Have you ever felt stuck when trying to choose an idea for a theme for a birthday party? Sometimes, the best option is to NOT choose a theme, but instead choose colors that the birthday boy or girl loves. That way, you can make everything coordinate beautifully without being tied to one thing. It kind of opens up the options and makes planning even more fun! Today, I am going to show you how to use a colorful combination- and these party ideas could also be used for a rainbow theme or animal theme if you prefer to stick with a that…it’s like 3 in one!

The inspiration for this party started when I found these adorable hats- they are made of felt and have the cutest animal faces on them. I fell in love with the color combo and the whimsical design of the party hats- I love how each hat is a different animal and I love those ears!

Admittedly, I am a little obsessed with the cuteness and wanted to replicate the animal faces for the cake and other sweet treats for the party. Brenda, of Sugar High Inc., created the fondant cake toppers. I told her how I would use them on skewers, and she was able to make them so that all I had to do was just assemble the skewer and the topper when I was ready to use them. They were perfect! For the cake, I bought a cake at my local grocery store and added pink sprinkles to it. I knew I wanted a simple cake so that the fondant hat toppers would stand out. Next, I even used the animal faces for the drink toppers…

Sachiko, of Mimi Cafe Union, made these darling drink bottle toppers for me. They look exactly like the little hats in fondant form! They had holes for the straws to slide through and were perfect for keeping a lid on it!

When I saw the colorful rainbow plates from Oh Happy Day Party Shop, I couldn’t believe how perfectly the colors matched the hats I was using. Don’t be afraid to mix in an unexpected pattern (or rainbow) when you are planning the details- it’s amazing how something small can bring it all together.

Another of my favorite party tips is to find a way to use the birthday number and celebrate it. Decorated cookies with the number 4 were beautiful in bright pink, yellow, and blue. My sweet friend, Terri Graham of Sweet Goosie Girl, made the cookies and they really couldn’t have been more perfect or delicious!

When I am planning a party with a lot of strong color, I always like to find a way to temper the bright with a little bit of pastel. For this party, I used pastel pink napkins on the table and it sort of acted as a neutral for the table. I love a fun, vibrant setting but also realize that visually you need a little balance!

Another way to balance out strong colors is to use cupcakes with white frosting- it makes “plain” cupcakes even better when they are surrounded by all the colorful options. I topped the cupcakes with printable toppers from Anders Ruff Design Co. – I loved the funky little font Maureen chose for this design! If you love a more colorful topper, add in candy or fondant. I asked Brittany of Edible Details to make these super cute cupcake toppers and then mixed them in with the printable toppers. It is a way to have more economical options mixed in with the more expensive options…

The invitation and place cards were also designed by Anders Ruff Design Co. And, the oh-so-cute Oreos were made by Maria at Love and Sugar Kisses. It amazes me how Maria can make an Oreo look so fancy!

Once again, fondant toppers for the win on the Oreos! They are just the cutest! Kind of like these cuties!

There’s nothing quite like turning 4 and being with your favorite people to help celebrate!

What’s your favorite non-themed way to throw a party? I vote for colors- and the best part of that is that the choices are endless!! Tell me what you think in the comments below and have a beautiful, colorful day!!

XO,

Lydia

P.S. A funny side note about this party…many years ago (as in 2013), I was asked to design a party for Twinkle Twinkle Little Party’s first online magazine. At the time, there was no deadline, and it was a very laidback request that I accepted. And then, I became inundated with other work and had to place this idea on the back burner…and then TTLP moved and took a short break from the magazine…and, needless to say, this party idea never was seen or shared. Because I had purchased all of the gorgeous work from the vendors and it was too fabulous not to share, I boxed it all up and saved it for when I could actually put these ideas together. And, so…6 years after the original orders were made and plans were set, I finally had a chance to put this one together. So many things have changed over these past 6 years, and many of these talented ladies are no longer providing bakery work for purchase. I feel so lucky to have been able to share the skills and talents of Brenda, Sachiko, Maria, and Terri throughout the years, and I am thrilled with the paths that they have taken in their creative endeavors. I just wanted you all to know that they have taken their amazingness in different directions, but, wow, they have an incredible way with fondant and cookies! Cheers to them all and to growth! I celebrate you ladies!