Rainbow Boba Milk Tea First Birthday Party
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from the Unveiled Bliss Mood Board
Yall. My rainbow boba dreams came true with Emma’s first birthday. Given that she’s pre-verbal and doesn’t have many preferences or opinions yet, I capitalized on the opportunity to live it up on a party theme that’s for her but really for me. Before it becomes Paw Patrol or bust. You feel me?
This will be a two part series on how her magical part-tea came to be.
Part one: On the road to rainbow boba
Part two: Party highlights
How I came up with the theme
I wanted something a bit unique and original but didn’t want to spin my wheels DIY-ing or custom making everything. When you have an idea that isn’t so popular like ‘boba milk tea’, it’s great to pair it with something that is popular like ‘rainbows’, so you can find these items across party suppliers. Since boba is also commonly referred to as “bubble tea” and tea is associated with floral tea parties, we had a myriad of elements to work with - bubbles, balls, flowers, tea, garden on the boba end and then rainbow colors and shapes on the rainbow end. If you’re familiar with boba milk tea, there is even a “rainbow boba” topping!
Need party theme suggestions? Here’s a few using the formula of an uncommon theme + a common theme:
Panda Ice Cream Party
Corgi in Space Party
Guac & Roll Party
Llamas in Pajamas Party
Elements of a first birthday
First birthday parties usually cater to babies and parents. I wanted to make sure we had things that pleased both crowds such as:
Beverage Stations - Boba milk tea station and a Bubbly station / mimosa bar
Food - Easy finger food without many utensils that can be ate one handed. For us, we went with sandwiches from Potbelly. Filling and can be ate in one hand while bouncing or holding a baby in the other.
Toddler Friendly Areas - Designated play area that’s fun and safe for babies & toddlers and a picnic area that’s made for tiny people
Desserts - because it isn’t a party without sweets!
Party Time - 2-3 hours is the sweet spot for a first birthday party and plan it around baby’s nap schedule. Emma usually takes a morning nap around 10 - 11:30 and her afternoon nap around 3-4. We did 12 - 2:30PM (2.5 hours) for her party and it was perfect.
When to Start
Since Emma’s birthday is in February. I knew the holidays would take over and January would be cutting it close so I started planning her party in August. When you’re a new mom, time just isn’t a commodity you’re use to having. 6 months ahead felt perfect, I could do plan and collect things without being in a rush.
Party Planner or no?
First I decided on the date and theme then I created a pinterest board to start collecting ideas. Once I had a rough vision of what I had in mind, I reached out to Unveiled Bliss. The reasons why having a party planner was #1 on my list when I ready to start the planning process was this:
I wanted an epic, “party of the year” type of first birthday
I’m a small business owner (working mom) and a new mom, having time to shower is an ongoing battle let alone time to plan a big bash
I wanted to be present and enjoy the party instead of worrying about the details and logistics
Here are just some of the things they took off my plate:
Helped me find the perfect venue (the right vibe and the right price) when my original one didn’t pan out
Created a mood board for the party
Bounce ideas with when I got stuck
Kept us on track planning wise
Handled vendor communication for design, set up and take down
I’m so so glad we had party planners. In addition to the above, you will also have to see the party highlights to see why having a party planner is game changing.