Camden's 2nd Barnyard Birthday!
To be completely honest, I didn't put much effort into Camden's first birthday. In my defense, I was 3 months pregnant with the worst case of morning sickness and my motivation level was at a negative 5, but I've been feeling pretty bad about it all year. SOOO... when his 2nd Birthday rolled around I knew I had to pull out all the stops and redeem myself! Coming up with the Barnyard theme was easy! Camden has had an obsession with farm animals and specifically Red BAAA-N's (Barn's) for months now and I knew he would absolutely love it! With the weather being so unpredictable in March, we decided to host the party at our home, in our newly finished basement - and I mean, Chris and I were literally touching up paint and hanging picture frames the night before the party. FYI - if you ever want to motivate your husband to finish a house project, tell him you have 40 people coming over for a party, works like a charm :)
FOOD & DRINKS: After years of hosting parties and stressing myself out about preparing food for a large group of people, I've definitely learned my lesson. So now, for my sanity's sake, anytime we have more than 20 people over I get the food catered. Here in Michigan, SLOW's BBQ in Detroit is our absolute favorite and what pairs better with a Barn theme then some good old BBQ, right?! The menu was a huge hit with our guests and included make your own "The Reason" Pulled Pork Sliders with coleslaw, pickles and Zingerman's rolls, BBQ wings, Mac & Cheese, Pit Smoked Beans and Cornbread. For starters we also served an assortment of fresh fruit, veggies and cheese.
The beverage menu included lemonade, water, and an assortment of sodas and juices. CAKE AND DESSERTS: The barn cake was the perfect addition to our dessert table, that included an assortment of brownies and cookies. Erin at Bella e Dolce did such an amazing job customizing the two tiered cake with Camden's favorite barn animals (chickens and cows) and even delivered the cake an hour before the party (SCORE!). She also made a separate smash cake for Camden :) To add height to the table, I rented these adorable crates, baskets and milk cans, from Firefly Premier Events, and they really tied the theme together! SEATING: I knew somehow, I NEEDED to incorporate a big red barn backdrop to really transform our basement into a little farm for Camden. I searched for days and finally came across this 6x9 backdrop from Oriental Trading! It was so easy to put up and for $15 it was worth every penny! Long tables with red checkered linens and baskets of fruit helped pull the theme into the seating area. I also made my own flower arrangements (the night before) to dress things up a bit. For small events, I always order flowers at my local grocery store. Kroger, Sam's Club and Costco all have a great selection! The kids table was dressed in a cow print tablecloth from Oriental Trading. I set out cute little cowboy hats, red bandanas and baskets filled with miniature barn animals for all the kids to take home! Camden LOVED his stuffed cow from his Aunt Lisa and wanted to make sure she was staying hydrated! What a thoughtful little farmer! Happy Birthday to Camden, Happy Birthday to YOU! He did SO good blowing out his candles! And that's a wrap! This guy had the best time EVER at his BAAAAA-N Party! Thank you to all of our friends and family for celebrating with us!!
Vendor Credits - Yes, I'm addicted to Amazon Prime!
Catering: Slow's To-GoInvitations & Printables:Etsy (The Party Town)Barn Stamps: Zazzle.comCake:Bella e DolceRentals (White chairs, wood crates, orchard baskets, milk cans):Firely Premier EventsBurlap Banner:Amazon Checkered Linens:Amazon Cow Print Tablecloth: Oriental TradingBarn Backdrop: Oriental TradingBarn Door Backdrop: AmazonCowboy hats: AmazonFarm Plate, Cup and Napkin set:AmazonCow Balloons: AmazonCow Plates:Amazon