It's a cliche but yes, it's hard to believe a year has flown by since the arrival of our sweet Luba Shaina. We decided on a farmers market theme for her first birthday because it was super cute, played on the idea of celebrating her growth, and it was perfect for an outdoor venue.
I started gathering ideas on Pinterest, and the idea evolved from a kitchy hipster theme to a more aesthetic cottage core picnic vibe. Baby birthdays are really a party for the parents, so we wanted it to feel like an authentic picnic and not like playing dress up.
Entertainment
When little kids are involved, entertainment is key. We planned a few different stations to keep everyone engaged:
Personalized totes: I ordered canvas totes and had a custom stamp made with Luba's Market branding. I also found the cutest fruit and veggie stamps for everyone to decorate their own tote.
I also prepared farmers market themed coloring sheets clipped to mini clipboards -- so simple and coloring is always a hit with little ones
Another super easy and fun add-on is a bubble machine - there's just something so joyful about trying to catch those bubbles!
A cute farmers market pop up playhouse gave the older kids a fun pretend play spot, and it provided some extra shade. I got the one on the right but the one on the left is very cute too!
What really made the whole party though was the toddler soft play zone. We were so excited to discover BabyQuip, a website where you can rent anything baby related. It's so convenient when traveling to not have to pack bulky things like baby activity centers, pack n plays, bouncers, and car seats. You can even rent beach toys and have them delivered straight to your destination!
The soft play set we requested was the cutest set from Gathre, and Luba loved it! She was so happy to play in the play pit and climb all over the pieces. Will and Bree from BabyQuip were amazing to work with, and set up and picked up the set, and I couldn't recommend it more.
Lastly, I set up a flower bar. Having lots of fresh flowers added to the festive market theme, and it was a special party favor for guests to make a bouquet to take home with them (in their Luba's Market tote)
Menu
In keeping with the cottage core picnic aesthetic, we went for a not over styled spread of cheese boards, caprese platters, baskets of fresh berries and veggies, and savory pastries. For dessert, we ordered chocolate eclairs and assorted cookies, and I made a strawberry cake for the birthday girl.
All in all, it was a very cute day and we had lots of fun celebrating our sweetest little peach. I will say that prepping took longer than I thought it would and I didn't have everything set up as I had planned, so start in advance even if you want to go for a very natural vibe!
