Need help with 1st birthday party

We are having about 100 adults - and 30 kids.

I originally was going nuts - and then decided to scale back.

Now - I don't think I am having enough.

I just don't know what the heck to do anymore.

For food - it's going to be a basic BBQ - burgers, dogs, chicken, sides, ziti, and MAYBE some steak or some sort.

Desert - the cake. My mom and aunt are baking a ton of cookies and cupcakes. I wanted to make an ice-cream bar. I also wanted to do a candy-bar. Not sure if I should do both. Or neither. Or what?!

Entertainment - I scaled back tremendously and have a bouncer coming for three hours. THey are also sending someone to do face painting and tattoos.

Is this not enough? Should I rent a cotton candy or sno cone machine too? Should I get a DJ? I don't want to get carried away and break the bank - but I don't want the kids to be bored.

I was going to put out bubbles and maybe some hoola hoops and stuff too - for the kids to play with.

Pls. get me back on track.

Thanks!

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

I think it's perfect!!!

This is what we are doing:

Food: Four entrees, breads, and appetizers.

Desert: Cake, cookies, cupcakes, fruit

Entertainment: bouncer, face painting, balloons (I think )


Would you consider making a cupcake station for the kids? You are making the cupcakes anyway but save yourself the work of frosting and decorating and let them go to town. It'll keep them busy for a while and save money - you can skip the ice cream or candy bar.

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

I think you have plenty! I like Ang's idea of the cupcake station.

Sounds like it is going to be a wonderful party.

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by Ang-Rich

I think it's perfect!!!

This is what we are doing:

Food: Four entrees, breads, and appetizers.

Desert: Cake, cookies, cupcakes, fruit

Entertainment: bouncer, face painting, balloons (I think )


Would you consider making a cupcake station for the kids? You are making the cupcakes anyway but save yourself the work of frosting and decorating and let them go to town. It'll keep them busy for a while and save money - you can skip the ice cream or candy bar.

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

I think your food sounds good. You're giving lots of choices and I'm sure you'll have lots of appetizer type stuff too, right?

Entertainment is perfect. I don't think you need anything else.

The desserts - you probably have enough, but if you really want to, I'd add the candy bar or ice cream. The ice cream might melt though. The party is in warm weather, right? The other parents might want to kill you with the candy bar too. All of that sugar will certainly make the kids really hyper.

No cotton candy or sno cones!!! Take a step back from the party planning before you go nuts. Your plans sound perfect. The kids will NOT be bored with all that you're doing already. It's gonna be a great party!!! I wish I could be a guest there.

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Diana - I don't know if you saw my post last week, but I went over everything we did at Thomas' party on the 19th. I had about 60 people - 15 of them kids. I rented the tent from All American (see post for more details). I didn't hire any entertainment at all. We had lawn bowling (big inflatable pins and bowl) and potato sack races (kids and adults!). My brother in law put tatoos on the kids. We had a marshmallow toast using our fire pit. Food was catered by Primavera in Seaford/Massapequa. We did chose the buffet option for 55 people which included two pastas (baked ziti and gemelli pasta with aritichokes and sundried tomotoes) and four entrees (barbecue spare ribs, chicken marsala, eggplant parmesian and meatballs), also included tossed salad and rolls. For dessert, we just did cake and fruit platters. I orderd 3/4 sheet cake from Dortoni which feeds 50 - 60 people. There was PLENTY of food and dessert!! There was PLENTY of entertaining (without hiring anybody!). The day went SO fast! We wouldn't have had time for anything else. The party started at 2 p.m. and people started to leave around 7 p.m. Personally, I wouldn't hire a DJ or get a sno-cone machine. Of course it's totally up to you, but those are things that can easily be scaled out without being missed.

Let me know if you have any questions!

HTH

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by SuzyQ

I think your food sounds good. You're giving lots of choices and I'm sure you'll have lots of appetizer type stuff too, right?

Entertainment is perfect. I don't think you need anything else.

The desserts - you probably have enough, but if you really want to, I'd add the candy bar or ice cream. The ice cream might melt though. The party is in warm weather, right? The other parents might want to kill you with the candy bar too. All of that sugar will certainly make the kids really hyper.

No cotton candy or sno cones!!! Take a step back from the party planning before you go nuts. Your plans sound perfect. The kids will NOT be bored with all that you're doing already. It's gonna be a great party!!! I wish I could be a guest there.

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by cgdg61606

Diana - I don't know if you saw my post last week, but I went over everything we did at Thomas' party on the 19th. I had about 60 people - 15 of them kids. I rented the tent from All American (see post for more details). I didn't hire any entertainment at all. We had lawn bowling (big inflatable pins and bowl) and potato sack races (kids and adults!). My brother in law put tatoos on the kids. We had a marshmallow toast using our fire pit. Food was catered by Primavera in Seaford/Massapequa. We did chose the buffet option for 55 people which included two pastas (baked ziti and gemelli pasta with aritichokes and sundried tomotoes) and four entrees (barbecue spare ribs, chicken marsala, eggplant parmesian and meatballs), also included tossed salad and rolls. For dessert, we just did cake and fruit platters. I orderd 3/4 sheet cake from Dortoni which feeds 50 - 60 people. There was PLENTY of food and dessert!! There was PLENTY of entertaining (without hiring anybody!). The day went SO fast! We wouldn't have had time for anything else. The party started at 2 p.m. and people started to leave around 7 p.m. Personally, I wouldn't hire a DJ or get a sno-cone machine. Of course it's totally up to you, but those are things that can easily be scaled out without being missed.

Let me know if you have any questions!

HTH

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by Diana1215

Oh - yea - I forgot - I am getting an edible arrangement (or two) also.

I def. like the cupcake decorating idea. That is cute - I just don't want all those little monsters with their sticky hands all over my house I'm going to call my mom and talk to her about this right now. OR - maybe even get big chocolate chip cookies and let them design on those. They did that at a party once at Little Chefs.

Also - when can I bring you the coffee urn? I haven't forgotten about it

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by Diana1215

Posted by cgdg61606

Diana - I don't know if you saw my post last week, but I went over everything we did at Thomas' party on the 19th. I had about 60 people - 15 of them kids. I rented the tent from All American (see post for more details). I didn't hire any entertainment at all. We had lawn bowling (big inflatable pins and bowl) and potato sack races (kids and adults!). My brother in law put tatoos on the kids. We had a marshmallow toast using our fire pit. Food was catered by Primavera in Seaford/Massapequa. We did chose the buffet option for 55 people which included two pastas (baked ziti and gemelli pasta with aritichokes and sundried tomotoes) and four entrees (barbecue spare ribs, chicken marsala, eggplant parmesian and meatballs), also included tossed salad and rolls. For dessert, we just did cake and fruit platters. I orderd 3/4 sheet cake from Dortoni which feeds 50 - 60 people. There was PLENTY of food and dessert!! There was PLENTY of entertaining (without hiring anybody!). The day went SO fast! We wouldn't have had time for anything else. The party started at 2 p.m. and people started to leave around 7 p.m. Personally, I wouldn't hire a DJ or get a sno-cone machine. Of course it's totally up to you, but those are things that can easily be scaled out without being missed.

Let me know if you have any questions!

HTH

I was away last week so I missed it - sounds like a great party. Did you post pics too - I want to see that cutie!

Going to look it up now!

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by Ang-Rich

Posted by Diana1215

Oh - yea - I forgot - I am getting an edible arrangement (or two) also.

I def. like the cupcake decorating idea. That is cute - I just don't want all those little monsters with their sticky hands all over my house I'm going to call my mom and talk to her about this right now. OR - maybe even get big chocolate chip cookies and let them design on those. They did that at a party once at Little Chefs.

Also - when can I bring you the coffee urn? I haven't forgotten about it

Yup - I got the fruit idea from you

I love the cookie idea! That would be fun for them...and keep them busy!

Thank you so much for lending me the coffee urn. Let's see...what works best for you? The part is on the 31st so anytime before that but it has not be an inconvenience for you! Want me to meet up with you or pick it up?

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

I think it sounds great.

We are havig a bit less people...Not sure..we invited like 95, and 50 kids..so we shall see ..
We are doing for Food
BBQ- Hamburgers, Hotdogs
Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, Potato salad, Regular Salad
Trays of Ziti, Sausage and Peppers and sweet and sour meatballs and Sides of Bread
Chicken nuggets for kids.

And chips...

For entertainment we are having Pablo come with a clown to do sing alongs with the kids, A sno cone machine and balloon painting.

A good hint the place gave me is to have something to do at the same time as the face painting...We decided against it b.c we have soo many kids and they said that its time consuming and the kids get antsy standing on line waiting....

To try to have an activity going on at the same time.

I also bought an inflatable Limbo stick...., I have a huge parachute, and am buying horseshoes and wiffle balls to fill in the rest of the time.

For Dessert we are having B-day cake and Cupcakes.

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by Diana1215

Since it's going to be in the summer I'll just have out chips and dips on every table.

Ok - no cotton candy and sno cones. That was my original decision but we went to my cousin's sons first birthday this weekend and she went nutso with everything. The kids had a great time. I just don't want them to be bored at our party



I think I will probably do an ice cream bar since adults love ice cream too - and the decorating cookie table - and that's that.

Thanks everyone!

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

u are doing a LOT---dont worry

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Diana - speaking of coffee urns... have you used yours before???

If so, can you help trouble-shoot mine??? I opened mine up the night before the party and percolated cold water through it as per the directions to clean it our before first use. It’s a DeLonghi 60 cup urn. It worked fine with the cold water, but at the party, maybe about ½ cup leaked out the top (where the top of the urn meets the bottom) and it only showed 50 cups on the water fill indicator thingy on the outside. It definitely didn’t leak 10 cups! The coffee turned out SO strong!! I can’t imagine the coffee grinds soaked up 10 cups either. Has this every happened to you? Thanks!

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

I think you have plenty of food all around.

Entertainment I think you are good too. I wouldn't do cotton candy or sno machine instead I like the candy bar or ice cream bar. I am not sure how many babies you are having but I am going to buy 2 little baby pools (those hard plastic ones, they are $5.99 at BRU) for DD's party. I have an IGP, but I know no one is going to be going in with their kids. If you have some old kids (I guess 3+) what about getting little terra cotta pots and letting them decorate. Give them some potting soil and seeds and then they can watch them grow. My friend has a 3 year old who is obsessed with what they planted in a little pot at home.

Honestly though, I worried about DS's birthday and the day goes so fast that you really won't be worried about who is doing what.

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by Diana1215

Posted by cgdg61606

Diana - speaking of coffee urns... have you used yours before???

If so, can you help trouble-shoot mine??? I opened mine up the night before the party and percolated cold water through it as per the directions to clean it our before first use. It’s a DeLonghi 60 cup urn. It worked fine with the cold water, but at the party, maybe about ½ cup leaked out the top (where the top of the urn meets the bottom) and it only showed 50 cups on the water fill indicator thingy on the outside. It definitely didn’t leak 10 cups! The coffee turned out SO strong!! I can’t imagine the coffee grinds soaked up 10 cups either. Has this every happened to you? Thanks!

I have no idea - my mom did it for me. That's why I told Ang I'd bring it to her early so that she can test it out

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

bouncer is fine.
i had bouncer, cotton candy machine, AND clown- and I think it was too much.
Next time will only do bouncer- kids were in that constantly!

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by Diana1215

Posted by cgdg61606

Diana - speaking of coffee urns... have you used yours before???

If so, can you help trouble-shoot mine??? I opened mine up the night before the party and percolated cold water through it as per the directions to clean it our before first use. It’s a DeLonghi 60 cup urn. It worked fine with the cold water, but at the party, maybe about ½ cup leaked out the top (where the top of the urn meets the bottom) and it only showed 50 cups on the water fill indicator thingy on the outside. It definitely didn’t leak 10 cups! The coffee turned out SO strong!! I can’t imagine the coffee grinds soaked up 10 cups either. Has this every happened to you? Thanks!

I have no idea - my mom did it for me. That's why I told Ang I'd bring it to her early so that she can test it out

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

Posted by cgdg61606

Posted by Diana1215

Posted by cgdg61606

Diana - speaking of coffee urns... have you used yours before???

If so, can you help trouble-shoot mine??? I opened mine up the night before the party and percolated cold water through it as per the directions to clean it our before first use. It’s a DeLonghi 60 cup urn. It worked fine with the cold water, but at the party, maybe about ½ cup leaked out the top (where the top of the urn meets the bottom) and it only showed 50 cups on the water fill indicator thingy on the outside. It definitely didn’t leak 10 cups! The coffee turned out SO strong!! I can’t imagine the coffee grinds soaked up 10 cups either. Has this every happened to you? Thanks!

I have no idea - my mom did it for me. That's why I told Ang I'd bring it to her early so that she can test it out

OK - thanks anyway!! Problem is, it worked fine with the cold water test run, it's when we added the coffee it had the problem! I didn't want to brew 20 - 60 cups of coffee for a test run... Or maybe I should have invited all of you over for a test coffee brewing party!! Ang - you might want to think about this!!

Re: Need help with 1st birthday party

I would maybe put some of Jack's toys and rideon toys in an area of the yard for the real little ones to play on...maybe a playmat too.

And I think you're fine with food. As for a DJ - nah just use your ipod or something and add a bunch of good party songs.