Celebrate Unwrapped: Balloon Arrangements

Gone are the days of the humble balloon being tied together in a bunch and hung from whatever could be found for decoration.  Instead, these days we’re treated to spectacular colours and sizes, adornments, fillings and let’s face it, next level styling with these decorations!

Our Celebrate conference was held at the beautiful Sydney venue, The Deckhouse, with stunning water views of Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge thanks to being surrounded by floor to ceiling windows. So room decoration needed only help bring the table styling together and provide backdrops for our guest speakers, rather than detract from our beautiful surrounds. But nothing short of spectacular either!

So to pull it off, we called in the help of Sydney’s own balloon Queen, Shannon from Born To Party, to design a custom balloon arrangement and add some great visuals to the room itself.

Shannon shared the load of the Celebrate balloon decor with another balloon master – Michelle of Party Splendour and we’ll be showcasing her work at Celebrate in a future blog post.

 

This balloon arrangement was truly a show stopper and everyone at the conference commented on it!

 

 

 

I loved how it looked like a waterfall of balloons was spilling out over the floor near our guest speakers! It created a brilliant feature at the front of the venue:

With no limit to what Shannon can do with balloons, balloon arrangements are a great addition to any event, and don’t be afraid to think big and be bold with your arrangements by combining tassel tails, mixing and matching the colours, styles and sizes for a dramatic effect. You can see more of Shannon’s designs on the Born To Party Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can find a great range of balloons and of course Shannon’s expertise at her shop in Mosman, or visit her online store where you can shop for invitations, decorations and  tableware too.

 

THANK YOU so much for your balloon magic Shannon!

 

Celebrate unwrapped: mini pinata’s

In my last post, I promised you more details of our Celebrate conference so you can steal our style for your next event, or just get a head start on finding the perfect vendor to pull off your own vision. If you missed the post, you can read it here for all the details on our table centrepieces, and stay tuned as we bring you a more reveals each week.

Today we’re looking at another table detail which was a huge hit as they were are a hugely popular decorating item that doubles as a game, but aren’t often found as mini’s or used for table decoration like we used them for!

Mini Pinata’s

Yes, MINI pinata’s!!

In my opinion, styling is about personalisation and interpretation. So when I came across these mini pinata’s by Party Pony designer pinatas, I knew they weren’t destined to be hung, and certainly not bashed by a stick (would have made for a very interesting conference…).

Instead, we used them on tables – and were styled by Paper Face as part of some of the centrepieces.

Owner Nicola created a mix of diamond and heart shapes in our theme colours, which we then used as centrepieces on tables. Pinata’s are hugely popular as decorations these days, doubling as a bit of (bashful) fun, but using them in an unexpected way is a great talking point for guests.

Nicola can custom make these to your requirements, so let your imagination run wild and run your ideas past her – think cake toppers, photo props or room decor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicola also creates custom tassel garlands and balloon tails for a cohesive look to your event, and you can see more of her work or shop from her website.

 

 

I can’t thank you enough for all your hard work on this event Nicola! Contact Party Pony Designer Pinata’s to see their full range or order a custom pinata

I hope this feeds your imagination and has you thinking about how you’ll use an item differently. I’ll be bringing you more details of the styling, props, balloons and more soon so stay tuned!

 

Prop it like a pro – A sparkling first birthday

Twinkle twinkle little star, oh how truly talented our LLC Vendors are!

Continually inspired by the imagination and collaboration within our creative industry, this first birthday celebration I’m sharing with you today is of no exception.

Styled by the team at Sydney’s Tiny Tots Toy Hire, using their gorgeous hire items – Petra’s Twinkle Twinkle Little Star birthday celebration was a sparkling display of creativity and clever use of party props, all available to hire for your next event too!

 

 

A simple, modern colour scheme of silver, black, white and aqua brought this nursery rhyme to life with the help of star prop accents and incredible balloon displays.

 

 

I’ve always said that it’s the finer details that help bring a theme together, but if those finer details are oversized numerals, light boxes and props on a grand scale, then you’ve got yourself a winning formula! In this case, the props from Tiny Tots Toy Hire were the shining light, and every other little detail worked in seamlessly to create the perfect party.

 

How great is this life size number 1 – perfect for photos!

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment for this age group can be a little tricky, but from the looks on the guest’s faces, a jumpy castle, ball pit and pint sized toys were just the ticket – all available for hire from Tiny Tots Toy Hire.

 

 

 

Older guests were also kept busy with a star cookie decorating table.

 

 

The simple use of the right props for your next celebration can really take your event to the next level, and if you’re in Sydney it’s nice to know you can source them all from the one place too! Be sure to check out the Tiny Tots Toy Hire website for a full list of items available, from infant and baby toys, games and sports, playhouses, tables and chairs and themed props – you’re sure to exactly what you need!

 

Full vendor credits

Concept, styling, props and toys by Tiny Tots Toy Hire

Photography by Captured by Kirri 

Cakes by Art of Baking

Cake Topper by Merc+Jones

Balloons by Bubble Moo Balloons

Star Macarons by Arelio Sweetbox

Cake Pops by Devour Cakes

Mini desserts by The Pumpkin Carriage

Chevron plates by Love the Occassion

Star garland by Paper Face

ONE highchair bunting by Sugarlicious Parties

Star stickers (backdrop) by Sack Me

 

 

The Magic of a Fairy Party Theme

When it comes to little girl’s party themes, it’s fair to say that you’ll throw at least one fairy theme in your child’s early years!

Not only is it a popular theme choice for little girls, there are so many variations available including an enchanted woodland, Tinkerbell, princess fairy and whimsical, you’ll have no trouble pulling it all together and creating magic for her special day. The hardest part will be knowing when to stop!

To help get the imagination rolling, I’ve curated a selection of items from our talented LLC Directory vendors and you’ll find plenty of inspiration over on our Pinterst page as well.

 

Fairy party invitations and printables

Set those wings fluttering with gorgeous coordinated stationary, printables and themed backdrops to help create a magic setting for the fairies to celebrate the occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairy Party Decorations

The options are endless for decorating your fairy theme setting, and you can find just about anything you can think of these days to help bring your vision to life. Think lots of pastels, tulle, pom poms and glitter for a modern or princess fairy theme, or spotted mushroom, hessian, woodland creatures, grass and sliced wood cuttings for serving platters if choosing a Tinkerbell or woodland style party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How incredible does this dessert table style by Mon Soiree look! Simply enchanting.

 

 

Backdrops are becoming increasingly popular for all occasions, perfect for behind dessert tables, as photo backdrops or entry way. I love the detail of these handmade flowers by Avrelle, just stunning.

 

 

 

Fairy Party Tableware

Set the perfect picnic in the garden or tiny tables and chairs with these gorgeous finds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cakes and desserts

Try finding a fairy that can resist a sweet treat! Coordinated cakes, cookies and desserts add the finishing touches to any picnic rug, favour bag or dessert table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Hire

Whether you’re going all out or simply after a few details to help create a magical setting for your fairy guests, consider hiring props, entertainers and decor from one of our specialist vendors in your area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairy Party Favours

As if the day couldn’t get any better, send your fairy guests home with a special gift to say thank you and remember the day with these gorgeous finds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And these fairy doors are just divine!

 

 

 

A fairy entertainer is the perfect addition to any fairy party! If you’re in Sydney you can find a wonderful fairy to fly your way at Fairy La la Land:

 

So what style fairy theme will you choose?  I hope these finds have given you a good head start and your little fairy has a magical day.

 

Party supplies for gorgeous style

Sometimes the hardest part of organising a party is just getting started – would you agree?

With so much inspiration provided by our talented LLC directory vendors, it can get a little overwhelming if you don’t have a theme in mind, and we can all relate to changing our minds over and over after seeing so many amazing ideas on Pinterest or Instagram!

I often find working backwards in the planning process can be helpful, albeit strange! Finding inspiration in the smallest details normally left for later in the planning process like decorations, tableware or the colour of the party outfit can sometimes be just what you need to get you off the starting blocks – backwards!

So when it comes time to pulling it all together, start with where you would normally source your products, such as LLC directory partner, The Party Parlour. What I have always loved about this site is that it’s literally a one stop shop for both inspiration and all the party supplies you’ll need to execute a coordinated event.

 

 

If you’re stuck for ideas, their party packages are a great place to start, presented in styled shoots with all the required items already curated for you to add to cart to complete the look. Themes are categorised by First Birthdays, Baby Showers, Colour and themes for boys and girls for easy navigation.

 

 

If you already know the theme of your occasion and just need the supplies to pull it all together, shopping by category makes ticking off your list a breeze with everything you need from invitations to tableware, unique balloons and garlands, glassware and favours, plus they post Australia wide for added convenience. Tick, tick, tick!

Or if you’re like me and partial to falling head over heels for new paper plate designs, their new arrivals can also provide a great starting block, like these gorgeous new items from Paper Eskimo. These would be so great for a circus or ice cream party! Just pick an item and let your imagination go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These plates are exactly the type of product that back up my suggestion of working backwards – now just to find the occasion to use them…

 

 

Regardless of having a theme or not, The Party Parlour is a great place to start – from start to finish or finish to start!

What are your thoughts on my suggestion for working backwards when planning a special occasion?