Alex’s Wild One - Baby’s First Birthday Party
Our sweet Alex turned ONE! I still can’t believe how fast it went—a whole year of watching him grow, learn, and light up our world. To celebrate his first trip around the sun, we threw a “Wild One” themed birthday party, and it was such a special day surrounded by friends, family, and all the fun.
They say a baby’s first birthday party is more for the adults, and I get it—Alex won’t remember a single detail of this day. More than anything, this day felt kind of like a celebration of surviving our first year as parents. I’m so proud of myself for everything I’ve learned and endured, the growth, the challenges, and the countless sweet moments in between. And even though he won’t have any memories of his first birthday, I will cherish the days when I’ll be able to show him the photos, tell him the stories, and let him know just how loved he is.
We kept the vibe pretty simple & casual, with a little safari flair. Even though it was relatively low key, I had this itch to create a cute backdrop like I did for our baby shower. The month before, I scoured Pinterest for inspiration, trying to balance our budget for the party with the vision I had. That’s where a lot of hot Amazon finds and a lot of DIYing came into play. I spent two afternoons putting together our “Wild One” backdrop that became the perfect photo spot and the center of the party. I’ve linked all of my decoration finds at the end!
Side note, I may have a calling for balloon art if I decide to retire early from my dietitian career lol. Thank you YouTube for the countless balloon arch tutorials. 😂
For food, we had our favorite taco lady (our same amazing vendor from our baby shower last year!) who helped keep everyone full and happy. This year’s selection were all the classics: carne asada, al pastor, and pollo with the classic aguas frescas - jamaica and horchata. There was also a sweet Costco sale for Poppi sodas which was a major hit for all of our guests! I love a delicious, refreshing soda option that offers gentle health benefits without sacrificing flavor.
One of the sweetest highlights? Alex’s smash cake! We picked up a super simple vanilla cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries from Vons. Ngl, I am low key impressed with grocery store cake. Not only is it way more affordable than going with a custom bakery, it was also so delicious. The real pizzazz of his cake came from the cake toppers I found on (you guessed it) Amazon lol. They tied in perfectly with the Wild One theme and matched the backdrop like they were made for each other.
In reality, Alex looked bewildered and pretty tired for the bulk of the day lol. And I mean let’s face it — there was SO much stimuli from music, people, the dogs, etc. But he had a few moments throughout the day where his face lit up with smiles, which felt so special. Plus, in proper 1-year-old-fashion he took a solid mid-party nap that helped revive him for the rest of the fun. He got to play with his baby/toddler friends close in age, spent time running around with grandpa, and, unsurprisingly, enjoyed eating his smash cake and opening presents!
It was an unforgettable day, and I’m so grateful we got to share it with the people who have supported us through this beautiful (and wild!) first year of parenthood. Moments like these make me feel endlessly thankful to be Alex’s mom and for the incredible life I get to experience alongside him.
Happy 1st Birthday, Alex. We love you 💛🦁🍃
Vendors
Tent, Table, & Chair Rentals - Dove Party Rentals
We used them for our baby shower too and they were great! They drop off everything the day before and pick up the next day or Monday if your event is on Saturday. Such reasonable pricing for their tents and the resin chairs are the cheapest rentals I’ve seen
Taco Lady, Luisa (based in Anaheim, CA) - 714-209-9431
Luisa speaks mostly Spanish but her daughter speaks English. She was recommended by a friend of mine for our baby shower in 2024, and I honestly couldn’t recommend her more! Her pricing is so incredible for what you get, which is truly fantastic party food. She offers a variety of meats, sides, quesadillas, salsas, and drinks. She is so sweet and kind and such a pleasure to work with for the second time now. I 10/10 recommend her!
Etsy Link
Custom Backdrop Sign - Sticky Wall Vinyl
quick note: these vinyl stickers really aren’t made for fabric arch covers. HOWEVER, I went ahead and took the plunge and bought it anyway knowing this ahead of time. Getting the sticker to adhere was a trial of time and patience. It didn’t come out perfectly smooth as there were some ripples, but overall I think it turned out great and I was really satisfied with the results knowing what I was getting myself into. 😂
Amazon Links
Balloon Arch Kit - these held up so well! I blew them up 1-2 days in advance, kept them inside till the day of the party, and they lasted all day in the sun
260 Balloons - used to connect the balloon arch
Balloon Shine Spray - seemed so extra at first, but it made the balloons look so polished the day of (you can see how I missed some balloons at the top of the arch and how much of a difference it made) great for if you blow them up the day or two before
Marquee Number 1 - I had a little Pinterest moment with this extra little detail for the backdrop
Tropical Leaves - The perfect finishing touch for the balloon arch, the extra big leaves were used to add a little color to the plain side wall of the tent used to shade the tables
Arch Backdrop Frame - Purchased last year for our Baby shower!
Arch Cover - Purchased the khaki this year, the beige was reused from last year
Cake topper - Safari animals and balloons
Cake topper - Wild One sign
Safari Jeep Cut out - I could totally see this for a Jurassic Park themed party too
Safari cutouts for backdrop - I was hesitant to buy these because there were NO reviews on Amazon, but they were only $20 at the time (most I saw ranges from $50-$150!!) so I took a chance, and they were PERFECT! I even left them a review because it was so well made 😂
Safari Cut Outs for Table Centerpeices - forgot to capture lol. extra cutouts were also taped onto the side wall of the tent/canopy where our tables were set up
Safari Goodie bags - not pictured; we also used these for Alex’s baby friends at daycare, they took the cutest photos of his class that day!
Bubble wands - for goodie bags
Sage green table cloths - nothing special, but I like the color and convenience during clean up!
Compostable plates - tied into the color scheme nicely, and eco friendly!
Bubble Machine - I used dish soap and water in a pitcher and it got the job done, but I wish I had placed it closer to the tables so the kiddos could have appreciated it more
High Chair Banner - Cute, but hard to tie onto his high chair
