A Waldorf First Birthday Party

The legendary Waldorf Astoria in New York City isn't just for weddings. Miletone events like baby's 1st Birthday are a great reason to book a date, too! But, if you find you're unable to either get to New York or book a space at the Waldorf you can still create a party inspired by the famous venue.

For my son's first birthday I planned this party and went all out with a blue and white color scheme, vintage platters for the buffet and customized embellishments. Here's the complete rundown on how to plan your Waldorf theme party.

Food and Sweets

It may be a baby's 1st birthday party, but you'll definitely foods for both adults at the event and the little ones of all ages attending.

From mini sandwiches, organic baby foods, and pretty cupcakes, we have a Waldorf menu that's easy and delicious.

Music and Entertainment

Deciding on music and entertainment for a room of toddlers can be a tough job, but it's not to say that entertaining toddlers isn't achievable.

iPod playlist: My party lasted around 3 hours so I created a 3 hour iPod playlist to have on-hand. Some songs to consider are:

"C is for Cookie" from Sesame Street
"Bingo"
"Farmer in the Dell"
Theme from "Yo Gabba Gabba"
Theme from "Dora The Explorer"
Theme from "Sesame Street"
Theme from "Little Bear"
"Hot Potato" by The Wiggles
"Fruit Salad" by The Wiggles
"Big Red Car" by The Wiggles
"Party In My Tummy" from Yo Gabba Gabba

Pro Entertainment: Hiring professional entertainers is a great way to go to keep little kids attention, if you can afford it.

Toys: You can never provide too many toys at a 1 year old birthday party, just make sure they are all age appropriate and that there are always adults watching the kids as they play.

Decor Fit for a Waldorf Kid

It can be a little tricky to effective use a big space meant for a dozen tiny tots and their parents. We have some tricks to make your party space beam with Waldorf elegance and fun child-friendly features.

Room for the kids: The room is spacious which is perfect for the children since they need plenty of room to play. But, you can re-create this space for yourself at home too. Just move all your furniture to the edges of your largest room. This way there is plenty of space for the children to play, but still enough seating and tables for the adults.
 
Colors: I stuck with shades of blue and white to make the party very "boy" but you could use all the same ideas using any color scheme.
 
Warm Light: To personalize the space and to warm it up a bit, I had labels made with Lucas's monogram on them and wrapped them around inexpensive votive candles.

Favor Bag Ideas

Gift bags are not always a must for parties, but they are a special way of thanking your guests for coming. Along with some little toys for the tots, consider filling your gift bags with these unique and glamorous items.

Jurlique products: Jurlique's claim to fame are their "age-defying" biodynamic lotions and creams. But, they also have a great baby line with items such as bubble bath and calming massage oil that are perfect for your party guests's little ones.
 
Fairytale Brownies: Fairytale Brownies are gourmet Belgian Chocolate brownies-and if you know anything about Belgium, you'll know that their chocolate is world famous. Consider giving your guests boxes of 4 mini brownies to say "Thanks!"
 
Sunglasses: Give your guests some stylish sunglasses from StyleScience. These sunglasses eliminate 99% of glare and offer 100% UVA and UVB protection. They offer a great selection of kids' frames that range from Disney Princess theme to Power Rangers.

DIY Party Invitation Ideas

Make your own invitations for this fete. We have some helpful pointers to help you make your home-made invitations look first class and Waldorf-ready.

To set the theme of the party I used Google to find a vintage black and white photograph of the Waldorf Astoria entrance.

Using Photoshop I inserted the image of my son and his dog, Lulu Flynn, standing in front of the hotel to create what became the front of the inivtation.

I also printed the text of the invitation on another piece of paper that would be the back side. It Included all the information the guests needed about the party: What, When, Where, and RSVP.

I copied the invitations on the copy machine and pasted the fronts and backs to card stock.

I sent the card in big black envelopes and placed a personalized stamp on them using zazzle.com.