Anyone with girls know that princesses are the coolest EVER! Baby O’s is obsessed with Sofia the First, so we decided to throw her a princess party. I know some people think first birthday parties are lame and pointless especially because the guest of honor won’t remember a damn thing about it, but this is about celebrating a whole year of firsts with this new little person, and their mom and dad’s deserve a party – and a few celebratory cocktails, if you ask me!
After the first birthday we just do small family celebrations or take the kids to Disney World but go all out for their first birthday. This time around we opted for a Sofia The First Under The Sea 1st birthday party. Quite the mouthful, ey? Seeing that her birthday falls during the hottest month of the year down in here in Florida, we thought it was fitting to do it pool side. Splash pads, water tables and baby pools galore!
If you are looking to throw a princess party, I have some easy DIY and absolutely adorable Sofia the First birthday ideas that can help you make your princesses day more special.
Photo Banner
A picture from each month since the birthday girl was born was strung up over the candy bar. It was a beautiful DIY that brought a tear to my eye and just a great way to see how much the birthday girl or boy has grown. Simply print out the pictures, get some fishing wire and tape and you’re done! I added some pompoms for decretive purposes.
Personalized Decorations
We added little touches to the buffet table, desserts, candy bar and appetizer table. I headed to Etsy.com and found a personalized chalkboard printout from AudreyEDesigns that was framed and displayed for everyone to see. Books and dolls were placed around and ’12 Months’ blocks were displayed as well. If you want to get the ‘Keep Calm and Princess On’ poster, you can print it out here from The Suburban Mom!
We also made tissue paper pom-poms that added a great pop of color to the party area. Simply fold 4 pieces of tissue paper (any color) in long accordions and tie off in the middle with wire or string. Cut the ends in points or rounded and gently pull each piece of tissue to form the pom-pom. Hang where ever!
Fun, Themed Food Tables
Buffet is the way to go! We did a combination of cooking and ordered food. Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Sliders, Broccoli Slaw, Sea Shell Pasta, Chicken Nugget, Fresh Fruit and a Chinese Salad were on the menu. Each item was creatively named after a character in Sofia the First. By adding an old box and covering it with a table cloth from the Dollar Store, it gives the table dimension and allowed for us to display the cake perfectly amidst the delicious food!
Desserts, Desserts and more Desserts
Dessert fit for a princess! Giant cupcake for a ‘smash’ cake and tiaras atop yummy cupcakes! Always consider the color theme when making or ordering your desserts, it makes for a nice touch!
Color-themed Candy Bar
We always do a candy bar for every party, and this purple, pink, blue and white themed was a hit! Always keep in mind how many people will be attending when you are buying the candy. You don’t want to go crazy, other wise it’s like Halloween. I found great clear containers at the Dollar Store and Party City for cheap. I used vases that I had as well. Just get some plastic tie bags or take-out boxes for guests to fill up and take home!
Ariel’s Secret Cave Treasure Chest
Since we were ‘under the sea’, I wanted to create Ariel’s secret cave of treasures for the kids. I covered a box in a table cloth from the Dollar Store and filled it with shredded paper to mimic ‘Coral’. The kids had to dig through the coral and find treasures like necklaces, rings, bouncy balls, and other trinkets.
DIY Photo Booth
I have been dying to do a photo booth for a party for ages now, and this one came together so nicely. Of course we had some technical issues with the camera, but the kids loved it. Add some fun props and costumes to get the guests excited! We even created an adorable hashtag for her special day – #LiviTheFirst. You can get as creative as you want with a DIY photo booth and it really is a great way to have memories of all the guests of the party!
DIY Noodle Ball Pit
This was a no brainer DIY that took me less than 15 minutes to complete! Check out this tutorial to learn how to make it for your kids!
Splash Pad Fun
This was the best $30 I spent at the beginning of the summer! Just hook it up to a hose and your kids will be entertained for hours! Thank you, Target & Intex!
Tea Cup & Knight Straw Cup Favors
I couldn’t resist getting these adorable sippy cups for each of the kids. The Tea Cups were a hit with the girls and the Knights were cool enough for any boy to love. Both were very reasonably priced and even on sale! Oriental Trading had a huge selection that fit any theme!
Personalized Invite
Got to love Etsy.com! Found this fabulous personalized invitation that fit the theme perfectly! Pretty Paper Pixels does awesome work, and has one-of-a-kind invites that is sent right to your email. We printed these out on cardstock and mailed them out. It was so easy and convenient!
Birthday Outfit
This adorable outfit was created by the talented LolliBugBoutique! I am so crazy about this sunsuit, so much so I want to order a bunch more – and I will be! It fit her perfectly and matched the color scheme to the party! You can choose which colors you’d like and the straps can be adjusted to the perfect fit. It takes about 3 weeks for the sunsuit to be made (all handmade to order) so make sure you give yourself ample time to order.
This was truly a party fit for a princess and we all had a great time! Hope some of these ideas are an inspiration to your princess (or prince) party!
– Amanda
