Party planning can be a daunting task, especially if you want everything just right! To help make the endeavor less overwhelming, heed these tips from a few experienced party-planning celebrity moms:
1. “Pick a theme that goes along with your message.” – Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio
Aside from planning her son Philip’s first birthday party, recently, the mom also threw a bird-themed baby shower for her sister. The “main message” of the celebration, Rica wrote on her blog Mrsbo.ph, was “Pablo Hatching Soon.” Why a bird theme? “Obviously, birds lay eggs and it was easy to connect hatching with giving birth. The theme also only works because my sister and her husband are true birders,” she said
Rica explained that having a central set theme and message ensures every detail falls into place perfectly. “Even the simplest and most affordable parties become extraordinary when you have a great concept stringing them together.” Your theme and message don’t have to be elaborate either. The simpler, the better, said Rica. “The most important thing about them though is that they connect with the occasion or the celebrator.”
Check out Rica’s blog for more photos from the baby shower and a few more tips here.ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
2. “It’s the little details that make a party seem professionally put together.” –Amanda Griffin-Jacob
For her daughter Lila’s first birthday, mom-of-three Amanda decided to forego a big party and instead opt for a quaint but elegant intimate get-together at their Singapore home. She planned everything herself, pooling her favorite suppliers for the event. These included DIY kits from Party Starters and a craft table for the kids from La Pomme.
For the little details, first she made sure that everything followed the pink, gold and white color palette -- from decorations down to food (mac and cheese, sandwiches and sushi that she whipped up herself). She also made sure to get the best looking and tasting cake and cupcakes. And, the goodie bag had to be up to standards too.
“These days it’s all about the goody bag isn’t it? For Lila’s, we featured magic wands for the girls, stuffed toy swords for the boys, button mirror key chains of the birthday girl, and Kiele anti-mosquito repellent that doubles as a cologne (a favorite in my goody bags),” she wrote in an article for Manila Bulletin.
3. “Don’t insist on a theme, venue, design or giveaway if these aren’t within your budget.” – Jackie Go
Mom-of-two Jackie shared five tips on how to plan a children’s party over on her blog Gojackiego.com. She based her theme from her learnings when she planned her daughter Gabbie's Under the Sea-themed first birthday party.
Our favorite tip from the bunch was about budget setting, because as the mom knows, it can be quite an ordeal to plan a party in Manila, taking into consideration Filipinos' often have big extended families. “It kinda feels like it’s mandatory to invite the whole barangay,” she wrote, which makes it even more crucial to stick to a budget.
“Basically, your budget will determine where you can host your party, who you can invite and what’s the overall look or theme you’re going for,” Jackie said. “Remember don’t insist on a theme, venue, design or giveaway if these aren’t within your budget. You don’t want to regret later on that you overspent.”
She even included this breakdown sheet for all the party planning mom’s out there:
60% -- Food (cake, food booths)
20 % -- Entertainment (host, your preferred entertainment, activity booths)
10% -- Decor (stage, balloons, sound system)
10% -- Giveaway and prizes
Read the rest of Jackie's tips here.CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch now
