Just like my daughter Essie’s strawberry nursery, her first birthday had to have a strawberry first birthday theme! When I say I had way too much fun putting this party together, I’m not exaggerating. I was totally that kid in the late ’90s flipping through the Birthday Express catalog, circling my next party theme months in advance.
So, even though Essie’s first birthday party was just for us and our immediate family, I went all out, curating the cutest strawberry party supplies, planning every detail, and making sure it was memorable for all of us.
That said, I didn’t go overboard on luxury party decor, custom backdrops, and floral arrangements. There are so many strawberry-themed decorations out there that it was easy to pull together a cute setup without splurging (although yes, the dream is definitely to blow my whole budget on party supplies- ha!).
In this post, I’m sharing photos of all my strawberry-themed party ideas, from the table setup to the smash cake and everything in between. The best part? All of this works for so many strawberry party ideas, whether you’re planning a berry first birthday party, strawberry baby shower, or any summer get-together!
- Strawberry Party Decorations
- Dessert Table Setup: Sweet Treats + Smash Cake
- DIY Berry First Birthday Banner (+ free downloadable template!)
- Smash Cake
- The Little Details
- Wrap-Up + Links
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them (at no extra cost to you!). I only share products I truly love and recommend.
My Strawberry Party Picks + Ideas
(1) Strawberry Dinnerware Set (2) Strawberry Balloon Arch Kit (3) Paper Strawberry Hanging Decorations (4) Strawberry Vanilla Olipop (5) Birthday Hat (6) Ceramic Berry Box (7) DIY Strawberry Birthday Banner (8) Table Sprinkles (9) Pink Gingham Tablecloth (10) Pink Gingham Strawberry Smocked Bubble (11) Strawberry Vase (12) Wrapping Paper
Strawberry Birthday Party Decorations
Balloon Arch + Backdrop Setup
One of the first things I searched for was a balloon arch. I looked into having one made locally or buying a kit from Etsy, but many options were well over $100. So instead, I recruited some help from my husband and parents, and we tackled it ourselves. I grabbed a balloon garland kit from Amazon for less than $10, and with four of us inflating and assembling, we had it done in about two hours. Totally worth it! It made the perfect backdrop for Essie’s cake moment and all of our family photos. As far as strawberry birthday decorations went, this was the highlight!
Table Decor for a Berry First Birthday
Once the balloon garland was figured out, it was time to pull together the tablescape!
First, I found the plates, cups, napkins, and straws. There are so many adorable strawberry birthday plates and tableware options out there, but I ended up going with this set. It was cute, simple, and didn’t include 50 extra pieces we didn’t need for a party of eight.
To tie everything together, I ordered pink gingham tablecloths, one for the dining room table and one for the dessert table backdrop (coming up next!). They added just the right amount of sweetness without going too theme-heavy.
More Strawberry Tableware Finds
The day before the party, I stopped by Whole Foods and grabbed a bouquet to split between a few small vases. At least in my area, their flower selection is way better than the average grocery store. They stock unique varieties and are usually more affordable than the florist. I made one medium arrangement for the center of the table, filled two bud vases with a couple of stems each, and did a larger one on the dessert table in my Ban.do strawberry vase!
I also sprinkled some strawberry-shaped and dot confetti across both tables. My mom had ordered them from Etsy for one of my baby showers (also strawberry-themed, of course), and I saved them to reuse. Confetti just makes everything more festive!
Even though I knew not everyone would drink them, I grabbed a few Olipops in Strawberry Vanilla and Lemon Lime for each place setting. Sometimes you just have to do it for the photo, right? They matched the color scheme perfectly, and they’re such a fun nod to the strawberry theme. Mine was delicious, by the way.
Dessert Table Setup: Strawberry Party Treats + Smash Cake
Across from the dining room table, I turned our hallway credenza into a dessert station. First, I hung one of the pink gingham tablecloths on the wall as a backdrop. Fun fact: I didn’t even need tape. Static cling held it up for days! Then, I hung paper strawberries from the ceiling with small, clear Command Hooks.
Other Dessert Table Decor
For desserts, I picked up a dozen cookies from our favorite local bakery and cafe, the Harbinger, which is also where I ordered Essie’s smash cake! I made white chocolate-covered pretzel rods with sprinkles too, mostly because they’re one of my favorite snacks and always look so cute on a dessert table. Then I filled three ceramic berry boxes I already owned with fresh strawberries (the true stars of the show) to tuck in between the treats for people to snack on.
DIY Berry First Birthday Banner
Above the dessert table, I hung a banner with the milestone photos I had taken of Essie every month since her birth. I designed the template in Canva, added the photos, and printed the cards at Walgreens. Then I strung the cards to twine using tiny paperclips. Everyone loved seeing her grow from month one to twelve! Want to make your own? Grab the free Canva template I designed for our Berry First Birthday Banner here!
And if you didn’t take milestone photos but want to do something similar, scroll back through your camera roll and pick a favorite photo from each month!
Smash Cake
While it was technically a smash cake, Essie didn’t do any smashing. She was very gentle with her first birthday cake, but once we cut her a piece, she was into it! We went with a simple vanilla cake (you know I would’ve gotten strawberry had our bakery offered it in this size!), but Essie was happy with any flavor, of course!
I also got her the cutest birthday hat. Needless to say, she wasn’t a huge fan, but I did manage to get a couple of quick photos before she ripped it off. There are other super cute cake toppers and birthday hats on Etsy!
The Little Details
Her Birthday Outfit
Essie wore the sweetest pink gingham smocked bubble outfit from Pineapple Sunshine for the party. It’s 100% pima cotton, so soft, and was worn on repeat all summer! I’m also obsessed with the bloomer set.
Strawberry Nails
While shopping on Etsy for party supplies, I couldn’t resist these strawberry nail decals for myself. There was a bit of a learning curve, but totally worth it so I could show off some strawberries in my look too. Necessary? No. Fun? Yes!!
Gift Wrap
Target had the perfect strawberry gift wrap and a daisy print I couldn’t pass up. Now they sell a green gingham that would go perfectly, too!
Shop Other Strawberry Birthday Outfits + Gift Wrap
Plan Your Strawberry Party
Planning Essie’s first birthday was a highlight of my year! It was the perfect balance of not going overboard for a party she won’t remember, but still making it special for all of us who will. Honestly, it makes me want to throw more themed parties just because!
If you want to shop everything I used to make Essie’s strawberry party come to life, you’ll find all the links below. And, if you loved my milestone banner and want to make your own, download the free Canva template here. I hope these photos and strawberry party ideas inspire you to make your own celebration berry sweet!
Everything I Used (And Loved) For Our Strawberry-Themed Party
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