Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

About how many ppl and how much did you spend..if you don't mind me asking.

We think we will have between 40-50 ppl and probably 20ish kids. Trying to decide if it's that much more cost effective to have at home and cook some/cater some than have it at a place. We'd have to do all the prepping, setup, some cooking, cleaning, etc.

I'm so confused!!

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

We are having it home, only because its about 22 adults and 6 kids. If it were 40 or so I would have had it out. Not worth the clean up and by the time you buy all the food, cook, clean, stress...its around the same as going out.

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

We didn't ahve a first b-day at home but have had other large parties...

My best suggestion , no matter what you do is to hire a waitress !!! If you spurge on nothing else, they are a GODSEND !

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

I had about 30 people and it cost probably around $1,000. I never added it all up but it was a lot after the catering, liquor, goody bags, decorations, etc.

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

we had it at home, about hmmm 40-50 people all told, 10-12 kids I would say.

I cooked everything. even the cake. saved mucho dinero.

ETA" It really wasn't that bad. I kept it simple and did things in advance.

two weekends before the party, dh took Luce out for a few hours. I made the sauces (meat and marinara) the meatballs, and I fried up 7 thinly sliced eggplants for eggplant parm.

the weekend before the party, I went out to party city and got all the supplies and baked and froze the cake.

the day before the party, we straigtened up the house, I put the eggplant parm trays together and baked them off, and I decorated the cakes and cupcakes. then set up the party.

all told it went pretty smoothly. there were a bunch of people who stayed behind to help clean up too.

on just food/catering supplies/drinks I probably spent around $300.

Message edited 1/4/2011 2:54:15 PM.

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

we had it at my parent's in NJ b/c they have a big house and yard. Didn't really add it up though. Wegmans catered all the food then we just got some stuff on the side for kids at BJ's.
Wegmans also did the balloons and cake
decorations weren't too much and we did the favors at Party City. My MIL did the kids names.
My parents paid for the entertainment

I think we had about 60 - 70 all together and 25 of them were kids

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

Posted by Ophelia

we had it at home, about hmmm 40-50 people all told, 10-12 kids I would say.

I cooked everything. even the cake. saved mucho dinero.

ETA" It really wasn't that bad. I kept it simple and did things in advance.

two weekends before the party, dh took Luce out for a few hours. I made the sauces (meat and marinara) the meatballs, and I fried up 7 thinly sliced eggplants for eggplant parm.

the weekend before the party, I went out to party city and got all the supplies and baked and froze the cake.

the day before the party, we straigtened up the house, I put the eggplant parm trays together and baked them off, and I decorated the cakes and cupcakes. then set up the party.

all told it went pretty smoothly. there were a bunch of people who stayed behind to help clean up too.

on just food/catering supplies/drinks I probably spent around $300.

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

Message edited 1/4/2011 3:14:13 PM.

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

We did DD's 3rd birthday at home. Had about 18 kids/babies and about as many adults.

Cost about $800 for food, decorations. I really could have done it cheaper if I had budgeted properly. But, we had a good time. I know for sure I will do an at home party again-I enjoyed having everyone over. I will just do a better job budgeting.

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

Posted by Ophelia

Posted by Deeluvsvinny



$300??!!! How?? I do plan on making everything if I do it at home, but I sitll see my FOOD/Beverage budget being $500 at least.

I just sent an email to my dh to get the true amount (he is the accountant) but I know when I did the main shopping it wasn't that bad b/c of the nature of what I made.

I kept it very simply. a lot of a few dishes (which is abnormal for me and why I saved so much)

10 cans of crushed tomatoes, 5 boxes of ziti, 7 large eggplants, eggs, breadcrumb, 3lbs of ground beef, 3 lbs of ground pork, garlic onion spinach carrots, 2 packages of mozzarella cheese, a few packages of sausage, a few heads of lettuce, a bunch of tomatoes, and two cumbers, two bottles of dressing (I don't keep it in the house really) a few baguettes.

that was really all I needed (I had everything else). I honestly don't remember if I did appetizers. I think I just had cheese and crackers b/c it wasn't a long party and I just served the food soon after everyone arrived.

dh just told me we spent less than $750 for the whole party, including the specialized stuff I ordered.

that is half of what I would have spent for a restaurant.

ETA:

I made about 60 meatballs. we had

eggplant parm with marinara
ziti
meat sauce with meatballs and sausage
sauteed spinach (I think. it was something green )
salad
bread

I can't remember what else I had. but it wasn't much.

I forgot I had reviewed the food I actually made 3 sauces. no wonder I was tired

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

I was going to have it at the house, but we are having around 50 people and I DO NOT want the mess afterwards, I want to enjoy his first birthday, after I do all the planning I want to just enjoy the DAY!

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

the other awesome thing about doing it at home was I got to scoop him up mid party to "change his diaper"

but I really just went upstairs into our room to be alone for a few minutes and savor the moment. just me and my baby, like it was the first night in the hospital when he was born.

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

1st one was about $500. BBQ, filet mignon, etc... we cooked ourself the hot food but had salads from BJs, subs, etc....

About 20 people, 6-8 kids

2nd birthday: about same amount of people, same money. Same venue


3rd birthday: 30 people. About 12+ kids Less food. We had so much waste the 2 years prior. But we had a pony party added in my backyard. So more $$ for entertainment. That was a success though!

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

We're having about 40 people, maybe 10-12 kids. I'm catering it though. Its not that much money at all. I would say everything, cake, food, drinks and decorations was about $500. That includes a cleaning guy the day before!

Re: Those who had or are having 1st bday parties at home...

i had my DS first biday at home had about 50 adults and 10 kids but his birthday is in aug so we had in out back with the pool

we bbq hot dogs, hamburgers, had salads, beans and soda

nothing major