First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

Lifestyle Parenting, Household Affairs and Cuisine corner
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I didn’t want to open 20 birthday party threads, so I’ve just complied everything into this one huge thread, hope it’s okay!

I’ve booked the venue for my daughters first birthday, and I plan on doing almost everything myself, with the help of my family.

Clothes
How much is too much? I plan on wearing a embellished lace saree, with a FULL face of makeup and side swept voluminous curls! For my daughter i am getting a mini ball gown/puffy dress in the same colour with the same lace and embellishment as my saree, I’ll also get her a more comfortable outfit in case she hates her little puffy dress.

Food
We plan to make all the food at home and I want to be done with everything before the guests arrive, except the biryani, that we’ll make when the guests arrive. We’ll be around 40-45 people…

The menu we’ve decided on:
lamb biryani
nargisi kofte
lamb and potato curry
chicken roast
salad
kebab
dahi baly
naan

kheer
falooda

How much prep can I do in advance? I plan on making both the desserts the night before. and are two desserts too much? we’re also having cake…

The chicken I’ll clean and marinade the night before, so on the day I can just pop it in the oven.

I also want to do a cake/dessert table with the birthday cake, cupcakes and jars full of candy.

Decor
Any decor idea? I plan on having balloons, that’s how fare I’ve come with the decor …

Music
I’m so lost … What kind of music would you play?
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Photographer**
I hired a photographer because It’s going to be one less thing me and my family will have to do.
The photographer will come an hour before the party starts so the family can have their pics taken, because 3 of the kids coming to the party will probably destroy the decor and dessert table, so I want the photographer to come before the guests and get pictures of the venue and us … the photographer will leave efter the cake cutting …

Favours
There will be 5 babys (around 1), 3 kids -5 years, 3 kids around 10 years, what activities can I plan for them and what kind of things can I putting into their goodie bags, the 3 kids that are around 5 is a wild bunch, I want to give them something they can pass their time with, otherwise they will FOR SURE have a go at the decor and dessert table … I was thinking colouring books and crayons?

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

A sari on the first bday when you are dealing with a baby and cooking biryani!?! May the force be with you! Make sure that you have arranged loads of help with baby like 90% of the time. And I hope you have experience wearing sari beforehand like numerous times.

Everything else sounds good - for a girl decor is easy lots of balloons with a few flowers, butterflies, etc in background decor should be perfect. Go to party city or Pinterest for lots of amazing diy ideas.

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

To keep the kids amused I would have a bouncy castle and organise games like musical statues, pass the parcel, musical chairs or even an entertainer. These days I always have my kids parties in a playcentre.

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

I agree about the sari with the earlier post. I wouldn't wear it...you will be running around a lot.

I would make the kabobs the day before as well, not sure what type of dahi baly you will make but if possible fry the baly before hand as well. Why are you waiting for the baryani to be cooked once the guest arrive. I would take care of everything before hand so there are no issues once the party starts.
I think you are making and will have too many desserts, i would reduce and take away one item.

For my son's birthday, i had my cousin bring her keyboard and play all the nursery rhymes...all the kids loved it, the mommies also enjoyed that. Before and after this, i had music playing in the background.
I picked the theme and it was under the sea. most of all the kids were under 5 at his party...and i gave them beach basket full of beach toys and a themed balloon.

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

How is it even possible to start making biryani when the guests start coming? lol

Are you not meant to be attending to the guests?

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

I think she meant she ll give "dum" to biryani when guests arrive.

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

exactly ^_^

yup, if you make the masala/meat beforehand, then you just have to layer the meat and rice and give dum ...

I want the biryani to be 'fresh', I'll make the bmasala/meat part before hand -...
what a fun idea!

I don't want to rent anything this time around, because my daughter will be too small to enjoy it :(


I'm starting to doubt my saree decision...

Thanks!! Pinterest is insane...omg, so many cool ideas!!

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

Yes indeed she will be too small but its to keep the other kids amused since you have said yourself that they are a rowdy bunch so you need to keep them busy, if u don't want to hire something then Make sure you have plenty of games as I mentioned above. Sometimes it's hard to manage all the games so make sure you have people to help you out since you gonna have your hands full with your daughter and the catering.

Also since you mentioned that she is too small to enjoy it, then the same goes for the actual party, it's for the adults, not the child, she will be too young to remember or even enjoy it. I personally find it so stressful when a child is so young, I did a party for my child's 2nd birthday n she cried most of the time, have seen this happen at plenty of parties so now with my other kids will not have big parties till they are a bit older.

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Re: First birthday! Advice needed on pretty much everything...

If you don't want to hire any entertainment for the kids, how about party games? pass the parcel, musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey etc? We usually get an older cousin/sibling/friend to run the games, you just provide some simple gifts or even a bar of chocolate for a prize.

Don't do candy bars if you have destructive kids coming. Just make nice party bags and have them displayed on the table and let the kids know they can have one when they leave.

You may even have to cut the cake earlier depending on your baby's mood. We had to do that, and had dinner once they've gone to sleep.
If your baby is in a good mood, give her a chunk of cake to play with, it makes for gorgeous photos.

And don't forget to have fun!