Every child is a prince or princess to their parents, but that doesn’t mean you need to be a king or queen to afford to celebrate a birthday. A recent 3rd birthday party celebration in Perth cost little Lauren’s parents $50k, but we wonder if she will even remember the big day. Some people don’t spend that on a wedding, let alone a child’s birthday party, so where do we stop?
Everyone is different, and people will draw the line wherever they like. So here are 3 great party ideas which can be done just as well with a little or a lot of cash!
Little Italy – Introduce a little culture to your child’s party with checkered tablecloths, Italian flags, games of bocce and pizza! Add a few stick on moustaches to bring out the Super Mario in them! The kids can make their own pizza or alternatively, just order it in. After a few games like bocce and ‘pin the pepperoni on the pizza’ all you need to do is whip out the gelato for dessert, and ‘bravo’ – its a job well done! Read more > http://bit.ly/1J5hjs0
Backwards Party – This is simple, yet lots of fun! A traditional party with everything backwards! Ask the guests to wear their clothes backwards and hang ‘happy birthday’
banners so they read ‘yadhtrib yppah’! Say ‘goodbye’ on arrival, and ‘hello’ on departure. Serve dessert first, make sandwiches inside out and sit under the table! How about musical chairs walking backwards? Your imagination has no limit! Read more > http://bit.ly/1epepSi
Treasure Hunt/Scavenger Hunt Party – A wonderful activity based party, children can be issued with treasure maps
or lists of items that need to be located around the local park or a backyard. Riddles and rhymes abound, there is treasure to be found! Add fishing net to tables, add a few eye patches and give the party a pirate twist. Fish and chips in baskets will ensure full tummies. Read more > http://bit.ly/1J5P90g
A great accessory to support your theme is to google ‘party printables’, where you can find hundreds of free or inexpensive designs to print out and use to decorate your party. From cupcake toppers to garlands, someone has taken all the hard work out of party décor! Here are some we love:
– Pizza Party printables
– Alphabet Garland (various)
– Pirate Party printables
– Scavenger hunt printables
You can enhance any birthday theme by having a character or hero of the moment pop in to visit. Some will even run the show! If the budget is tight, you could always find a friend or family member to dress up as a kids character to surprise them all.
Using external locations such as play centres or fast food restaurants are ideal if you feel that have having a dozen children in your own home will be detrimental to your furniture and mental health. At a cost per head, you’ll get everything you need and at the end, you get to walk away from the mess!
Rules of engagement for kids parties can be long and complicated. Choosing which children to leave out often sees parents invite whole classrooms in order to avoid excluding anyone, and listing children’s allergies when RSVPing can be a nightmare for parents doing their own catering. Our suggestion? Choose just a small group of close friends, a single gender for your class only, or the whole class, and provide options for kids with allergies.
All parties are wonderful, and no matter what you choose to spend, your child will have a great time – and in the end, that’s all that matters.

inscribe for the child to treasure forever. There are a huge range of options
Two great places to go for these kinds of personalised gifts are
wedding anniversaries followed a list of suggested gifts, starting with paper for one year and progressing to gold for 50 years. The modern equivalent suggests a clock for year one and gold jewellery gets a gig at year 14, but these are just ideas and your intimate knowledge of your partner should help guide your choice. You could always mark the occasion with ‘







, and any delivery to an office the day before work finishes up for a long weekend is sure to keep your loved one happy.
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gorgeous dresses to suit any occasion at 
party started, and you’ll find them all in this starter kit. Explore the Costume Box website for many more Aussie themed party favours!


is hosting the Australian Bridal Expo in Melbourne next month, and we’ll be there too! We can help you plan one of the most exciting parts of your wedding – the gift registry! Instead of confining your choices to just one store, The Gift Register is flexible and easy to use – and it’s free. 

creative by making your own bon bons.
to-do list before the big day.
quick and easy giftcard for someone’s fave store, why not present it in a clever way that’s a bit removed from a simple card and envelope? Fill a jar with lollies and put the giftcard in the centre for a novel way to present this type of gift.
ideal gift. 
Flowers are an ideal on the go gift, but remember – roadside flowers scream ‘I forgot’, while a same day delivery shows initiative
Order by Friday for guaranteed Christmas delivery!
Find lots of supplies at