Event Planning

Here at Dotty About Paper, we get a lot of questions about birthday invitations. One of the most common queries we get is about bringing guests to a birthday party – namely, the siblings of the invited guest. This is particularly relevant to kids' birthday parties - but how do you navigate this situation? We’ve got some helpful hints to make sure that the next birthday party you attend goes off without a hitch. Featured Product: Personalised Kids Birthday Invitations - Disco Party Picture the scenario: your eldest has been invited to a birthday party. Maybe they’re still at nursery, or maybe it’s a gathering of everyone in their class at a soft play centre. But you’ve got other children and feel like it’d be a shame to leave them out of the fun. What do you do? There are a couple of ways to solve this problem. When you get the invitation and decide to bring the invited guests’ siblings, let the host know in advance. If it’s a parent you know socially, strike up a conversation in the playground or arrange to meet for coffee to explain the situation. Giving them advance warning that you’d like to bring your child’s siblings can help the host prepare in advance for an extra child at the party. Generally, if it’s someone you know well, they won’t have any issue - especially if the child having the birthday party has siblings of their own! Featured Product: Kids Birthday Invitations - Emoji Party Top tip: Don’t wait on a text or an email. Give them a call or make the effort to go and see them in person. It’s a lot more personable to speak to each other - and makes sure there are no crossed wires or confused feelings. Another thing to think about is whether it’s appropriate to bring a sibling to the birthday party. If the general age of the guests is a lot higher or a lot lower than that of the sibling, they might not find the environment enjoyable. They might not even know most of the guests there or have anyone their own age to play with. Ultimately, the advice is simple. Always check with your host - don’t assume that having a sibling there will automatically be okay.

You'd assume that filling out birthday invitations would be an easy thing to do, but anyone who's had to write out 30 identical invitations before knows it's an easy thing to get wrong. Party invitations must be written out carefully and precisely, to ensure that all of the information on the card is present, correct, and legible! If it's not, you may find yourself hosting a party with no guests - because nobody could figure out where to turn up. Follow these essential tips on writing out birthday invitations to make sure that step one of your birthday party is completed without issue.

Be neat

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The first rule is to write in your very best handwriting. Writing by hand is becoming a forgotten skill, but at times like these, it's important to write slowly, carefully, and above all legible. Unless you're a seasoned calligrapher, don't attempt any fancy handwriting flourishes at the risk of making your invites less clear. The most important thing is that your writing is neat and tidy.

Be consistent

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It's a good idea to take a blank sheet of paper and write down, exactly, all of the details you want to include in the invitations before you start. Usually, this will include the name of the person whose birthday you're celebrating, the location and address of the party, the time and day of the party, and contact details for guests to RSVP to. Decide in advance how it's best for guests to contact you - via text or email? - and whether you want to include extra information about the duration of the party, food, or dress code.

Be meticulous

 

Remember that while some of the details of the party date and venue might be obvious to you, they might not be to your guests. Always include extra details like the postcode of the venue if it's possible that some of your guests won't know where you mean. If you know how long the party will last, or there's a set time that guests need to leave by, include this information too. Whatever you do, just take your time. As long as you are neat, consistent and meticulous, your birthday party invitations are as good as done.

Celebrating someone’s special day is one of life’s true joys. Whether you’re organising your own shindig or putting something together for a good friend or loved one, sending invitations is a great way to kick things off for a birthday bash. While it’s helpful to hand your invites out whenever it’s convenient, a little extra planning may be necessary. So, when is it helpful to send your invites out in advance and why?

For a big birthday

Featured Product: 21st Birthday Invitations - Blush Tiger Print A big occasion demands a big celebration. Whether it’s a roaring 20th, a subdued 60th, or a triumphant 90th, picking out a bespoke design is a fantastic way to make the day even more unique. Having a beautifully designed card is a lifelong keepsake. These can easily be personalised and posted in time, to ensure everybody gets their copy and no-one is left out.

Organisation

Featured Product: Great Gatsby - Invitations If you have something truly special planned, it’s important to send out cards a little earlier in advance. This can help give your extended friends advance warning and allow people to book leave from work, source affordable flights, or arrange car-sharing.

When someone special is involved

Birthdays are a fantastic excuse for friends and family to get together from across the world. And if you know a few individuals can’t make it, it’s great to have a hand-written invitation asking them to come. A little thought goes a long way and those that may be unable to attend due to personal reasons will still feel like they were part of the fun.

For a bespoke design

Featured Design: Kids Birthday Invitations - Princess Pamper Party If you’ve decided on personalising your cards, it’s important to take the right amount of time to plan it out and get them printed. Sending custom cards out early is a great way to avoid getting analysis paralysis or decision fatigue, and our in-house design service is always available if you get truly stuck. If you want to look at our amazing range of cards, review our birthday selection in full. Or if you want more information, please do not hesitate to get in touch and let us know exactly what you need.

Want to Create Birthday Invitation on WhatsApp? You may only think of WhatsApp as a basic chat tool, but you can do more on it than simply have conversations. Today, you can send broadcasts, track locations in real-time and even send money. One useful way to use the app is to send save the dates or even invitations to an event like a birthday. These kinds of things are one element of life where paper copies still reign supreme and proper, however dropping a message to ask people to save the date before you send out any formal invites can be fun! Then when you are ready to send out your invites and order some birthday stationery, we have plenty to choose from!

Shop all our Invitations online and start your party the best way!

Ok, first things first, lets get creative and send that birthday save the date on WhatsApp to invite your guests with style and ease.

Your birthday invitation sets the theme - Shop our collection online

Formal cards are not a native feature of WhatsApp, but that doesn't mean you have to resort to sending boring texts to all your friends. You can create personalised save the date cards in a number of ways, which you can then send as images to everyone you want to invite.

Use your WhatsApp status

The status feature of WhatsApp is there for the creative user to harness for making e-invites. Simply open the status screen in the app and use all the tools available to design your own invitation. There are options for stickers, doodles and text, as well as background colours, to make an attractive image.

When you are finished, don't upload the invite to your status; simply take a screenshot, crop it and send it to your friends as an image.

Use invitation card maker apps

Modern smartphones can do all sorts of amazing things. The app stores on iOS and Android devices are full of feature-rich invitation card maker apps. They come with hundreds of templates where you can change the text and the pictures. Choose your own colour scheme and modify any other elements that appear. Once you have customised it, an invitation image will be generated and you can send it to all your WhatsApp friends.

Any occasion, any time. Send us your party details and we will personalise your invites for you! SHOP NOW

Enjoy yourself!

For those with their own software and skills, popular options include making an invitation card on design software or even filming invitation videos. So many types of media can be sent through WhatsApp that it really offers a huge range of options for you.

A printed engagement invite is a beautiful keepsake. Shop Now

 

So there it is, your guests know the future date for your party! Now why not make it formal and start a your wonderful party theme and atmosphere with a beautiful birthday invite! No matter the occasion we have an invite that will be perfect. Printed invites can also be a beautiful keepsake for those milestone birthday - something a text or digital message just can't be! Browse our collections and lets get the real party started!

To celebrate Talk like a Pirate Day, we thought it would be great to share some inspiration to help you host a pirate-themed party that kids will love! From awesome invites to pirate party games, we'll get you 'hooked' on these cool ideas!

Invitations

Featured Design: "Kids Birthday Invitations - Ahoy Shipmates Pirate Party" Themed invitations are a great way to start off your pirate party. A fun design gets children excited for the adventure! Just remember to include the important details, including the time and address. You can also add whether the party is fancy dress or not!

Food and Drink

Gold coins are a traditional kids favourite and make a great pirate treasure. Put them in pirate party bags or send the kids on a treasure hunt, they will be sure to thrill as they 'arrrr' delicious! Gold Coins: Amazon If you're looking for a healthy snack, these fun fruit skewers make a delicious treat. Choose an array of fruit to make your own pirate boat masts! First, create your own boat by carving a pineapple. Alternatively, save time and put them in a decorated bowl instead. Then arrange the skewers and decorate with pirate flags. They're 'shore' to go down a treat! Skewers: Catch My Party This bright pirate punch will delight. Choose a blood red or ocean blue colour for the ultimate pirate theme. Then serve in a barrel to compete the look! Punch: Kara's Party Ideas

DIY

This fun telescope DIY is super easy for kids to make! Simply paint an empty cardboard tube black and then add a touch of detailing with gold paint. It's super affordable and will allow kids to get creative. Telescopes: The Imagination Tree Kids love playing pretend, so fuel their imaginations with a classic treasure hunt. Creating a fun treasure map with your kids is a great experience and will also allow them to spend some quality time outside! For a blue sea theme, use watercolour paints to give it a nautical twist. For a more vintage look, use watered down tea to stain your paper and then crinkle the edges to make it look worn down. Next, paint or draw a map of your party location and then use a classic 'X' to mark the spot. Treasure Map: Make the Best of Everything

Pirate Party Games

A fun twist on the classic 'pin the tail on the donkey', 'pin the patch on the pirate' is an awesome pirate-themed children's party game. Continue using your DIY skills to create this game by painting a large pirate's head and cutting out your own eye patches. If you're pressed for time, buy it online! Pirate Game: Hodge Podge Craft Face paint will take your pirate party to the next level! You can make these as detailed or as simple as you want. An easy way to recreate the pirate look is to paint a black eye-patch and beard, as you will only need black face paint. Combined with a pirate party outfit, this will really help get kids into the spirit. Face Paint Tutorial: Made for Mums

Thank You Notes

After the party finishes, it's always kind to thank guests for any gifts. So, use a pirate-themed thank you note to finish off your theme - it makes saying thank you fun for the kids, too! Featured Design: "Ready to Write Kids Thank You Cards - Pirate Boat"

With so many genres out there, a music party can be anything you want it to be! Everyone loves music, so you can rely on a musical birthday party theme to please guests both young and old. Here are just a few of our favourite music themes, along with ideas to inspire your decorations and food.

Karaoke

Karaoke parties can easily be tweaked to fit your own style. Choose your favourite genre and theme the party around the tunes or the musical time period. Think 1950's America for rock and roll, space-age decor for electronic hits, or an all-80's retro theme. Also, make sure to find fun invitations to match! Featured Design: "Birthday Invitations - Karaoke Party" Add fun microphone motifs to your food and drink to keep guests singing the night away. This fun recipe for microphone cake pops is sure to add a modern twist to your buffet table! Cake Pops: Scholastic Karaoke parties are a hit with kids and adults alike! If your child would love this theme for their next birthday, simply update the playlist with kids favourites. Then, give the children inflatable microphones and glowsticks to add bright and colourful vibes to the party. Featured Design: "Ready To Write Kids Birthday Invitations - Fun Karaoke Party"

Live Music

Any music lover will adore adding live music to their birthday party plans. So, take things to the next level and theme the whole party around the entertainment. Hire a band, or let your musically talented friends perform to make the day even more memorable. Base your day around the genre style. For example, an acoustic guitar performance would be perfect when paired with rustic country-style decorations. Featured Design: "Birthday Invitations - Acoustic Guitar" Or you can simply add music note patterns to decor and food, using items like this unique rolling pin and some subtle sheet music bunting. Rolling Pin: AlgisCrafts If you want to add a spin on this theme for a children's birthday, why not have a musical party? Let the guests become the musicians with a selection of child-friendly instruments, like tambourines and xylophones. Base decorations and food around music notes and instruments. Percussion Set: Gear4music

Disco

Another great music party idea for both children and adults is a disco night. This funky theme will soon have guests up and dancing. To start, get guests ready for the fun to come with eye-catching invitations. It's a good idea to remind everyone to bring their dancing shoes in your invitation wording! Featured Design: "Kids Birthday Invitations - Disco Party" Then you can start planning your food and decor! Of course, glittering disco balls and colourful lights are a must. Lights: lights4fun Pair up your impressive decorations with equally impressive food! Disco ball cupcakes, anyone? Cupcakes: A Beautiful Mess Whatever theme you choose for your music party, you're sure to have a firm favourite no matter who you invite! So, grab your microphone and dancing shoes, and start planning your musical celebration!

A teddy bear picnic is a birthday theme that both boys and girls will love! To celebrate International Picnic Day, we're taking a look at some irresistibly cute ideas to inspire a truly magical teddy bears picnic theme.

Teddy Bear Picnic Invitations

Start the fun with adorable personalised invitations. A teddy bear design introduces the party theme and gets the children ready for an outdoors adventure. Don't forget to include all the important details, like the time and location. You could also remind the kids to bring their favourite teddy bear along to the picnic. Featured Design: 'Teddy Bears Picnic'

Decorations

No picnic is complete without a traditional red and white gingham blanket! The pattern will give any party a classic picnic feel, and it can always be reused for family picnics in the future. Add a wicker basket packed with treats, set up some stuffed bears and child-friendly cutlery, and you're ready to welcome the guests. For larger parties, you can serve food up in individual bags rather than putting them inside the basket. Our party bags and stickers are perfect for this! Blanket: All Things Brighton Beautiful Hang some bunting around fences or trees to add some colour - if you're having an indoors party, you can add bunting to the walls. For something different, check out this cute felt teddy bear face bunting! It makes a lovely birthday gift for decorating your child's bedroom after the party. Bunting: CosyFeltCreations

Food & Drink

It's easy to make adorable teddy-themed snacks! To start, buy a bear-shaped cookie cutter to create some delicious sandwiches and biscuits that the kids will love. Cookie Cutters: Party Delights Cupcakes are a must-have for any birthday party. Bake up your child's favourite flavours, then decorate with teddy bear picnic toppers and wrappers to make them extra-special. Cupcake Decorations: ThePartyArtisan You will also need a spectacular birthday cake! So, why not get creative and give this lovely recipe a go? Cake: Little Button Diaries If you're not confident in your baking skills, you can always purchase a beautiful ready-made cake, like this one from Marks & Spencer. Cake: Marks & Spencer

Party Games

Have fun with face-painting after the picnic. Children will love having cute teddy bear faces painted on before the games begin. For an outdoor scavenger hunt with a twist, hide small teddy bear toys for the children to discover. You could start the party with this game, then enjoy the snacks once all the teddy bear 'guests' have been gathered up. Finish the day with party bags filled with teddy treats, including a small stuffed bear.

Is your little one a pastry chef in the making? If so, a cupcake party is the perfect theme for their next birthday. Get creative with these sweet party ideas, guaranteed to whip up some fun!

Cupcake Party Invitations

Invite guests to the cupcake party with some themed invitations! Cute cake designs are a must. If you're handing out the invites, why not include a cupcake treat with the envelope to get everyone excited for the fun ahead? Featured Design: 'Kids Birthday Invitations - Cupcake Making Party'

Cupcake Decorations

Fill your party room with some sweet-inspired decorations. Bunting is a classic birthday decoration, and this cupcake case bunting is a simple spin you can make yourself. Just thread string through some pretty cases.

Cupcake Party Games

Provide some party games with a baking twist. How about pin the candle on the cupcake, or even a cupcake piñata? Making your own cupcakes should be the main event. Depending on the age of the children at the party, you could prepare some cakes for them to decorate or let them make the mixture themselves. Even if you choose the latter, though, it's a good idea to make some cupcakes beforehand in case the mixture doesn't quite go to plan! Get a great selection of decorations ready for the kids to use. These lovely kits features icing bags and cases, ideal for letting everyone design their own icing patterns. You'll also need something to go on top. Sweets, cake toppers, and pretty cases will go down a treat. Another way to add to the fun is to have a competition at the end for the best cupcake - a beautiful cupcake kit makes the perfect prize.

After the Party

Let everyone take home their cupcake creations with some cake boxes. Buy some standard white boxes to keep the cupcakes safe, then personalise them for the guests with some party stickers. Later, send out cupcake thank you cards after the celebration to thank everyone for attending. This lovely design will be a great reminder of the party! Featured Design: 'Kids Thank You Cards - Vintage Cupcakes'

If your little princess is dreaming of a fairy tale birthday, you might be wondering how to make the party truly magical. Here are some ideas on throwing a regal party that's fit for a princess!

Stationery

Get the girls ready for a magical party with princess themed invitations - think tiaras, castles, and lots of pink! Personalised invites with a photo of the birthday girl are great for adding a unique, special touch. Dotty about Paper has a great range of princess invitations. So, just add the wording and you're ready to go! Featured Design: 'Little Princess Use Your Own Photo Birthday Invitation'

Decorations

Pretty pink decorations can transform a room into a colourful castle! First, purchase tablecloths, paper plates, and cups. Party Delights has a fabulous range of essential party items in a gorgeous pastel pink. Next, add these pink balloons into the mix - the girls can also have fun playing with them! And you can celebrate the birthday girl with some personalised bunting, too! Finally, fill the party room with sparkly flourishes. Glittery tiaras look beautiful!

Food

To make princess party food, you just need to add a spin to old favourites. Sandwiches and biscuits become a special treat when they're cut into crown and castle shapes! You could even go further and cook tiara-shaped pizza. And you can transform fruit into a magical treat by making a fruit wand! To make them, all you need to do is cut watermelon into star shapes and add berries or grapes to a stick. There's a lot of choice when it comes to a princess-themed birthday cake. Choose a recipe that your birthday girl will love, like this decorative bake. Or if you need a quick, stress-free option, you could order a ready-made cake, like this stunning one from Tesco. Alternatively, you could make a simple bake and decorate it with cake toppers. You could also use these to make some cupcakes for the guests! And, if you decide to bake cupcakes, make them extra special by displaying them on this magic castle stand from The Book People! Next, you'll need to get drinks ready! Strawberry milkshakes, pink lemonade, and other bright drinks will go down a treat, especially when served in these petite plastic milk bottles. You can add berries and colourful straws to really make them stand out.

Princess Themed Entertainment

Dressing up in regal attire is a must for the perfect princess party! On the invitations, ask the girls to come in their favourite royal gowns. Continue the fun at the party with glitter tattoos and make-up. It's great fun for the kids and makes for some memorable photographs - especially if you get some fun themed photo booth props! These 'make your own' tiaras will keep the kids happy for ages! They come with everything they'll need to design and craft their very own royal crowns. Once they're dressed up, it's time for some games! A sing-along is always a favourite. Additionally, you can change up classic games to fit the theme - pin the crown on the princess, have a scavenger hunt for candy jewels, and play enchanted ball-themed musical statues. If you really want to make the day unforgettable, you could consider inviting a princess to the party! Visit sites like My Little Princess Parties to hire an entertainer who can sing, dance, and play games with the girls. Finish the day on a happy note with some party bags. Fill the bags with small sweets, stickers, stationery, and age-appropriate jewellery. A special personalised sticker on the bag is the icing on the cake. Featured Design: 'Princess Tiara Party Sticker and Princess Tiara Thank You Card'

Other Ideas

If your birthday girl is set on a princess party, but boys are invited too, try combining it with a superhero theme! All you have to do is add a spin on the ideas in this blog - use a range of hero cake toppers, pair 'make your own masks' with 'make your own crowns', and try out some superpowered games by clicking here! And don't forget to pick invitations that both groups will love! Featured Design: 'Princess and Superhero Party Birthday Invitation'

Is your child a dance star in the making? Do they love listening to music? Then a disco party is the perfect way to let them have fun with friends or celebrate their birthday! Here are some great ideas for stress-free fun!

Invitations

Get the party started with some stunning stationery! A bright, bold invitation will get kids ready to dance. Let the parents know it’s a disco party so the kids can put on their best dancing shoes! The Card Gallery has lots of stunning invites that will suit a disco party or birthday, complete with matching thank you cards. Just add your own personalised wording and we’ll do the rest. Featured Design: 'Disco Party Birthday Invitation'

Entertainment

It’s not a disco party without some dancing! You can hire a local venue if don’t have room in your house – or if you want to save the floorboards! If you don’t want to spend cash on a venue, make space by pushing furniture to one side or moving the party outdoors. If the party is for older children, you can make it extra special by hiring a professional kids DJ. Or you can simply make a playlist yourself and play it with some speakers. Catchy tunes go down well with kids – make sure to add some of the party boy or girl’s favourite tunes! Featured Design: 'Dance Party Birthday Invitation' Dancing is great fun for the guests, but little ones might get a bit bored if it's the only activity! Make sure to plan some fun disco party games. A glitter ball piñata makes an exciting break from dancing, and this kit from Party Delights has everything you’ll need. You can also use music-based games like the limbo, musical statues, and pass-the-parcel to keep the kids interested. Add some fun twists, like asking the kids to dance while passing the parcel. For teens, try having a dance-off, karaoke, or air guitar competition!

Food

Give classic party food a funky disco twist by adding lots of colour and sparkle! Bright rainbow and silver sprinkles on snacks like doughnuts and cake pops will go down a treat. Check out this recipe for inspiration! A fruit salad is a colourful and healthy idea, too. Skewer sticks with patterns on the top make a yummy fruit kebab extra special. If you’re having a disco birthday, you've already got a perfect theme for the cake! Colourful icing with a glitter ball cake topper captures the fun of a disco perfectly. Or you could order a bespoke cake, like this one from The Brilliant Bakers, for a bake that really stands out!

Decorations

Decorate your dance-floor with disco decor. There’s no need to break the bank when it comes to lighting - small glitter balls look fantastic with fairy lights! If the party is for younger children, and you want to keep the room bright, use bunting and confetti instead. Featured Design: 'Disco Stars Birthday Bunting' Add some balloons and props so you can capture some fun photographs of the kids! Glow sticks are another great addition. They're easy to wrap around items like cups and plates - in no time, you'll have a groovy disco party table! The kids can then dance with them and take them home as party favours. There are so many great games you can play with them! Have a ring toss, or put them in clear bottles to use as glowing bowling pins. They're striking when paired with a black tablecloth. Or you could go bright! Add more fun colours to the party decor with themed napkins, platters, and so on!

If your child's birthday falls around the Easter period, you might be considering organising two separate parties. Don't fret! You can save yourself some stress and combine them into a spectacular Easter-themed birthday party! Here are some great tips to make your child's special day extra fun!

Invitations

Get in the springtime spirit with cute, colourful invitations! Cards with bunnies and eggs will be a big hit. You can choose stationery with cartoon art for a lively party or stationery with a hand-drawn style for a traditional look. The Card Gallery offers a great range of birthday invitations. Just add your own wording and party details! Featured Designs: 'Bunny Fairy Kids Birthday Invitation' and 'Pink Rabbit Kids Birthday Invitation'

Entertainment

An Easter egg hunt is sure to keep the little ones happy. It doesn’t require a huge garden – just some creativity! No matter where you’re holding your party, whether at home or in a more open location, you can make the hunt fun with these ideas. First, make the hunt special by purchasing chocolate eggs and hiding them in good spots. You can change how well you hide them to suit the age of the children. Alternatively, you could buy plastic eggs and put small treats inside. Give the kids their own buckets and some crafty bits to decorate them. This will keep them busy while you hide the eggs, plus they're a lovely favour the children can take home. These cute Easter bucket sets from Baker Ross are ideal! Keep the fun going by having an egg-and-spoon race with the chocolate eggs once they've been collected. You could also give the kids eggs to paint and take home in their buckets - this saves you from having to buy party bags too! Make sure there are great prizes for the children who collect the most eggs, but get something for the runners-up, too. A larger chocolate egg for the winner and smaller chocolates for the others is a good balance… And if you follow our advice on food, no one will feel left out!

Food

It’s not an Easter party without chocolate! There’s no shortage of yummy chocolate eggs to keep the kids happy. And a chocolate birthday cake decorated with mini eggs and bunny cake toppers will definitely go down well. However, you might want to provide some healthy snacks too! Funny animal faces made out of fruit are always a favourite. Older children might enjoy these cute boiled egg rabbits!

Decorations

Dress your location with lots of colourful, exciting decorations that have an Easter motif. You can hang bunting and use signs to help kids find the eggs for the hunt. Check out this beautiful bunny bunting from AliceAnnLondon! Most children love cute springtime rabbits and chicks, so place adorable stuffed animals around to make the party come to life!