A First Birthday Fit for a Princess

Planning the perfect first birthday is not an easy task. Karin and Dave Caito decided to go all out for their daughter Barbara Jean’s first birthday. They decided to have a princess-themed birthday party at their Ladue home with family, friends and kids. “A 1st birthday is a monumental occasion, not to mention fun for other families with children,” Karin Caito said.

Their guest list included 45 adults and 25 kids, which required it to be a well-planned event. When the invitation arrived in the mail (a specialty Cinderella horse and carriage) my daughter was beside herself with excitement. When preparing for a party at home, here are things to consider:

Food

When hosting a party at home, you have to account for the space you have. Many people order sandwiches, as they don't take up a lot of space and do not have to be kept warm. Caito had Tony Haacke, the executive chef at St. Louis Racquet Club (located at 476 N. Kingshighway) cater the event.

He prepared a wonderful array of ribs, tomato stacks, and even fun foods for the kids such as corn dogs, chicken fingers and french fries. There was not a detail left out, down to the pink wine glasses for the adults' sangria. The younger guests were able to drink from custom cups hand painted from Vellum in Kirkwood. 

The tiara cookies, custom “mash” cake, Barbie cake, and sheet cakes were courtesy of the Cakery in Dogtown.

“I should have ordered more cake. The Cakery has such delicious cakes and cookies, the cake was gone before there was time for seconds,” Caito said.

Entertainment

The Caitos have a sprawling yard with a large swingset, as well as a pool, which make it an ideal setting for a summer party. 

Caito hired Backyard Lifeguards to oversee the pool area, in which a trained lifeguard monitored the pool and the children. When hosting an event at home, you cannot be in several places at the same time. Make sure to get as much help as possible so you can enjoy the party yourself. Whether it be hiring a bartender, parking attendant, chef, or even a neighborhood babysitter—the more help the better. 

The highlight of the afternoon was the carriage rides for every party guest on the Cinderella carriage provided by St. Louis Carriage Company.

“Summer is always so crazy, and it's hard to get together with friends, so I most enjoyed visiting with everyone while swimming and taking a carriage ride,” Caito said.

Favors and Invitations

The invitations created by Vellum in Kirkwood for Barbara Jean Caito’s 1st birthday introduced guests to the theme that carried through the entire party. However, sticking with your theme when it comes to favors and goodie bags can be difficult. 

The favor bags that guests left with at the Caito’s party were prepared for both boys and girls.

“I purchased the Barbie dolls and other favors from Target,” Caito said. The favor bags were pink for girls and blue for boys, which made them easy to hand out rather than having individual names. The hand-painted cups also from Vellum were an additional treat for the younger party guests. 

How does this busy working mother of three have time to plan such a fantastic party down to the last detail? 

“I keep a folder of neat things that I see throughout the year in magazines, etc. When it comes time to plan a party, I open the folder and look at the ideas,” Caito said.

“Even though she won’t remember, one day she will look back at pictures and say wow!” Caito said.

I have no doubt that Barbara Jean will look back at her first birthday party and be amazed and grateful at what a wonderful and detailed job her mom did at planning her party. It's a party my family and I will never forget.