Let's Shell-ebrate!

What a shellebration! My daughter told me several months ago that she wanted to have a mermaid-themed 6th birthday party. I was thrilled because mermaids are magical, and I knew I could create something special with the help of some of my favorite KC area party vendors.

The first thing I did was create a mood board. I know it’s a bit extra, but I have a lot of projects going on over here, and coming up with a color scheme and theme for events is what keeps me narrowed in on my vision. I made this mood board using Pinterest finds and Canva Pro, and I shared it with the various party vendors.

Everly’s party was at The Venue at Falcon Lakes, a bright, open space located right in our neighborhood. On the day of the party, we transformed the room into a magical mermaid space by bringing in all the festive and beautiful details from some of our favorite local party vendors and small businesses. Everly had a blast creating the garland with me!

As guests arrived, Everly “splashed” them with glitter in the form of necklaces, bracelets, and mermaid crowns.

Next, they headed to the craft table where Everly and her friends decorated mermaid wands from Wee Create Studio. Amy, the owner of Wee Create Studio, holds parties at her studio in Mission but can also put together to-go activities. I reached out and asked if she had anything mermaid-themed, and she had a handful of ideas to choose. These wands were a fun, simple craft and a great takeaway for the girls.

Since no mermaid party is complete without a visit from our favorite mermaid, the girls were surprised with our special guest from Upon a Dream Parties KC! Mermaid Julia (the owner of Upon a Dream Parties KC) entertained the girls for 45 minutes! They played games, shared about their favorite sea creatures, sang songs, danced, and of course, took a ton of fun photos together! She brought a tiara for the birthday girl and even stayed to sing Happy Birthday. This party was our second experience with Upon a Dream Parties KC. I was again impressed by the quality performance and the kind, patient manner that the princess worked with the children. I cannot speak highly enough about this company!

Now, I have to share about the cake! A few months ago, I saw an image on Instagram of the most beautiful cupcakes I’d ever seen. Of course, I reached out to Sifted by Sarah to see if she’d be interested in making a cake and cupcakes for this party. Sarah fused all the colors and elements of my vision into these gorgeous creations. They were (almost) too pretty to eat! The adults at the party could not get over the detailed design and flawless execution, and the kids and adults alike raved about the flavors.

Because you can never have too much sugar, I also reached out to Sugar + Sky about spinning up some cotton candy creations for the party. Sugar + Sky offers personalized party favors, cotton candy cakes, and can even spin cotton candy live on-site! Brooklyn, the owner of Sugar + Sky, incorporated our party colors and theme and created the most adorable cotton candy party favors, complete with personalized “Let’s Shellabrate” stickers on the pretty packaging. The girls loved their cotton candy and were begging for more!

Decorating this table was my favorite part of this party. I started with simple pale pink tablecloths then covered them with neutral-colored fish netting. Then, I layered a few yards of sequin fabric from JoAnn along the center of the table. Next, I scattered white starfish and seashells and placed confetti balloons along the middle. I finished the look with party napkins from US Toy, layered plates from Meri Meri Party, and cups and forks from Target.

And, of course, we had to send guests home with some mer-tastic party favors! I found these adorable jelly bags online, but you can purchase similar ones from Evie Pearl Handmade, either online or in her store at The Painted Tree in Overland Park. US Toy has forever been my go-to for party favors. While their brick-and-mortar store in Overland Park is closing, their online presence is strong as ever! Just type your theme into the search bar, and you’ll find no lack of options for décor or favors. We found mermaid-themed water toys, bracelets, sunglasses, necklaces, seashell squishies, and more! The kids loved opening their little treasures at the end of the party.

Kansas City is home to so many talented party vendors and small businesses, and I’m so grateful to all those that made this day come true for my little mermaid.