re planning to help ease your stress when it comes to DIY party planning.
Where and how can I save money?
As you look through thousands and thousands of money-saving party planning tips online, consider the advice that works the best for you. The most common inexpensive party-planning strategies we’ve seen include going the potluck route for food, using house plants as photo backdrops, and having family and friends over to help you put up the decorations. You can also try shopping at your local stores, but you’ll also be surprised by what you might find online as well. My team has found inexpensive packages of DIY theme-party supplies online, which include themed plates, napkins, table coverings, and balloons that anyone can put together at home. This is a great option for anyone who has a unique theme for their parties, from Legos to circuses to unicorns.
How do I make sure that my guests are safe?
By now you may be familiar with the unseen dangers that lurk in kids’ safe spaces, including choking hazards and allergens in both food and toys. This can put a wrench into your DIY party planning, but lessening hazards can also be part of your planning strategy for the themed birthday party as well. If you’re doing a safari party for your preschool child, for example, make sure that the food is cut up into bite-size pieces and give away versatile party favors like wild animal stickers.
Where do I want to splurge?
Where you spend your money for your DIY party is up to you, but we’ve found that some theme party essentials are worth the investment. Here are some ideas to incorporate into your party-planning strategy:
Cakes: Conventional wisdom may tell you that your child may not care about the color or flavor of the cake you choose, but in our experience the cake makes every themed birthday party worth the trouble. Even the youngest of kids will remember a perfectly designed cake for their party, especially if it looks good in pictures!
Balloons: Sometimes those blow-up Mylar letters aren’t enough to spice up the ambience. A color-coordinated balloon arrangement can brighten up any space and give your DIY themed birthday party that professional-planner touch.
Entertainment: Let’s say that your daughter wants to have her own pop-star girl power party. If you really want to run with the theme, you may want to spend a little more on renting a few extras, such as photo booths for the star-power glamour shoots or an inexpensive karaoke microphone for the inevitable sing-alongs. Again, it’s all part of your DIY strategy, so make sure that they’ll make a difference!
We believe that every party is unique, and this is true if you are going the DIY route for your kids’ themed birthday parties. With a little imagination and a lot of strategizing, you too can organize the parties of your kids’ dreams!
If you need more help in planning your kids’ birthday parties, let The Party Palooza be a part of your special day! Our themed kids’ birthday party packages are customizable to your own family’s needs. Talk to us and see what we can do for your party planning! Call us at (717) 751-1720 for more information.