tinselsandtassels: events

For Aubrey's 2nd birthday party, my husband and I decided to keep it laid-back and casual and have it in the park. Compared to last year, we didn't want to feel the pressure of having a time constraint and we were lucky enough to find a park that would allow us to reserve a spot for the whole day.

My husband (YES, my husband!) chose the theme this year. I thought about doing some sort of picnic theme but couldn't quite put things together until he just blurted out " Do a barn theme, she loves farm animals!" Bam. Everything fell into place after that.


Dessert Table


cardboard barn: DIY details on See Vanessa Craft

Anti-Bacterial hand gels for the guests


Cake by Beyond Buttercream


red velvet cupcakes: Target


printables by Very Pretty Parties


cake pops: Beyond Buttercream


props: The Prop House


catering: City Smokehouse

entertainer: Happily Ever Laughter


dress: Baby Gap shoes: Old Navy

venue: Washington Park, Burlingame
invitations (not pictured): Details Beyond Design
photos: Andy Sermonia, Wendy Morales, personal pics
For more inspiration, check out my pinterest picnic board (here)

Even before Aubrey turned 6 months, I already knew I wanted to do a rainbow theme for her first birthday. She was bright, bubbly, and so full of energy that I needed her party to reflect that. After searching through countless images on Pinterest (which, btw, is one of the best.websites.EVER) for ideas, I decided to give it a modern take. I focused on the colors, instead of an actual "rainbow". One of the best (and also hardest) things about having rainbow colors as a theme are the endless ideas and possibilities you can do. The trick is not to go too overboard otherwise it just wouldn't flow together. The way I had to explain it to the grandmas, just because Aubrey wears a pink dress doesn't mean she has to wear pink tights, pink shoes, with a pink ribbon too. (Of course they still didn't get it.).

Since I had a slight fascination with the chevron pattern at that time, I thought about combining the pattern and colors together to give it that modern look. I was lucky to find a bakery that could create the look I was going for and they did not fail. The cake ended up being the focal point of the dessert table (and the party as well).

We chose Recess as the venue of the party. It's a recreation center for toddlers and babies in Portrero Hill. We wanted a place that was close to home, plenty of parking for our guests, and indoors (since weather and parking can be quite unpredictable in the Bay Area). The staff was great. They cleaned up the area before and after the party. The only vendor we had issues with was the catering. I won't even mention which restaurant we catered from but they were 1.5hrs late (and that's just unacceptable when you're renting out a space for such a limited time) and, once they did arrive, forgot the plates and cutlery! We were pleased, however, with the way their catering manager handled the situation after we emailed a complaint but needless to say we won't be using them anymore in the near future.

Below are images of the party taken by Andy Sermonia: