DO-IT-YOURSELF Kiddie Party Planning

I love organizing kiddie parties and adult parties with kiddie themes. There's just something in the balloons that make me giddy about creating the event. The kids energy bring out the whoas and wows of the innocent naive minds just by the mere watching of a clown twisting balloons making them to some form of interesting and funny creatures

I am writing this blog to benefit the kiddie party enthusiast moms who have unfortunately very limited budget to spend but wanting only the best kiddie party for their kid.

 Kiddie party can be detrimental to the budget because about 30% of the budget goes to decorations and entertainment. Well, as you all might consider, being a mother makes you wiser and more frugal than you were still single. 

So here's a sure way to stay on budget and still pull out the extravagant-feel kind of kiddie party!

1. DO-IT-YOURSELF. Yes, there's no cheaper way than to do it yourself. So it is just right and fitting that you prepare a vision board of how you want the party to turn. You are going to save a lot of money from doing it yourself because instead of paying others to do it for you.

2. PLAN AHEAD OF TIME. For a kiddie party, you might want to plan two months in advance the very least! But if you just realized it a week's time, then that's also fine but hurried in a way. Planning ahead of time gives you more ideas and more time to go around and find cheap suppliers of party stuff or alternatives to things that are not available for your ideal vision of the party.

3. RESEARCH. The internet is a wonderful thing! Thank heavens for brilliant minds for this invention. There's so much you can discover just by googling everything. Refer to the images. I assure you, you will drool and even get confused with the vastness of ideas presented at your fingertips.

4. THINGS-TO-BUY. Okay, in this part I might lose money for you might wanna do it yourself instead of hiring my help. But nonetheless, I would really want to help mothers who want to throw the best party for their kids.
You can find the following party supplies at any party shop within the vicinity you live in. Here are the things you will need for a successful kiddie party with their corresponding price in Philippine pesos:

- latex balloons @ P6.50 per piece (multicolored) depending on your estimate kid count you can buy as much as 3 dozens, more sophisticated balloons cost higher, such as pearl and metallic type balloons
- sticks @ P1.50 per piece  (for making the stick balloons)
- air pump @ P75.00 per piece (inflating the balloons)
- flying balloons @ P16.50 per piece (this is order by a dozen basis in the party shop)
- party hats @ P3.00 per piece
- name tags @ P 12.00 per 6 pieces
- lootbags @ P 15.00 per 12 pieces
- birthday banner @ P 30 per piece
- personalized tarpaulin @ P 350 for a size 3x5 (some party shops have different price)

- pabitin @ P 30.00 per piece
- balloon bursting @ P 350 per piece / pot @ P 65 per piece (for hitting-the-pot)
- candies (for the loot bags, hitting the pot, prizes)
- toys (for the pabitin, hitting the pot, prizes, loot bags)
- cupcakes @ P65.00 per piece
- cake @ P1000 ( fondant personalized)




You may also want to add the following for a more elaborate kiddie party:
- clowns
- magicians
- bubble show

- acrobats
- food carts
- face paintings
- photo booth
- chocolate fountain
- ice cream parlor
- cotton candy cart
- pop corn cart
- hotdog cart
- entertainers: dancers, singers, actors, actresses
- mascots
- life size standees

5. GET YOUR TEAM. Find yourself a team of volunteers. Your relatives, siblings, your best friends even your mom can help in setting up the place, the stage, inflating the balloons... etc..Assign to each one specific functions and hand out to them our vision board so they will have an idea how you would want the place to turn out.

The last part of the list is the very reason why most people hire us, event planners, for help. If you have the kind of family who are into the arts or at least have the creativity juice in them, there will be no problem in orchestrating a kiddie party. But if you have very limited time or if you are outside the country as in most cases, you would really hire someone to go around and do the leg work for you in order to pull out the event you expect to happen.

I hope this helps you plan your kiddie party or any party for that matter! If you need our professional assistance, you can always reach me at the Contact Information listed in this blog! For Events Services, visit this page for complete details.

HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARTEY!!!!

60th Birthday Party September 2011

I haven't written much about weddings these days. I've had to attend several events particularly birthday milestones. I am gradually blessed with a handful of event bookings since the start of the 3rd quarter. All my focus and energy are channeled in bringing about the best birthday bash for a one-year old kid and a sixty-year old woman this month of September.

First week of the month of September will all be geared up towards the 1950's theme birthday surprise. I had a lot of fun going to and fro in secret to tie all the loose ends of this party. Insofar, the best decoration ideas (and by best, I mean the most economical and most wacky choice for the event). Thanks to Google for the following photos in giving me ideas how to design the venue:

Ceiling decoration ideas--

Table Centerpiece ideas

Roughly, that's how things must look during the event, but of course the procurement of these things will not be so easy as materials like vinyl cds are not so affordable in my town these days. In order to add more funky look for this event, I decided to hang CD strings on the ceiling. This will be an alternative option for a disco ball since the reflective side of a cd is already illuminating different specs of light colors and this will also give a Retro feel knowing cd's are very much part of the 1950's to 1970's era. The balloons cost less if you buy in bulk directly from party suppliers. Plus they also provide you with unlimited options on balloon size and designs.You will need to invest on a $1 balloon pump, which can be used for a lifetime if well stored and kept after use. For the table centerpiece base, you can use $0.25 coffee mugs available in many bargain shops.

In lieu of the invite cards, I went scouting for prices at the cheapest printing stores and found out that one invitation card is way too expensive for our budget. So the best thing I did was to see samples from the printing press and made it myself. Good thing I only had to make 50 pieces of these invite cards. Of course, I had to choose a special paper, ribbons and a professional printer (available in internet shops) in order to come up with this masterpiece. With the availability of these things, I found out that the total cost for each invite cards is approximately 75% lesser of that sold in the market. Now, that's what I call a bargain! (I must also consider the fact that these printing press companies are paying the building rent, their employees, the investments on the machines, etc.. so they had to put on a higher mark-up on each card).

DIY Invitation card - outside appearance

Inside the inviation card

The other details of the party include choosing a location that will serve buffet with various food choices, tapping out sponsors for program equipment such as the laptop and projector for the audio and video presentation and many others. It is best to contact friends and family and ask them to contribute in the preparations of the party. I'm very sure if you ask them politely they'd comply with openness and enthusiasm... because everybody loves to party! 

Post party updates will be posted here soon! See at the RETRO Party! yeah!
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September 10 was the day of the surprise party for a mother celebrating her 60th birthday. She had no idea that her children was working with Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings to give her an unforgettable milestone birthday.

Retro Themed Birthday Cake by Sweet Advocate and souvenirs 

The Birthday celebrant to her surprise!

Table centerpiece by Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings

Playing the trivia game

Happy faces in a happy occasion

Guests with celebrant pictorials

Best Dressed Female Guest

Dance presentation for the celebrant

A song number from this melodious young singer

Happy Birthday Mama Fely

Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings conceptualized and coordinated the entire event from scratch. Thank you Mr. Glynn Alaba and Ms. Joan Alaba for entrusting this very wonderful birthday surprise for your mom to Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings. 

Credits to:

Sweet Advocate for the retro themed cake.

Grungero Mund for the photography

Leah Jacobe Events and Weddings team for invitation cards, souvenirs, program creation and hosting, party details, decorations, etc...