Planning a party...on a budget!

I have to be honest...although planning weddings and experiencing the joy of different cultures and traditions is my passion, I really really love it when someone comes to me for help with planning a birthday party.

First of all, lose any assumptions you might have. Many people think it takes a lot of time and money to plan and execute a polished party, so to keep it simple they get out the paper plates and plastic flatware and tie a bunch of balloons to a chair (bo-ring).

I'm in the midst of planning my daughter Cadence's first birthday party (!!) and we're doing it on a budget. So, as I go through various planning stages, I'm going to share my tips on how to throw an awesome party - for any occasion - without breaking the bank.

Step 1: Determine your budget. It's important to figure this out ahead of time. You don't want to be two weeks from the date and realize that you've spent most of your budget on invitations, with little left over for food and drinks. I suggest allocating a percentage for each category, and then determining the actual dollar amount. That way it's really easy to figure out whether you're on track.

Step 2: Pick a date and book a venue. If possible, do it at your house - that way there's no site fee.

Step 3: My favorite step...pick a theme! I decided on a cupcake theme because they're yummy, pretty, and feminine. Perfect for my little girl's birthday.

Step 4: Choose your invitations. I knew I wanted to spend a little more here because I loooove pretty invitations. I sent out the ones for Cadence's party this week! Check them out below. They're from the talented mlc designs. I just love them!

If you'd rather focus your budget on other areas, send out personalized e-vites (that match your theme of course!) to friends and family. Greetings and Readings, along with Papyrus, has great stationary at budget-friendly prices.

Step 5: Figure out the food and drinks, and try to make most of it yourself. This is a big area for you to save! It's much less expensive to cook everything at home versus hiring a caterer for the party. You can also ask friends to bring their favorite dishes.

Since our theme is cupcakes, what better food to have at Cadence's party than cupcakes?? To save money, I baked them this past weekend with a friend. Crazy? Definitely. We made 216 cupcakes in one day, and I'm freezing them to keep them fresh for the party.

Check out the cupcake wrappers on the left. I got them from Amazon.com. Inexpensive and cute! If you're really into DIY, you could try making your own wrappers. Check out a tutorial here.

That's a lot of cupcakes!

Step 6: Choose your decorations. This is where I am right now in my planning! Still trying to decide between centerpieces, linens, etc.

More here on this next week, and on planning during the home stretch. Last-minute decorating, going through the RSVPs, and more. I'll share how my frozen cupcakes are holding up. Hoping everything will taste great and freeze well!