A first birthday is a major milestone for Mom, Dad, and of course, the little guest of honor. In the case of Peter, who celebrated his big first in Manhattan, an animal parade was just the theme to celebrate with. Event designer Keren Precel planned the party [1], which was held at Freshmade NYC, a kids' cooking studio and event space. Utilizing a mix of high (custom-printed goods) and low (plastic toy animals) elements, Peter's party struck just the right balance of being baby-friendly while still sophisticated. Want to join the parade? Keep reading to see all the beautiful details!
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [2]
Come Party With Me!
"We started out using a watercolor drawing of an animal parade and an earthy color palette that included green, yellow, and orange," Keren told us.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [3]
What's For Lunch?
"The focal point of the party was a seven-foot-long buffet table featuring savory dishes like quinoa salad, meatballs, miniquiches, and veggies, among delicately crafted desserts, including animal-shaped French macarons, three different cupcakes with real toys serving as toppers, and three different birthday cakes," Keren said.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [4]
A Baby Bar!
The Baby Bar was designed to display "nibble dishes" like soft pasta, fruits and veggies, and tea sandwiches.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [5]
Hands-On Fun
The event was held at Freshmade NYC [6], a Manhattan cooking studio that hosts kids' classes and parties, so custom aprons and mini rolling pins were apropos for the setting!
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [7]
Sweet Setting
These stylish place settings are thoughtful enough for adult guests to appreciate, but they're completely kid-friendly, too.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [8]
Zebras, Elephants, and Quinoa
Plastic animal figurines were an inexpensive and easy addition to the tablescape, but they made a major impact.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [9]
A Stripe Safari
Personalize your sippers for an extrafestive touch.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [10]
A Tiger Top-Off
The animal-figurine toppers are one of Keren's favorite elements of this party.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [11]
Ecosphere
Keren created a thematic centerpiece with this cute terrarium home for a panda.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [12]
Let Them Eat Cake!
Proof positive that cakes need not be extravagant to pack a punch, this trio is understated and elegant.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [13]
Shake and Bake
"The child is still a baby at this point [their first birthday], so basically this party is for the adults," Keren told us. Take advantage of your freedom with details that guests of all ages will enjoy.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [14]
Eats For Every Age
"We try to make every element of our kids' parties kid-friendly, and we sometimes insist that the menu will feature items that all the guests can eat," Keren told us.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [15]
Treats For Tots
For the youngest of guests, consider the Baby Bar menu at Peter's party, which included mac and cheese, kids' sandwiches, marinara orzo, and cut-up fruits and veggies.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [16]
Baby Zone
A designated space for favors was marked with this custom "Baby Zone" sign.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [17]
Party On, Peter!
An overview of the awesome food and drink display.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [18]
Oh, My! Macarons!
Keren called out these animal-faced macarons as one of her favorite elements of this party.
Source: Clay Williams and Alex Nirenberg [19]