I hate to say it, but Covid ruined birthdays in 2020. I know, public health trumps birthdays, but it was just one more thing we had to miss out on. As an adult, it was easy for me to deal with not having a birthday party, but for my kids, it was not as easy for them. Plus, they had already heard the words “we can’t do  ______ because of covid” so many times, telling them they couldn’t have the birthday parties they wanted was just another thing to add to my ever-growing list of things that give me mom guilt.

My oldest, who just turned 6, wanted a “party in the park” like she did for her 5th birthday. We had to explain to her that we couldn’t rent the ramada and invite our 50 closest family members to come to the party. 

We did, however, find an alternative that far exceeded our expectations: Picture Perfect Picnics made Braylin’s dreams come true during a time when we needed it the most.

Read on to see how we created an intimate, yet kid friendly party for my fancy 6 year old.

xo,

Cara

The venue

Braylin’s birthday is November 23, which means we’re able to celebrate it outside. We chose Red Mountain Park for its lake views, quiet grassy areas and some nostalgia. You see, I had my 12th birthday party at this park and it’s one of my favorite childhood memories. Also, I’m a Red Mountain High School alum, so the whole area just brings me back. It was a lovely “full circle” moment for me. 

We didn’t utilize a ramada, so we didn’t make a reservation with the city (we couldn’t at the time, either because…covid). Luckily, the park is huge and there is plenty of space to set up a picnic.

The set up

I didn’t know what to expect with the picnic and went in with zero expectations. Makenzie kept in contact with me via text message about arrival time, where to go and what we needed to bring. We didn’t need to bring a single thing, she made sure we had everything we could think of. 

When we got there we could see the beautiful set up from the parking lot. Braylin’s eyes lit up and she was so excited all of that was just for her. 

Makenzie set up a big boho umbrella for shade that immediately caught our eye. Next to the umbrella was a cute chalkboard sign personalized with a cute “Happy Birthday Braylin” and the girliest string of balloons, perfect for my girly girl. 

Beyond that, was the actual picnic. Blankets, pillows and a beautiful tablescape with a charcuterie board, sweet treats, place settings and copper-colored wine glasses that made the birthday girl feel like a grown up. She even had a drink tub with water, lemonade for the kids and wine for the moms. To top it all off, there were candles and a flower centerpiece. 

She also had cake stand and cute set up to the side for the cake that I brought! 

The party

Once we arrived and met Makenzie, she left us for 2 hours to enjoy the set up. We invited a family we considered part of our “covid inner circle” and let the kids enjoy the picnic and run around in the amazing fall weather we have. 

We stuffed ourselves with the delicious charcuterie board and sipped on the rose while the kids snacked here and there and played in the park.

We cut the cake, did presents and once we were done, I sent Makenzie a text and she came back and packed it all up.

The whole thing exceeded my expectations and got me planning future parties for my girlfriends. It was such a unique experience and really made the birthday girl feel special. 

Photo credit: Bailey Wilson Photography