Southern Belle first birthday | Pink birthday party ideas

Aug 1

Emmy Lou’s Southern Belle 1st birthday

We know, we know, it’s ALL pink parties around these parts right now. (We’ll assume you’ve perused this ballet birthday and our peony baby shower, yeah?) But this feminine first birthday captured by Audra Wrisley is sooo cute and sooo detailed, that we figured you all wouldn’t mind us throwing another bash in the pink category. Emmy Lou’s mama Elle of Elle Ellinghaus Designs, dreamt up the southern belle theme (and all the flowers), in honor of her love of nature and being outside.

The floral print + theme was inspired by Beaufort Bonnet Company’s sweet bonnets, and everything was designed to match.

Elle says, Just Ink on Paper, the incredible stationery company, designed an invitation inspired by her dress, and La Cakerie hand-painted her two tier cake to match her dress’s print exactly. The napkins, plates, koozies (for the adults), signage and the 4′ tall paper flowers her tent was filled with, all matched the print and colors as well! There was a lounge section with her photos from 1-12 months hanging above and on the other side a scroll handwritten by Every Little Letter with her weight, height and favorite things hanging in the middle of her onesie when we came home from the hospital and her onesie at 12 months.

Emilia was born six weeks early, leaving the hospital at 4lbs after a scary week in the NICU, so they did not hesitate one bit about going all out for their girl. They had a guest list of 120 and asked that they bring a donation instead of gifts so they could give back to the NICU.

All the little flower-topped party hats were set up at each place setting.

Katya Paperie was behind all these spectacular paper flowers that they set up in a big tent outside.

Keeping with a Southern garden soiree, a silhouette artist used scissors to cut everyone’s silhouette as a keepsake which adults and babies all enjoyed! There was also a “Pick Your Bloom & Decorate a Pot” station where the little ones could plant their own flowers to take home. The delicious menu the caterer provided of Southern fare of fired green tomato & crab cake sliders, along with a signature drink of an “Emmy Lou Elderflower Sangria” for kids and adults alike! The menu was followed by a surprise ice cream truck that rang the bell as it drove up our driveway!