Ultimate Unicorn First Birthday Party Guide

I'm so excited to finally share Naiya's unicorn-themed first birthday photos with you today! Our little cutie had the best time running around a local park to celebrate her big day with her closest friends and family.  

If only this outfit would fit her for the next five years straight--I'd honestly be down! Also, do they make this in my size?  

Today, I'm sharing all of the party details and some tips we learned along the way to help you throw the ultimate first birthday party too. Get ready for a lengthy post! There were so many fun photos of Naiya, I honestly had trouble pairing them down!

The Outfits

Every first birthday girl needs a party outfit that is comfy, really stands out and that will be special to look back on in photos for years to come.

Naturally, as a first-time mom, I became obsessed with finding Naiya the perfect comfy romper or tutu for her big day a few months in advance.I probably saved over 20 different looks I loved but didn't pull the trigger until I came across this handmade romper by Boho Bloomers on ETSY.  Rounding up the rest of Naiya's first birthday outfit details below too!

Naiya's 1st Birthday Romper

From the embroidered detailing on the front and the lace tutu in the back, to the beautiful soft rope straps and dainty bow, I'm going to go through withdrawal when this romper no longer fits Naiya. This ETSY site has the most adorable outfits (I'm also loving this one here) for little girls.  

If you're in the market for something special and handmade,  I highly recommend you take a look.We topped off Naiya's birthday outfit with her favorite gold moccasins and a handmade  first birthday bib by SparrowRaeCo.

This unicorn flower crown by Mason and Harlow was also handmade from ETSY. I love that it ties perfectly around Naiya's little head because it's adjustable in the back. It was sturdy enough to stay on as much as possible too--even though Naiya is now at the stage where she no longer lets me put anything on her head for more than 5 minutes.

Momma Outfit Inspo:

First birthdays are especially humbling for new mamas. By your baby's first birthday, it's truly mind-blowing to think about all that has happened since exactly one year prior.  You made it through pregnancy, popped out a baby, mastered the nursing or feeding journey, lost countless hours of sleep, watched your baby grow into a mobile human and your heart has probably melted time and time again.

Wear something you love that feels celebratory!I personally wanted to wear something girlie for Naiya's first birthday that wouldn't take any attention away from her. Likewise, I fell in love with this two piece matching set from Chicwish. It was perfect for out outdoor end of summer party, it was nice and cool and it was comfy enough to run around in after our ever-moving toddler.

Likewise, I topped the look off with white block heeled mules I knew I'd be able to stand and run around in for hours. This pair has been my go-to for months now--I absolutely love them.Linking to this outfit and a few others I was eyeing below that could be perfect to wear at your baby's first birthday too.

The Unicorn Party Decor

I had so much fun collaborating with a bunch of extremely talented vendors for Naiya's party who helped make her day extra special.  Sharing some where to find them below:

Highchair Banner

Every one year old could use something snazzy to put around his or her highchair for photos! Naiya's high chair banner came from an adorable ETSY shop called 'With Love Event Decor' that we highly recommend! The banner is handmade and helps add the cutest color and texture pop to Naiya's photos.

You can make one yourself by tying ribbons or thin pieces of material into knots along one longer ribbon. That said, if you're anything like me, you'll be planning like crazy for your baby's big day and making a big banner at the last minute will feel like a big job you won't want to be stuck doing.

I personally recommend leaving it to the pros and ordering an affordable one because it will save you time and energy (and probably look a lot better too)! Loving this longer version here too (and the other color options below)!

The Smash Cake

If you're not familiar with "smash cakes," they're the mini cakes one year olds are given on their high chairs that they can dig into however they wish (so usually, they end up wearing the cake within seconds!).

Smash cakes come in all different sizes, shapes and themes so we ended up finding a local vendor to make us a unicorn-themed one from scratch.We ended up ordering a sugar free, gluten free cake by Sugar Jones Sweet Creations as well as a bunch of handmade unicorn cupcakes for our guests.

Naiya had never had sugar before her birthday and while I don't judge any mama who wants to go all in on the sugar (to each's own!), I personally didn't want Naiya to have her very first sugar rush during her party--especially since she'd be surrounded by so many people and we had no idea what to expect. Instead, the sugar-free option was perfect for us and she ended up loving it!

Other Unicorn Party Decor

Party balloons can add such fun extra pops of color to any party. For Naiya's party, I was on a quest to find a giant '1' balloon and ended up finding the perfect option at Party City (and a similar one on Amazon) for an affordable cost.

From there, I added a few dozen pastel-colored balloons to fit our unicorn theme which we added all around our party space.

I also went ahead and created our tablescape with fresh flowers from Trader Joes which I arranged into mason jars.

We decided to rent a big tent for all of our guests to shield them from the sun, as well as big round tables and chairs.  We covered the tablecloths in pink and added unicorn-themed party favors on top.

I was surprised that renting tables and chairs was completely affordable--especially because we got a package deal for them along with our tent and colorful balloons. I suggest trying to find a one-stop party shop like we did--it was extremely helpful!

From there, I teamed up with one of my favorite party-wear companies, Harlow And Grey, who had the most beautiful paper pink and marble paper plates. I'm all about functional design when it comes to party-wear and this company has the most beautiful, classy aesthetic (not to mention, their plates are so sturdy!).

The Food

When it comes to nailing down your baby's first birthday party time, it's all about planning around their nap and meal times. I truly didn't fully understand this until I became a parent and would always wonder why my friends were having early morning parties or parties after lunch.

Since we ended up planning our party in between Naiya's nap time and dinner, we set up a Mexican food station for our guests with fresh fruit, tortillas, beans, tacos and everything in between. It's still important to cater to your guests while you do everything to also make sure your baby is happy.

This worked out perfectly for us because our party ended just before Naiya's normal bedtime routine and we were able to put her to bed on time. Our guests were able to have either a late lunch or early dinner, depending on their arrival time and/or they grazed and snacked away.

The above list sums up everything that went into Naiya's first birthday party! In the end, it was a lot of work but it was totally do-able and the best part was watching Naiya running around, having the best time!

Are you throwing a first birthday party in the near future or have you thrown one in the past?

If you have any tips and tricks for other parents that I've left out or if you'd like to share how this article may have helped you, please leave a comment below! Thanks so much for reading and I look forward to connecting with you!

Photography: Katrina Jayne