Birthday Party Planning Timeline.

6-8 Weeks in Advance

• Choose Theme/Idea for Birthday Party with your Child (There may be a fair amount of negotiation in this step and will take longer than you think!)
• Plan Time and Date
• Locate a party facility and reserve it.  (or have the party at home)
• Quiz host location on what service/items they provide.  Every place that caters to birthday parties will have their own system and it's good to know that up front.  Some are part of the rental fee and others have an extra charge per services provided.
• Email Save the Dates at least to most important attendees.

4 Weeks in Advance

• Construct Guest List
• Create Invitations or order them from a stationer (some stationers can be backed up.  Best to plan ahead here.  The worst thing is to start the party off wrong because the invitations don������¢���¯���¿���½���¯���¿���½t go out on time!)
• Plan Schedule of Events for Party
• Plan Decorations
• Decide on Party Favors

3 Weeks in Advance

• Make or begin gathering Decorations
• Make or begin gathering Activities
• Make or begin gathering Favors

2 Weeks in Advance

• Mail or Hand Out Invitations (could also be sent earlier but if you email a save the date, folks should already have it on their calendar)
• Order or Decide on Cake to Make

1 Week in Advance

• Prepare Menu and Order Food or put together a Grocery List.

2 Days

• Confirm with Cake Maker and Food if ordered or go grocery shopping
• Charge Batteries for your Camera and Video Camera
• Decorate if at home or gather everything that goes in one spot.

Post Party

• Order thank you cards if you have not already!  Write or have your child write thank you notes.  (*Cutie Pies Custom Creations has fill-in thank yous perfect for younger children to be involved in the thank you writing!) They don't have to be long, but must be done and the sooner the better.
• Gather all keepsakes and put in one location (photos, wrapping paper for scrapbook pages, sample of invitation, sample of thank you cards, favor, copy of video.....)

Most of all:  When you are starting your next Birthday Party Planning Session.......Have a Blast with your Child!

Planning a birthday party takes more time than most think.  That is if you want to do anything unique or special with the party.  Sure, parties can be planned at the last minute, I've done them.  But it's really more pleasurable to give yourself some time to brainstorm and make the day special.