Carlee’s Berry First Birthday

Carlee’s first birthday meant a lot to me. She’s actually my great-niece, and her mom is my niece, but you’ll usually hear me just call her my niece. I was so happy to help put together this celebration for her.

And if you know me, you know I had plenty of ideas. Balloons, backdrops, custom treats, a photo booth, a treat wall. I even wanted to bring out the soft play and a little bounce house.

We didn’t get to do everything I had planned, but it came out beautifully. I really can’t complain. We have so many pictures and memories from that day, and everyone had a great time.

It started with a Facebook Marketplace find

My niece chose the Berry First Birthday theme after finding a great deal on some decorations on Facebook Marketplace. There were strawberry vases, flowers, and a high chair banner. We used two of the strawberry vases and added our own floral arrangements.

That little find became the starting point for the whole party. We even had another birthday banner that we didn’t use because we already had so much decor.

Originally, I had been thinking about a first rodeo theme because Carlee’s dad is very into rodeo and farm life. When we decided on the berry theme, I still tried to find a way to bring a little of that into the party.

I suggested a farm or barn backdrop, and I remember my niece asking, “What for?”

I told her, “Well, you have strawberry farms. We could do a strawberry farm look.”

I even thought about animal cutouts with strawberries. We ended up not doing any of that, but you can see how my mind works. One idea turns into five more.

I loved the berry theme, too, so I was happy to build around it. The strawberries, white daisies, and red, pink, and white looked so cute together.

Our setup time changed

The party was at a church in the children’s center, which was very colorful. We used red, white, and pink pipe and drape behind the setups to bring everything together.

Our original plan was to start setting up Friday morning for the Saturday party. A couple of days beforehand, we found out the church had another event on Friday and we wouldn’t be able to get in.

That left us with three hours on Saturday before the party.

With that much planned, we had to be strategic. For my niece, the most important area was where Carlee would sit for her cake. So that’s where we started.

We used a hoop backdrop with a pink cover and the words “Berry First Birthday,” along with red, white, and pink balloons. We also placed a number one marquee beside her setup.

Once Carlee’s area was ready, we moved on to the backdrop where everyone else could take pictures. That setup was originally going to have two arches, one personalized for Carlee and one solid red, with more balloons.

We also made a milestone backdrop with pictures applied using DTF transfers. That arch was supposed to go next to the treat wall with giant flowers, but we ended up putting it beside the other photo backdrop.

Sometimes you get into the room and have to adjust where things go. It all worked together really nicely.

One tip if you’re decorating a fabric backdrop yourself: test your lettering beforehand. The adhesive stickers we tried didn’t stay on the fabric, so I would use an iron-on material suitable for the cover.

The tables had their own little details

We used pink tablecloths with white runners decorated with strawberries. The centerpieces included white strawberry-decorated vases with flowers and daisies.

We also made custom placemats that said “Carlee’s Berry First Birthday” and included a word search and coloring activities. Every table had crayons, so guests had something fun to do while sitting together.

And, of course, it was a one-year-old’s birthday party, so we used paper plates and disposable forks. Those went with the theme, too, with pink plates and matching Berry First decorations.

I love when even the things you’re going to use and throw away still fit the party. Once the flowers, runners, placemats, and tableware were together, the tables looked so cute.

All the little details

We had a treat wall with custom favor boxes for the kids. Inside were little goodies like bubbles and fruit candy. We also had cotton candy and strawberry-themed cups for guests to take home.

Then there were the custom desserts. They were red and pink with strawberries and white daisies to match the decorations.

Originally, I planned to bring one pedestal stand for Carlee’s cake. But I have a set of five that nest inside one another, so bringing the whole set took up the same space as bringing just one.

I’m glad I brought them.

When the candy cart didn’t work out, we used the other pedestal stands for the desserts and placed them right beside Carlee’s main backdrop. They ended up adding to the whole setup, and it looked really cute.

That wasn’t the original plan, but it worked out so well.

I honestly can’t choose a favorite detail. The cups, the placemats, the treats, the personalized backdrops. You work on everything separately, and then you finally get to see it all together.

Everyone loved the photo booth

We had a photo booth where guests could take photos, make GIFs, or record a video message for the birthday girl to watch later. They could also print their pictures and use them at our keychain-making station.

Everyone loved making the keychains. Some people went home with three or five, and that was perfectly fine with us. I was happy they were enjoying it.

This was only my second time setting up the photo booth. The first time felt pretty easy, but this time, with the shorter setup window and everything else happening, it felt a little more difficult. We finally got it ready, and I’m so glad we did.

Afterward, I was able to give my niece all the photos and GIFs. Now she has all those extra pictures and little moments from the people who came to celebrate Carlee.

Some things stayed packed

We had planned to use a new, bigger candy cart, but we didn’t get to set it up.

I had put together another candy cart at an event the day before in about 25 minutes without tools. Since the new one was made from similar material, I thought it would go together the same way.

Well, it needed a drill, and we hadn’t brought one. With the time we had left, we had to put it away and keep moving. Thankfully, we had those pedestal stands ready for the desserts.

I already knew you should put new equipment together before an event, but this was a reminder to follow my own advice. I’m also planning to bring a small toolbox to my setups. Screwdrivers, Allen wrenches, and a few other tools would definitely come in handy.

I also had daisy and strawberry foil balloons that I wanted to add, along with some cutouts. But once it got to around noon and guests started arriving, it was time to clear away our setup supplies and get everything cleaned up. Those extra decorations stayed packed.

The soft play didn’t make it out either. I had wanted to include a little bounce house with a ball pit, cow bouncers, and climbing mats. That was something extra I wanted to do for Carlee, rather than something her parents had asked for.

Honestly, we were already using a lot of the room, so it may have worked out for the best. There’s always next year.

I still loved the finished setup. Would the extra balloons and cutouts have been cute? Absolutely. But everything came out beautifully with what we had time to do.

Carlee wanted to help with everything

Carlee was there while we were decorating, and she wanted to touch everything. At one point, she pulled down an arch cover. But as soon as I brought out the balloons, she went straight to them.

She loves balloons.

She’s also so photogenic, and we got some beautiful pictures of her. One of my favorite moments was singing happy birthday. She loves clapping, so she clapped along, and she blew out her candle for the first time.

I thought she was going to get messy with her cake, but she only tasted a little. It was still such a cute moment.

Her dad got her a tractor, so she spent part of the party driving around on it. We went with the berry theme, but she still got a little bit of farm life at her birthday.

Even during cleanup, she wanted to help. She would walk over and pick things up. It was adorable watching her try to be part of everything.

Why I love doing this

Some of my favorite memories are family parties and get-togethers. I love having everyone together, taking pictures, celebrating, and having those stories we bring up again at the next family gathering.

That’s something I want Carlee to grow up with, too.

She might not remember her first birthday, but she’ll have the pictures and videos. I hope one day she looks at them and thinks, “Wow, you guys really love me. You went all out.”

I honestly can’t wait until she’s old enough to tell me what she wants. The minute she tells me she wants a princess party, Carlee’s getting a princess party.

Her baby shower was actually what first got me thinking about pursuing this business. After that came my first customer booking and my grandma’s 90th birthday.

I’m so grateful we were able to celebrate my grandma before she passed. We have beautiful pictures with her from that day, and those mean so much to our family.

Those experiences are a big part of why I do this. I know how much these celebrations can mean, and I love helping people make them special.

You don’t have to do the full works. Maybe you want a beautiful backdrop for family pictures or a dessert table that everyone gets excited about. Those little things can become part of the memories people keep for years.

For Carlee’s birthday, we had to change a few plans, and some decorations never came out of their boxes. But we got to celebrate her with the people who love her, and I’m so happy I could help give her that day.

Happy first birthday, Carlee. I can’t wait to see what you ask for next year.