When I first had Abby I remember sitting in my hospital bed thinking about one year from that very moment. I know that sounds crazy, but Abby’s first birthday has been an obsession of mine since the beginning. I toiled for months over a theme, and once I decided on ‘Abby in Onederland’ it was full steam ahead.
I have this beef with kids parties (and the same with kid rooms), for some reason the idea of a super themed party kinda makes my skin crawl. I have no idea why, it’s probably the inner bargain hunter in me. I can’t stand to spend so much money on cheap themed decor when I can get crafty and make something beautiful! So, we started at my favorite place, the antique mall. At the end of it all for under $50 we had two teapots, 6 cups and saucers, and quite a few adorable bunnies.
One of my favorite parts of the party was making the huge paper flowers. My sister and I made them the night before the party at about 1 AM. They were made from simple tissue paper and could not have been more beautiful! I have a tutorial up here if you want to find out how to make your own.
Overall the day was beautiful (OK not totally beautiful, it ended up being cold so we moved the cake smashing inside), I couldn’t have been happier. Abby had a blast and the party was a hit! What else can you say when you’re first baby turns 1!
So here are my tips for you if you’d like to throw your own Onederland party!
- Florals are your friends. Traditionally Wonderland is full of foliage, go with huge flowers, floral patters, and of course fresh flowers anywhere possible.
- Go vintage. Seriously, this gives your party a classic touch and is easily found at your local thriftshop. Clocks, bunny rabbits, tea sets, and even vintage frames will all fit perfectly.
- Be colorful. Whether you use muted tones or bright ones use a lot of color. Think of the icon tea party scene and go from there!
- Don’t be traditional, be whimsical. For Abby’s party we set up old chairs around our back yard and had little tea sets at each of them. It was different, and fun!
- Don’t stop at the party store. Well you can stop there, but keep shopping afterwards! You will find the best things in the oddest of places. One of the things that did not make it to Abby’s party were some huge mushrooms I wanted to make for the occasion. But my mom ended up finding small ceramic mushrooms for gardens that we stuck around the yard. It made a great finishing touch!
What did you all do for your little one’s first birthday, or what are you hoping to do? Let me know below!
