A Magical Winter Wonderland First Birthday Party
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"Even though we live in Los Angeles and it's not technically freezing over here, I still loved the idea of making a Winter-wonderland-themed first birthday party for Ariella, our little Winter baby," says Emily Klaparda, mom of two and the creative mind behind Emily K Paperie. "I didn't want to re-create those typical Winter parties with penguins, polar bears, and igloos. Instead, I had the idea in my head for a rustic, shabby-chic party that had the Winter feel but was a bit more girlie and sophisticated — just like our little girl!"
With gorgeous and cozy details including Manzanita branch centerpieces, glittery snowflakes, a sweet hot-cocoa bar, and lots of sparkly silver and pink trees, this party makes us wish it was Winter all year round (minus the freezing temperatures, of course).
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Emily created signs for the party herself on Shugabee Lane's vintage framed chalkboards. Birthday girl Ariella wore a lace crown from Sweet Louise Boutique.
Snowflakes Everywhere
Emily designed the beautiful invitation, introducing the Winter wonderland theme. The snowflake cake was created by Sweet E's Bake Shop.
Flowers and Lace
Emily created the beautiful flower arrangements herself.
Branches and Glitter
"I found an online tutorial about setting the Manzanita branches in Plaster of Paris," Emily said. "I followed the steps and was very pleased with the end result! I glued dried flowers onto the branches to complete the look."
Winter White
The front-door wreath was created by Dandelion Crafting Co., while Emily scored the letter "A" from Etsy's This Makes Me Happy. The snowflake balloons were a find from Single Source Party Supply.
Lovely Mantel
"I was especially pleased with how the mantel decor turned out," Emily said. "It was a great backdrop for the birthday girl and her cake smash. I purchased some bulk burlap and designed the 'swag' and then tied it up. I found the pink trees at Michaels and then added the floral centerpieces and the birthday banner from Prop Shop Boutique."
Trees, Please
Bottle-brush trees from Love It Shabby were one of our favorite party elements. So beautiful, right?
Sweet Stuff
A closer look at the Prop Shop Boutique banner and cupcakes with fondant toppers from Two Sweet Cakes.
Delicious Details
White chocolate Oreos from Sweet E's Bake Shop were displayed with other Winter-themed desserts.
Snowy Weather
Cake pops from Sweet E's Bake Shop and heart-stamped wooden spoons from Etsy's Angie Hearts Jared.
S'mores Bar
A s'mores bar made eating fun and interactive for Ariella's guests.
Hot-Cocoa Bar
"This was a real hit with our guests, who all loved the gourmet hot cocoa and unique toppings — especially the handmade marshmallows!" Emily said. "Perfect for a chilly Winter party!" Emily gathered the homemade marshmallows from One More Bite, Mia Mallows, and Guimauve Confections.
Warm Up!
Guests enjoying the hot cocoa bar, and a chalkboard sign, created by Emily.
Food Table
Whole Foods catered the savory offerings.
Soup and Snowy Shooters
Grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup shooters, next to milk designed to appeal to guests of all ages.
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
"I saw these at a party awhile back and thought they would be a great addition to Ariella's party!" Emily said of the grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup shooters. "They were a great, warm comfort food for a cold Winter day! Guests loved them and even asked for refills."
Birthday Girl
One-year-old Ariella was the guest of honor at this beautiful Winter wonderland party.