Charlotte & Stella's 1st birthday

place...albert park, melbourne, australia

for...twins charlotte and stella's 1st birthday

from mom, Rebecca (I'm paraphrasing a bit): "We wanted the party to be as much for the girls as for the adults. They both love playing under our lemon tree and being outside. They also both love their tea set. They also love music, especially Charlotte. She always bops along to any music playing and has got real rhythm! Alejandro plays at our local farmers market and the girls love dancing to his music, so I asked him to play at the party. He was brilliant and got all the children involved- from ages 6 months to 8 years old. And of course the adults loved it also. His spanish beats echoed around the neighborhood and there was lots of dancing. It created focus and was a real talking point.

I could not resist a mix of pinks and mint green. The theme was carried through the cakes, gingerbread letters and meringue toadstools and kisses. Our guests took home a gingerbread memento. I set up two tables- one for the children and one for the adults. The children's table featured some lunch-boxes with sultanas, cheese (cut into stars) and vegemite sandwiches (cut into hearts). There were juice pop-tops and fruit cups in lovely pink daisy cups. I bought some cheap bottles of bubbles for the kids to blow or take home, and wrapped some lovely ribbon to hide the labels! I put labels on all the food so the parents knew what everything was.

The adult table was Amy Atlas-inspired. I set the table using lots of lovely cake stands, plates, and glasses. Homemade cupcakes with flowers, chocolate crackles (with flags I made from toothpicks and wrapping paper), musk sticks and marshmallows, meringue and mints for dessert. I also served the usual party favorites like chicken sandwiches, salmon bagels, sausage rolls, mini quiches, fairy bread, fruit sticks and grisini.We offered Pimms and some pink soda for drinks, since it was a morning party. 

My friend Nathalie made the beautiful banner to match the invitations she created for me as well. The paper lanterns also looked brilliant. The girls wore dresses made of vintage fabric (including vintage Oscar de la Renta!)- which was over the top, but fabulous. I bought the girls a pearl bracelet for their birthday present as a keepsake (adult size but fitted twice around). And they refused to take off the tiaras their Nana bought them!"

Thanks so much for sharing, Rebecca. Charlotte & Stella are very lucky girls! You need to clarify a couple of things for your uneducated (me) State-side friends, however- what is vegemite? musk sticks? chocolate crackles? and fairy bread?

invitations, banner....imprintables, australia