Kiddie Parties
Kali's "Guess How Much I Love You" Themed Party - 1st Brithday
On many starlit nights, moms and dads have tucked in their precious little ones and lulled them to sleep with the timeless tale “Guess How Much I Love You” and, at the end of the story, whispered ever so softly “I love you right up to the moon and back…”
Darling baby Kali must have gently fallen asleep to her mom and dad whispering this most-quoted declaration of love. And what better way to celebrate her first birthday than a “Guess How Much I Love You”-themed party. To recreate Little Nutbrown Hare’s beautiful water-color world, Kali’s parents turned to Bespoke Manila whose creative genius made everyone feel as though they have walked into Sam McBratney’s storybook pages.
Kali’s invites are ingenious! For her young guests, it was a box that opens up with details of the party on the sides and a miniature book at the center. For her adult guests, the invitation is inspired by the “Guess How Much I Love You All Year Round” series.
To welcome the guests, a gallery featuring adorable photographs of the first 12 months of Kali’s young life was set up at the entrance of the party venue.
The ceiling was decked with alternating rows of white and green fabric and paper lanterns in baby blue and chartreuse. Along with these were rows of foliage and some wreaths thickly covered with pretty pink roses. It captured the lovely soft palette used in the water color illustrations in the storybook.
Kali’s stage featured a couple of nutbrown hares frolicking amid shrubs and young trees. It was a perfectly endearing scene.
The tables were draped with crisp white cloth and adorned with a centerpiece that was very much shabby-chic – a cuddly bunny resting against a topiary, a white Victorian candle lantern and a beautiful arrangement of pink, white and purple flowers. Other tables were dressed in striped pink and white cloth and, for a centerpiece, had the beribboned cuddly bunny, a 3-tiered planter filled with white, pink and light blue roses, cute wooden bunnies sitting on small pieces of evenly cut wood that looked like logs. Kali’s young guests had low rectangular white tables arranged close to the stage with big, fluffy pillows for seats.
Kali had a gorgeous 4-layer cake covered in seamless white fondant with details painted on it. The layers represented each of the four seasons and depicted scenes from the “Guess How Much I Love You All Year Round” series. Among the cake embellishments were gum-paste flowers, fondant snowflakes, brown and orange fondant leaves and Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare made of fondant.
The dessert spread is a delightful collection of sweet treats that could certainly fill every sweet-tooth’s dreams, each one expertly and beautifully crafted from carrot cakes and sugar cookies to cupcakes and drinks served in vintage milk bottles.
Kali’s guests were treated to a wonderful feast. Aside from the main meal, there were foodcarts that offered a variety of gourmet delights like fruit platters and charcuterie boards, tasty sliders and cotton candy.
Indeed, birthday parties are meant for children, and Kali’s birthday was no different – her young guests were provided with aprons, easels, watercolor paints and a canvass, and an opportunity to paint ala Anita Jeram, the artistic genius behind the “Guess How Much I Love You” illustrations. The children also had loads of fun playing in the game booths.
The best take-away from Kali’s party was a picture taken in this simple but very pretty photowall set with a white park bench behind flowing white curtains gracefully held together with ribbons and a bouquet of pink roses and aster.
Each of Kali’s guests went home with extra-special giveaways – there were bags and water bottles designed with scenes from the storybook. Each one also contained a beautiful quote from the story. There were also canvass bags, cuddly bunnies and copies of “Guess How Much I Love You”.
A child that grows in her parents’ love is bound to have an enormous capacity to love; it’s the first and most important lesson that a child learns from her parents – in Kali’s world, this is certain. Here’s to a lifetime of bedtime stories and unlimited moments of tenderness! May every story be a heartwarming declaration of love!
Concept and full planning:
Bespoke Manila
Stylist:
Gideon Hermosa for the stage,
Sweet Nest for the ceiling, gamebooths
and photo wall and display and
Royal Flower Shoppe for Centerpieces
Photo:
Delightful Little Darlings
Cake and desserts:
Sugarplum Pastries
Caterer:
Bizu Patisserie
Food carts:
Happy Lemon, Pouf, Cart Tales,
Dippin Dots and Jungle Joy
Activities for kids:
Tiny Hands Workshop
Lights and sounds:
Sensitivity Lights and Sounds
Program:
The Jive and Pop Squad
Photobooth:
Baicapture
Kiddie tables and chairs:
SaSo
Kali’s and mom’s dresses:
Michael Leyva