How many months/weeks in advance do you actually start planning ?

[psychobilly_mom]

your parties?

Some of the parties I have seen (via pics) on here are just breathlessly amazing and wonderful... I always wondered how long it takes you all to gather ideas/ create them/ decorate/ put together everything for that 1 special day?

My dd's party was planned in 1 month, but we had "come up " with the actual theme 2 months, and well we were not that succesful in finding ocean/sea decor in the winter... I wish we had more time/ $$$ to spend, so maybe I can start planning future parties sooner....

My son's birthday is Oct 25, is it too soon to start planning now?

[uirisg]

I love making most of the decore, favors, activities/games...really anything I can. I'm making a pull string pinata for my niece's party.

I think planning early is a great way to save money, make it easier on the budget, be creative and open up your schedule.

For anyone saying those that plan early need a more fullfilling life, you couldn't be more wrong...planning early allows you too not consume your time with a party, it gives you a chance to space it out so you can have more time for other things.

Quoting Jenner8:

I finished making her pull string pinata Monday, it cost me nothing to make since I already had all the supplies.  Glad I'm not the only one making things! 

Her party is Sunday.  I started acrively planning things in late Feb, even tho I started buying little things last year after her party.  I sent out the invites in late March.  All that's left is baking 4 dozen cupcakes (chocolate, berry blue, strawberry, and watermelon) and making two dozen flower shaped cookie suckers!  Oh yeah, and doing an anti rain dance or something... I'd much perfer it to be outdoors. 

Quoting uirisg:

I make a lot of stuff for the parties I put together so I say it's never to soon....I started planning last year (after the last birthday) for this year. My nieces birthday turned into a 1 1/2 year planning/getting together since an emergency situation came up last year.

You'd be amazed at the decorations/ games you can make out of cardboard, paint and some embellishments.

 

[HadnKmom]

i sent out a invitation on facebook for both my girls birthday parties in february....their birthdays are in july and august lol....but i dont start the theme and what not until the month before...this year though we will be doing 2 months before because we are renting a a building at a park this year....it rained last year lol

[hfaddis]

i start buying stuff on sale for holidays and birthdays year round, start planning and gettin ideas a few months in advance, my almost 4 yr olds birthday snuck up one me! I was thinking i still had at least 5 weeks, looked and i Had 3!~ ah lol well everything is done as of tonight!!! lol party is next weekend, just have to pick the cake up and decorate the day of

[psychobilly_mom]

Great input ladies!

[Bookoholic]

this

Quoting SassyWildflower:

i think about it 4 months ahead. actually start planning about 2 months ahead.

[Mommy4two]

I personally don't feel as though you need to have more Money to spend as you need to be able to think creatively... For my daughter's 5th b-day we did an Ariel themed party "we were supposed to have a water slide but it POURED rain all that weekend, go figure first time in nearly 2 months lol"... Oh and to top it off we did her party a month early lol... Anyways I degrass, I made her cake, hung up blue and green streamers, took little ocean sented and beach scented candles, mixed some Ariel stuff into the equation, all the food was sea themed, had glass cups with goldfish in them, and we had pin the crown on the mermaid, toss game, treasure hunt. The kids had a blast and we somehow managed to do all of this inside!

My son's 8th birthday this past november we did a movie theatre theme I again made his cake "looked like a popcorn box", made the bar in my home a concession stand, had a movie on nexflix of my son's choice, and I put movie posters on the wall.

I usually start planning about 5 months in advance this past year, since I had lived in an apt. it was harder for my son's party. I'm thinking about for Grace's 6th birthday which is in Nov. doing a princess ballerina theme, and for my son's 9th b-day again in Nov. lol doing space/aliens :-)

[NoahsMom1215]

It is never too early imo. i typicall start right after his bday. He and I have pick themes for his 6th, 7th, and 10th bday already. I start buying up to a yr ahead because I can catch all of the sale throughout the year. Also spreads the cost throughout the yr. His bday is in August so if I don't plan ahead I have his party and back to school expenses all at the same time.

[WingCharm]

I wish this topic had the anonymous button but...

My girls' birthdays are at the end of October and the end of November, and I start planning in August. I also plan and coordinate the summer block party with a friend, and several parties/events throughout the year and plan all those months in advance too.

I don't spend a ton of money, though that's probably a relative assessment since I'm not scraping to live. I just plan and do a lot myself, and play around with things until it feels right. Doesn't hurt that I'm good with photoshop and cricut, I print all my own labels, invites, cards, many of my decorations.

[kavon]

I Like to start about Jan for her August bday, mostly just deciding on the theme, looking for ideas, making items i can make early, if i find a bargain i will purchase but the active buying about 2 months prior.