How to: Carnival Birthday Party

i love a theme. when thinking about matilda's first birthday party, i wanted something special and fun, without being cutesy. i've always found circus themes and clowns to be a bit creepy, so i went with more of a frenchie, vintage looking circus. the idea was sparked after looking through pictures of this wedding.

here's how it all came together.



i wanted the ceiling to look like a tent top. i made tissue paper flowers in rows of blue and red. to do this i pinched off pieces of tissue and then strung them together, just like you would any garland. the chandelier was the center point, which helped pull off the effect. i was inspired by this.



my aunt judy passed back down a childhood table of mine. it had seen a lot of love in her classroom, so sam sanded and then painted the entire table white. after it dried, tape was used to add these bright, cherry stripes.

i found this incredible store on etsy where i scooped us these amazing bags, cupcake liners, and cake toppers.







lastly, i used antiques and quirky details like this oversized jack to add whimsy and charm. i think children's birthday parties are so wonderful and of course i adored planning every little detail for my daughter's first party. it was a wonderful, wet, and exhausting day!

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