When I pictured Ariella’s forth birthday party, I had planned an outdoor enchanted garden party in the forest at my parents property. The weather changed all my plans and last-minute we had to have it inside. (I’m still a little bitter imagining how amazing it would have looked outside)
With the help of some talented ladies the party was gorgeous and absolutely loved by all. All the pretty flowers were done by Kari Confetti Floral Design. She really went above and beyond to make the backdrop come to life. Mini vases I had found at local thrift stores were filled with flowers and hung from the lace backdrop. There were about 15 different vases filled with flowers to make our enchanted garden theme come to life. Kari is so sweet and talented and I knew that once I handed off all the vases to her that she would make floral magic happen! Thank you Kari for helping me put all the vases in place and making this party a true garden party! (she also does AMAZING wedding flowers…hint hint 😉
When it comes to decorating a table I try to stick to my color theme. I love when the treats match! I found pink marshmallows, white donuts, silver coke balls, and pink candy. The pretty pink macarons are made by Dawn; La Belle Macaron. Seriously the best macarons and the options for colours/flavours are endless!
Julie from Shop the Whisk made these cookies to match our theme and they came out perfect! Its like art on a cookie! I have had the pleasure to work with Julie on a few projects now and I am always blown away at the talent and perfection that goes into every cookie!
Ariella’s dress was apart of our Summer 2014 collection called the Emma Dress which is available and currently on sale. Her headband is now sold out but available in gold HERE.
You may have read on Style me Pretty when they featured Kentons “Never Stop Exploring” Party that cakes are a BIG deal for me. My mother had always made and decorated our cakes from scratch (I consider from a box scratch enough 😉 ) . This is a tradition I want to do for my children. The cake was a lot of work and I had no idea what I was getting myself into as I had never done anything with fondant before. Crazy, I KNOW! Somehow it all turned out and didn’t fall apart! I bought pre made fondant and used Youtube tutorials on ruffled fondant cakes to teach me. It wasn’t very hard just time consuming! (I have taken buttercream cake classes before which probably helped me)
The most important thing I have learned over the years of party planning is asking for help! I am blessed to have such an amazing support system who helped me make extra food items like fruit and veggie platters. I use a lot of my home decor and furniture to help keep down the cost. Like below, you will see Ariella’s dresser used as a beverage station.
Make it easier on yourself by using snacks and candy from the bulk section of your local grocery store. Buying a few items like cake stands, glass milk bottles, and drink dispenser will help make your party look more put together. (a blog post of the “Must haves” when planning a party is coming soon)
Sources:
Design- Laura Derksen
Photography- What Dreams may Become
Floral- Confetti Floral Design
Macarons- La Belle Macaron
Cookies- The Whisk
Balloons- Confetti Sparkle Party Shop
White Picnic Table- handmade by a friend (comment below and I can hook you up!)
Napkins & Straws- Target
Milk Glass Jars- Ikea
Wood Sign- Micheals (wood burning tool to create “four”)
Dress- Emma Dress – Arrow & Lace Designs
Headband- Love Headband Arrow & Lace Designs
Lucky Charm Mix I found via Pinterest HERE
