Our kiddo’s first birthday is one that they’ll, scratch that, we’ll always remember. While our little birthday boy or girl probably won’t recall the cake flavor, who showed up, or the color of the party decorations, at least we’ll have plenty of photos and videos to remember the occasion. And thanks to photographer Cathy Murai, now we can share the pics from one-year-old Wilson’s Suessical birthday party, inspired by the book Oh! The Places You’ll Go! With the help of crafty friends and an awesome party planning team, Wilson’s family was able to pull of this party that blended traditional Korean culture with the wacky and whimsical world of Dr. Seuss. Just take a look at all the hard work that went into this celebration and grab some inspiration for your next DIY party.
Wilson’s parents were inspired by the Dr. Seuss book Oh, The Places You’ll Go! and it’s positive message about the endless possibilities that lie in one’s future. Wilson’s mom says she wants the best for her son, and the themes of Seuss’ book really resonated with her high hopes for Wilson. Using the playful colors from the book, Wilson’s mom and her two party planning superstars, Hanna and Christina from One Sweet Day, took over the banquet room at the Los Coyotes Country Club in Buena Park, transforming it into whimsical playspace for Wilson and all of his party guests.
While the party planning team from One Sweet Day crafted the majority of the decorations at the party, Wilson’s family received lots of help from friends, who also happen to be rather creative and imaginative themselves! They created several of the table toppers, including the yarn balls and felt poms as well as the tablecloths, centerpiece stationary, and the dessert buffet stand. The yellow and teal color scheme came directly from Oh, the Places You’ll Go! as did the font for the photo board, the table decorations, and signage.
To play off the whimsical motif of Seuss’ book, Wilson’s family hired a caricaturist to create wacky and humorous drawings of the party guests and a photo booth complete with silly hats, masks, and jewelry. According to Wilson’s mom, the kids loved getting themselves drawn in a cartoon form but they also really enjoyed taking pictures in the photo booth with all the crazy and kooky props.
Wilson’s family also wanted to blend some traditional Korean activities into Wilson’s party. The Korean doljabi game involves laying out certain objects before the birthday boy or girl and based on what he or she picks, reveals something about their future talents or career paths. It’s amazing how perfectly this traditional game fit in with the themes of Seuss’ book, and by the looks of things, everyone was pleased with Wilson’s choice.
The party was a big hit with the littler partygoers, and as a way for guests to share their memories of Wilson’s special day, each was invited to create their own page in a scrapbook for Wilson. Using pictures from the photo booth, markers, and stickers, they went all out designing beautiful and memorable pages to let Wilson know how much fun they had at his party.
Before the guests left the party, they were given a Dr. Seuss floor puzzle and book to take home. We love the colored bottle vases filled with flowers that look like they jumped right off the pages of a Dr. Seuss book.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had friends who could craft like Martha Stewart? When we asked Wilson’s mom how she was able to organize such an awesome party she said that internet research was her go-to resource for ideas (read: Pinterest). She gathered all the ideas and inspiration herself and was able to find friends and party planners who made her dream a reality. With all that pressure off the hostess, she was able to spend quality time with Wilson preparing for his special day. We can only imagine what Wilson’s mom has in store for the next party!
Like this story if you’re inspired to throw a Dr. Seuss party for your kiddo. What is your favorite part of this amazing party?
— Scott Wardell
A very special thanks to Cathy Murai photography for all of the amazing photos!
