Mason's Birthday "On the Green": Vendors

For Mason's birthday we worked with some fabulous vendors and we couldn't wait to share them with you! We mentioned before that keeping the elements of this party environmentally responsible was particularly important-- even in the smallest details. Enter Green Party Goods.

 Green Party Goods carries just about everything you could want to complete your event. We could spend hours on their site (and several more hours telling you about everything they offer) but we'll limit ourselves to sharing just the items we used for this party and save the rest for a Feature Friday.

Table settings for Mason's birthday included Biodegradable Sugarcane Plates, Recycled Paper Napkins, Recylced Paper Cups and Potatoware Utensils. We also used their Natural Fiberware Lunch Boxes for to-go lunches for the golfers.

Speaking of the golfers' to-go lunches, we used brown and white striped twine purchased on Etsy from Swann and Smerlin. Despite this seller residing in Ireland, the items arrived quickly and were packaged beautifully. Exactly the attention to detail we appreciate!

Also found on Etsy were the cupcake liners we used for the mini cupcakes, cake bites and cake pops. The sheer selection in Cupcake Social's shop is awe-inspiring. We were specifically looking for cupcake liners that resembled blades of grass to mimic the look of golf balls "in the rough" and found them at Cupcake Social. It was hard to resist buying more than we needed since there were so many fun cupcake wrappers to choose from!

The cupcakes, cake bites and cake pops were nice, but the most important dessert was the birthday boys cake. The Frosted Cake Shop custom made Mason's smash cake for the occasion. We requested a "golf inspired" cake in orange, apple green and brown. The result was nothing short of perfection! Owner, Tessa Lindlow, even managed to accommodate our order with a low-sugar and organic-ingredient recipe. If you ever need a specialty cake or cupcakes, The Frosted Cake Shop is the only way to go!

There you have it, a few of the fabulous companies we work with and order from. We hope you will consider them for your next event and please feel free to share other vendors you have had success with.

Next up is the budget. The single most frequent question we get from brides, mothers, friends and party-hosts (or hostesses) everywhere: How much will it cost? We'll share this party's budget with you tomorrow!

Mason's Birthday "On the Green": Decor

For Mason's 1st Birthday "On the Green" decor was minimal, partly because the venue didn't need a lot of embellishment and partly because we wanted to keep costs and materials down. We used 6' x 1.5' lengths of astro turf as table runners. They were sturdy, inexpensive (about 48 cents per square foot) and can be used after the party. Centerpieces were cylinder-shaped vases (which were re-used Pom juice glasses) filled with golf balls and wrapped with a strip of grass-patterned paper and an orange ribbon.

(The golf balls in the center pieces were actually more of a source of entertainment for the kids than anything else!)

We made a simple bunting using eco-felt and 1/4 yard of three different fabrics. The bunting now adorns Mason's bedroom walls!

Favors aren't necessarily "decor" but they were our favorite project from this party so we wanted to highlight them. We used this template from Shutter Sisters to create mini photo calendars for guests (using recycled paper.) Each month featured a picture of the birthday boy from the previous year during that month.

The calendars are made to rest in jewel cases. On the back were directions on how to assemble the jewel cases. Adorable and relatively inexpensive to make.

Activities during the party consisted of Wall-E (the movie) playing for the kids, a station to color golf-related clip art pictures, a "Guess How Many" jar full of golf tees and a "Mason Trivia" game for the adults.

When guests RSVP'd for the party, those who wished to golf were given a tee time and we incorporated a golf mini-tournament! There was plenty to do for all ages-- a must for any party.

Come back tomorrow to check out the awesome vendors we used for this event and Thursday for a sneak peek at our budget!

Mason's Birthday "On the Green": Food

Yesterday was Mason's 1st Birthday Party "On the Green". Not only did the party have a golf theme but the "green" carried into every aspect in the form of recycled materials, compostable elements and even guest participation. We'll be sharing this party all week so first here was the menu:

U.S. Open Club Sandwiches

Presidents Cup Fruit Skewers

PGA Tour Potato Salad

Masters Marinated Vegetables

For dessert, Bakerella's cake pops and cake bites as:

In the Rough Red Velvet Cake Pops

Fairway Vanilla Cupcakes

Muddy Golf Balls (Chocolate Cake Bites)

Drinks included:

18th Hole Bloody Mary's

Pebble Beach Punch

When guests RSVP'd for the party those who wished to golf were given tee times. Everyone met at the party location (which we'll share on Feature Friday this week) and the golfers picked up their lunches before heading out to the course.

Up tomorrow: Decor and Activities

Wednesday: Vendors

Thursday: Budget

Friday: Venue