First Birthday Party Themes & Ideas

Celebrating a first birthday is such a huge milestone. Not only for the baby, but for the parents too!

Truthfully, before having a child of my own I thought going all out for a baby’s first birthday party seemed a little silly since they 100% will NOT remember the event.

Leading up to our little girl’s first birthday, I went back and forth between wanting to throw something big or rather just saving the money for something else. Ultimately I decided that this first birthday party was mainly for my husband and I to celebrate her first year of life. We wanted to invite our friends and family over who supported us and loved on all three of us so well in that first year. All the calls, texts, meals, gifts and advice we received from them meant the world to us so we wanted to gather together and celebrate around the little girl who now makes our world turn!

When coming up with first birthday party themes and ideas for your little one, it’s hard because infants don’t quite yet have interests in certain characters, shows, etc. First birthday parties for babies are the perfect excuse for you to get creative go with a party theme that you love. After all, the years following the first birthday are sure to be completely dedicated by them! That said, I love English gardens and the Love Shack Fancy prints and colorways so I decided a flower theme was the play for us!

Garden Party Theme

A garden party themed first birthday party can play on all aspects of styling. This could include the decorations that are hung, patterned tablescape, food and drinks that are served, and last but not least even the dress code. Imagine simple floral centerpieces, monogrammed napkins, paperweight place cards which can double as party favors should your occasion require it. A garden party theme should feel light, fun, intimate, and serve as a casual theme to celebrate any milestone or holiday. This theme can be as relaxed or upscale as you prefer, from using old china plates as serving dishes or cute floral paper plates for easier clean up. Any garden party shall play on floral patterns that are Love Shack Fancy inspired and a mix of tea time at the Plaza Hotel. The overall vibe of an English garden party is timeless and I believe that it will be used for years to come no matter the occasion.

1st Birthday Party Etiquette

Who to invite: A room too crowded with even familiar faces may overwhelm your birthday baby. Unless you’re sure your little one can handle a big crowd, consider keeping it on the intimate side — maybe just a few family members and close friends. If your baby spends time with other babies, you may want to invite a few, along with their parents. If not, a first birthday party probably isn’t the best time to launch your little one’s social career. Here are some more tips on planning a first birthday party for an infant (i.e. planning around nap time, photo ops, other children, etc)
Are gifts required?: For a first birthday party I would say that gifts are not required to be brought. I would say that bringing a small gift for the hosts or baby being celebrated is a great gesture. A gift to the hosts would serve as a “congrats on surviving your first year as parents” gift. In my personal opinion, I never like to show up to any party empty handed. Grab my free hostess gift guide here! I’ve put together over 10 amazingly affordable gift ideas that are thoughtful and elegant. Any host would be happy to receive! Such a simple way to say thank you. Download the hostess shopping gift ideas here.
Is the party come & go?: Sometimes for a small child a come & go format is less overwhelming and more casual. It depends on the number of people invited and on the preference of the host. I think it is important to indicate whether it is come & go or not so your guests are aware and can plan accordingly.
Where to get invitations made?: For Emma’s first birthday party we did digital invites that I bought off Etsy to send to our family and friends via text. I chose this option as we planned her birthday party at the very last minute. If I would have planned earlier I would have opted for paper invitations from Dogwood Hill. They have the prettiest stationary and invitations that fit any occasion or celebration. Otherwise, you can create your own DIY invites off of Canva that would turn out great as well!

How to Throw the Best Garden Party

Celebrating any holiday with an English garden theme will turn out beautifully, but here is a list of the vendors and supplies we used to celebrate our baby girl’s first birthday. We used a local Birmingham vendor, Pink Rose Florals, for party rentals and floral design. We also rented a pressed floral backdrop from Prop House Birmingham. The rest of the party supplies we purchased are listed below.