It’s Kate Landers again, thrilled to share elements with you from a darling vintage silhouette birthday celebration I custom designed for Cristen Schone, the winner from my giveaway with Layla Grayce last fall. Cristen selected a pale blue, peach and white color scheme for her daughter Savannah’s party, which was beautiful to work with. The idea was to create an experience where the children felt they were back in time, twirling parasols and tipping top hats. With a specific budget but loads of time and talent, Cristen executed these tips to become the gorgeous party you see here. Here are ideas to create the look:

• Incorporate your theme and/or color-scheme into your food and beverages:
Use colors from your event’s color-scheme for your menu. Cristen offered peach infused lemonade, not only incorporating the color but also the flavor. Emphasize your color-scheme and theme with the food labels on your buffet table: Here peach ribbons, white doilies and blue card stock with text add character and charm to every delicious treat.
• Find unique ways to use a common item to create a variety of stunning decorations:
Cristen loved doilies, so we worked together to several ways to use them at the party. From party hats and place mats to a buffet table backdrop and party favor cones & totes, doilies added a sense of vintage elegance to many elements of the celebration.
• Repurpose items from home for props at your party: Cristen found a stunning large frame which they used for a “photo shoot” activity with the guests at the party. She also found a fabulous item to display her doily and silhouette favor cones, and used vintage-style frames to show photos of Savannah throughout the party. Vases and cake stands, chandeliers and wall art are all other terrific examples of items already in your cupboards or the guest room to bring out for the party.
• Give the birthday child a spectacular outfit to wear for the party: Savannah wore the most stunning head piece and Marie Antoinette-inspired dress that made her feel as though she was living in a different time period, one of the goals of creating an experience for the birthday child and her guests for the day. Guests also wore costume pieces as well, allowing their imaginations to run wild.
• A single spectacular party favor will be appreciated by guests and their parents: I always recommend one lovely party favor that the guest could consume immediately or use in their library or toy chest at home–something less likely to end up in the “junk drawer” or stuck under the car seat! I love the top hats and white parasols that Cristen gave out to the guests of the party–what lovely treats for guests to enjoy at the party and at home.
• When possible, hire a professional photographer to capture your special celebration: Creating a photo album with the birthday child to admire for years to come will be a wonderful activity to enjoy together after the festivities are over. As the host giving yourself the duty of “photographer” can be overwhelming, so designating a talented friend with a great camera, or hiring a professional as Cristen did, can capture your event in a way you will always want to remember it.

Photographs by: Carrie Fay Photography