Arjun’s 1st Birthday Jungle Party … The Decor

Hello All,

 

You hopefully read my last post on the build up to the big day, if not you can do here.

 

The decor was pretty important to me. After all what would be the point in doing a jungle themed party without it feeling like a jungle! I had a crystal clear vision and the result surpassed all my expectations which has never happened before! Here’s how I achieved what I was after.

 

We decided to go for a marquee to cover the front part of our garden just because I wanted to decorate it and make it feel junglefied. I also thought it would be sensible to have some shade especially for the babies (little did I know we were more likely going to end up needing it for the rain ha!).

Gurinder at First Klass Events never fails to disappoint me. He has done all our marquees since I’ve been married and always works with me to make my vision come to life. This time we went for crystal “waterfalls” to add to the atmosphere that I was going for. We also went for ceiling draping in jungle colours. I decided to keep the marquee all open so it was gazebo style so that the bushes and trees from the garden provided a four side backdrop adding to the theme.
I decided to use different coloured paper lanterns in a range of sizes to decorate the ceiling of the marquee. This didn’t take us too long and I absolutely LOVED the effect it created. You can purchase these lanterns from here. We also draped vines over the lanterns to add a foliage effect.  The artificial vines can be purchased from here.

 

         
I wanted the backdrop to look perfect for our pictures. I initially thought about hiring a canvas backdrop but the price was pretty steep for what it was and then I stumbled upon this huge scene setter (30ft wide!) on eBay which I absolutely fell in love with and it was the perfect width for our marquee. I loved that the animals and the backdrop itself looked cartoony fitting in with a 1st birthday. The scene setter comes in different parts and you have to cut out each animal individually and stick on individually. Although time consuming, I liked this as it meant I could frame the cake table nicely by placing the animals accordingly. You can purchase the complete scene setter from here.

 

I also decided to get the large cardboard cut out for the backdrop which we placed directly behind the cake table which I purchased from here. I was so super pleased with how the backdrop turned out. It added so much character to the setting and it bought it all to life. I’m so glad i went for this option which was half the price and also a lot more effective.

I decided I wanted life sized animal balloons and palm trees everywhere – it had to feel like a jungle! Susan from Balloon Kingdom did an amazing job with the balloons. We met on several occasions to discuss what I was after and what my vision was and she understood it pretty quickly. Like me, she’s a perfectionist and I was ecstatic with the results! We also went for a balloon arch with cute animals heads at the top as the entrance to the garden.

I used bunting to decorate the fence just to add a splash of colour.  It was cheap but effective for its purpose.  I purchased the bunting from here.

 

For the adult table decor, I decided to use plain cream table covers with safari print table runners.  I purchased various animal print loose fabric here and cut them to uniform size myself.  This was the most cost effective method of achieving what I wanted.  For all serving/other tables, we used safari print table “curtains” to decorate which I purchased from the same place as above.

 

Instead of purchasing entirely new centrepieces, I decided to make the most of what I already had. I created “bushes” from the fish bowls and “trees”  from the cocktail centrepieces I already own from previous events. I purchased the artificial leaves here and the artificial foliage from here . I wrapped the glasses with organza to look like a tree trunk. I was really pleased with the end product and believe they looked effective.

 

I also hired mini tables and chairs for the children. I was unsure about hiring these as wasn’t sure we’d need them but so glad I did as quite a few children ended up using them! I placed safari activity placemats which came with stickers and crayons on the table to keep the kids entertained while they ate (just in case there wasn’t enough going on! Haha).  I purchases the placemats from here.

 

  
I decided to make a jungle themed timeline of Arjun’s first year by month. Just a picture of him from each month. Where possible, I used a picture which reflected a key event in that month, for example his first Christmas, a holiday or a wedding. I made this by printing out pictures, backing them on safari card which I purchased from here and then used green ribbon to attach the month sign to the picture and pegs to string them together. I loved this as it was a visual of Arjun’s first life and a chance for us to reflect on the past year. I’ll be keeping it in his keepsake box.

 

          

Arjun’s darling Goov Masi (my sister) offered to make a personalised sign for the cake table. She used her super creative skills to hand make individual letters shaped like animals. She decided against doing every letter based on an animal starting with that letter so she could have more freedom with the design. The sign was so thoughtful and looked amazing – my favourite letter was “B” butterfly.  If you are interested in your own personalised creation, feel free to drop me a message.

 

  
I was so pleased with how the decor turned out. Perfect and just as I’d imagined!

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts!x
Next post to follow: The Outfits

Want to read about the rest of Arjun’s first jungle themed birthday party? Check out the following posts in the series:

The Build Up
The Decor
The Outfits
The Cake
The Entertainment
The Food
The Party Bags