Photography: Jenna Peffley // Sourced Story + Interview: MyDomaine
Two best friends decided to throw the most beautiful and whimsical backyard garden party for their kids’ first birthdays. Together they transformed one of their backyards into an airy, gender-neutral magical dream that both the kids and adults alike enjoyed.
Here is the inspiration for this charming first birthday party and the ideas that were brought to life.
Incorporate balloons.
“Like all babies, my son is obsessed with balloons, so I wanted them to be a key design element,” tells fashion designer Erin Fetherston. “I inflated the balloons with air so they would organically scatter across the lawn and the pool.”
Go for gender-neutral colors.
Since Fetherston was celebrating a boy and her best friend, Kimberly, was celebrating a girl, they wanted everything to feel very gender-neutral. “We chose shades of tangerine, peach, and coral layered with white, greens, and grays, which looked beautiful in our backyard. I liked that the color scheme was childlike and playful, while sophisticated.”
When it comes to food, make sure you keep both the kids and parents happy.
“When entertaining, I try to be sensitive to the range of diets and preferences of guests,” explains Fetherston. “Hosting a kid’s party was new for me; we had babies, young children, and adults to consider. I had plenty of crudités and fruit platters circulating throughout the day, which was great for kids and health-conscious parents.”
And how did they keep everyone else happy?
“We hired TwoDoughs Pizza, which set up wood burning ovens in our driveway. They served amazing pizzas (made with yeast-free dough) as well as delicious, hearty salads that were major crowd-pleasers. The on-site pizza making doubled as entertainment for the older kids.”
For dessert, they decided on cakes and cupcakes from Smash Baby Cakes and also served vegan, gluten-free cookies from the Erin McKenna’s Bakery.
Keep it simple- just choose two to three design elements and focus on them so they make an impact.
“I was personally amazed at how impactful the balloons were as decoration for our party, and they could not have been easier to execute. Elevate the look by mixing in sophisticated neutrals with bright colors,” explains Fetherston.
Another special element: The moms provided birthday books for each baby where they invited each guest to write a special message to each birthday baby as a keepsake for when they get older.
Photography: Jenna Peffley // Styling: Erin Fetherston // Smash Cakes: Smash Baby Cakes // Vegan, Gluten-Free Cookie Sandwiches: Erin McKenna Bakery // Wines: Hoxie Wines // Wood Over Pizza: TwoDoughs Pizza // Tablecloth: Erin Fetherston x Fragments Identity