Event Venders

Invitations & some paper goods: ModParty on Etsy

This party was featured on Catch My Party!

I’ve always loved a carnival themed party, so my daughter’s first birthday was the perfect time to get my fix!

Backdrop

For Ellie’s carnival, I kept with traditional colors of red, white, blue and yellows/golds. I hand made her banner. (Check out my DIY Crafts page for a tutorial on how to make a banner!) Strands of tissue garland make for a statement backdrop! I found mine at Shop Sweet Lulu.

Framing the invitation is always a nice touch and adds to the decor. Fresh hydrangeas were the perfect “popcorn” for my popcorn box vases that were found at the 99 Cent store.

Once we decided on Ellie’s name when I was still pregnant, my husband ordered her name in a large marquee for the nursery. That came in handy for this carnival theme party! The circus man and directional sign stand from Oriental Trading added some fun elements on both sides of the dessert table. The ferris wheel cupcake display came from Amazon. We had all of the carnival treats! Carmel apples, cotton candy, animal cracker cookies, Cracker Jacks, popcorn, peanuts- you name it!

Food

Even Carnival “Corndogs”! I put twinkies on a lolipop stick with a squirt of red frosting to look like ketchup! So easy and cute! #dessertimposters

Cotton Candy pops were also so easy! Take a ball of cotton candy to a stick, add a lollipop wrapper, tie with string and poke into a styrofoam cube. Easy for the kids to grab and go!

I am spoiled having my brother-in-law as the Ace of Cakes himself, Duff Goldman. He and his team make some pretty spectacular sweet treats, including this amazing circus tent cake!

Our good friend Clint, of Browning Elemental Designs, made me the top to our bar cart to look like an old fashion beverage cart. I covered the frame in red fabric and hot glued the “we are open” sign and tassle garland.

Photobooth

For photos, we had a ticket booth and circus poster set up with a polaroid camera for guests to take their pictures. The ticket booth was found at Oriental Trading. The Circus Poster was bought at Party City.

Party favors were candy filled striped paper bags from Just Artifacts. I added gold letter E stickers found at ModParty on Etsy.

Tip: Get creative and look around the house at what may be used as decor. I used my daughter’s play blocks to spell out “carnival”! I got the framed sign insert from ModParty on Etsy, but it came with no words. I added “Happy 1st Birthday Ellie” with gold stickers.

Plates & Napkins – Party City