Crazy party people enter please!

[Deleted]

I have no opinion on plates, napkins, etc. I'm positive you will choose something adorable and lovely.

For food - we like to grill in the summer. If that's not an option, my BFF did a Mexican Fiesta for her daughter's first and it was so, so yummy. Taco bar, guacamole, salsa, enchiladas, etc. It was fab.

For special touches, I wish we had done a chalkboard poster (something like this www.etsy.com/listing/152948559/1st-birthday-chalkboard-poster-sign?ref=market), I liked having a decoration on her high chair for cake pics, it was a bug theme and I ordered napkins and table cloths from the Eric Carle Museum of the Very Hungry Caterpillar - so cute, I did a banner of all of her month pictures and people commented on it a lot.

In all honesty, the details are for the mom. People care about good food/drink and seeing the kid have fun. Everything else is just gravy.

[h]

We are having DS3's first b-day next week (so more spring than summer). It is from 4-6pm, and we're serving artichoke dip and crackers, veggies and dip, mini turkey and brie sandwiches, mini cucumber sandwiches, pesto pasta salad, and b-day cake. I am actually planning on using real china, but it's just family (10 adults, 4 kids), so that's doable for us.

It's a Peter Rabbit theme, and we're doing a bunny piñata, a bunny hop race, and maybe an egg in spoon relay. No crafts since we really won't have many kids.

[Deleted]

Dd's birthday is in September, but we did a taco bar.

You can get pretty heavy duty paper plates and napkins at Costco for the meal, then cute plates and napkins for the cake.

I made a banner and hung her monthly photos from it. I also made a tutu skirt that attached to her high chair. And I made a "I am one" banner too. That was the extent of my craftiness.

[greycat]

I always use these heavy duty plates: m.target.com/p/chinet-classic-white-paper-dinner-plates-32-ct/-/A-13860115

They are white and simple do you can do whatever napkins you want and a fun plate for dessert.

ETA - I made shark fin funfetti cupcakes and sugar cookie favors (sharks and #1s). Baking is my hobby so I enjoyed making them. You can easily customize store bought cupcakes. I also purchased really cute invites on etsy. I got the digital files and printed them locally. I ordered a custom birthday t-shirt from etsy as well.

[mlvmd]

I like fruit kebabs, chicken kebabs, and beef kebabs. You could even do small red potatoes on kebabs and cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion on a kebab. I like kebabs in summer. These can also be baked rather than grilled if needed then put in chafing dishes to stay warm.

You could put dipping sauces in little plastic condiment containers with fun stickers to identify them. Yogurt dip for fruit, vinaigrette for the veggies, BBQ for chicken, and a spicy cream sauce for the beef and potatoes.

[mlvmd]

You could also do pulled BBQ, although being in NC people may have strong feelings about BBQ and it might be intimidating. But a thing of pulled pork, chicken and maybe brisket with a couple of choices of sauces (hot, sweet and mild) with coleslaw and potato salad and buns. Maybe with corn on the cob and fruit salad.

[pugz]

for her first birthday we ordered BBQ from a popular local BBQ restaurant and served that. I made all the sides, we ordered the cake/cupcakes.

for the second birthday this summer I am kind of on the fence. A lot of her playmates are having their parties in the middle-late afternoon to avoid having to serve a full meal, but that is naptime for us so we are declining most invites I am leaning towards an 11-1 party this year so we'll probably serve lunch again.

we used paper plates from the Target party section, the Spritz brand.

[jssymom14]

We do smoked BBQ pork for most of our parties and serve with fruit salad, crockpot cheesy corn and macaroni, potato salad, asian coleslaw and cowboy baked beans. Def get the chinet heavy duty white plates and cute themed ones for either the kids or desserts.

Cute decorations: colored tablecloths (dollar tree), 1st birthday chalkboard, fabric pennant banners and an I am one sign for smash cake. My SIL has etsy shop to make these but they are pricey due to shipping. And a chance for me to AW, even though I had much more planned but didn't get it accomplished due to addy being super sick two weeks prior to her party, in was still pleased.

[countthestars]

Plain plastic plates and patterned napkins. I would consider a cloth patterned runner on top of the plain tablecloth.

We are probably going to grill but I am also strongly considering BBQ because pulled chicken and pork with beans, Mac and cheese, salad and fried pickles sounds so good to me right now.

[moopoint17]

We grilled burgers and hot dogs for my son's bday last year and it was a time suck. I promised myself that next time we would order sandwich platters.

We could do that and make a dip for veggies, make a pasta salad and a leafy salad.

[ECB]

We catered in BBQ for the last big summer party we held. We usually like to grill, though, but the party was too big for that.

[thebreakfastclub]

We got Moe's catering for a summer party last year. They deliver and set up with trays, sterno, utensils for a pretty small minimum. It was fantastic.

[6fsn]

When I get into late July I kind of get sick of the burgers/BBQ parties so I tend to do some sort of sandwich tray. My go to sides in different combinations: cranberry baked beans, broccoli slaw, broccoli tortellini salad, apples coleslaw, carribean potato salad, fruit skewers, fruit salsa and cinnamon chips.

Grills are hot and they are a time suck for bigger parties.

When my first was born I invested in some plain glass plates that I use for parties and then buy fun dessert plates or napkins to go with the theme.

I started making banners for my son's first and now it's kind of become a tradition with them. I wish I had decorated the high chair for the cake pictures.

[ssmjlm]

I'm doing sandwich tray from Costco along with crab balls, meatballs, fruit tray, etc. We didn't want to be cooking during the party.

Dessert will be cake and I'm doing sugar cookie favors.

Here's a pic of the center pieces I've done. I'm also doing a banner of her monthly pics, chalkboard poster of stats/favorites and a happy birthday banner.

I bought square plates from party city for something different.

Eta: you can see the start of the happy bday banner in the pic.

[caramia17]

1st year we did a dessert/cupcake theme in July. We had macarons, cupcakes, candy buffet, cookies, fruit skewers, etc. I bought cupcake wrapper shaped vases from Oriental Trading and got 12 dozen carnations in 3 colors and made center pieces like that everywhere.

2nd year we did a red, white, and blue 4th of July theme. We did RWB candy popcorn, Terra chips, skwers with watermelon/blueberries/marshmallows, fruit salad, tea sandwiches with food colored bread, cupcakes (red velvet, white cake with blue icing, chocolate with red icing, candies, etc.

For the record, both parties were not at a meal time. 2-4pm or so.

We did sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and an obstacle course last year.

[bunch]

We did pulled pork, Mac and cheese, and I think cole slaw and baked beans. It's my favorite party food because it can be made ahead and pretty good even if it gets room temp.

We did hot dogs and fancy toppings for dd1's second birthday, but that was mostly because they're her favorite food.

Plain plastic plates and patterned napkins sounds great. That's what I'll probably do this year.

[water*drop]

This year we're doing brunch, but we did pulled pork last year, and it went over really well.

I'd do plain plates and patterned napkins.

Decoration-wise, last year we did lots of tissue paper poms and garland (circles punched out of cardstock and sewn together...super easy to DIY, but also available on etsy). This year we're doing paper rosettes (bought on etsy because I'm short on time) and I don't know what else yet.

[shellbear09]

Dd's bday is next weekend so I've been working on crafts today. I did a banner for the high chair that says One. I made her cupcake tower (see Annie's eats). I'm making her a smash cake for on top and I made a little stick banner for that which also says One. I am doing the month banner with etsy clips. I got a happy birthday banner at target. All is a loose You are my Sunshine theme.

Food is lunch so small sandwiches on rolls, fruit tray with yogurt dip plus a couple other sides. Also I'm making decorated sugar cookies. I wanted to do food that can be prepared ahead and we don't have to do much once it's set up. So didn't want to grill.

Plates I'm doing paper. I got cute ones that are small for either cake or apps. I will get some plain sturdier ones for the meal. I agree cute plates too flimsy.

I never go all out for parties but this is really special to me and I'm completely happy with everything so far .

[osulori]

I'm debating between taco bar and cooking out...we'll see.

ETA I'm thinking a post naptime party, so midafternoon/early evening thing.