First Birthday Party Ideas That Wow

Oh, the simple days when birthday parties were just burgers 🍔, a kiddie pool 🌊, and last-minute invites 📩to the neighborhood. Now, birthday celebrations have evolved far beyond the basic BBQ. They’re all about creating memorable experiences with a healthy dose of creativity and personal touch. Whether it's a Brat Summer party or a family reunion, there's a growing trend of adding unique elements to your celebration to truly make it stand out.

So, if you find yourself asking the question “What’s trending at first birthday parties?” We’ve got you covered with a little help from Supermom Lauren Gomez and her husband Kevin. As a school psychologist passionate about working with children, Lauren wanted her daughter’s first birthday party to be unique. She carefully planned the event, incorporating these three special details.

Bake a Smash Cake

A smash cake: a small cake placed in front of the baby, who is then encouraged to dig in with their hands and enjoy 🎂. Lauren, who is very mindful of incorporating healthy alternatives, created her daughter’s cake with only a handful of ingredients, but a whole lot of love.

“The smash cake was a hit, even though it made a bit of a mess, it was worth it,” Lauren laughs. 

Order Custom Koozies

Custom koozies: personalized drink holders to keep your beverage cold.

“My husband and I are big fans of a good beer or a kombucha-inspired drink like Poppi or Olipop, so we knew custom koozies would be a fun and practical keepsake.” Plus, guests can take them home as a reminder of the special day! 

"We decided to customize each koozie with her face on one side and 'Have ONE on me' on the other. Our guests got a good laugh out of it!" says Lauren.

Use an Audio Guestbook

The audio guestbook: a real vintage rotary phone that records heartfelt messages from family and friends. "One of my favorite moments was singing 'Happy Birthday' to Mila," Lauren recalls. "A guest picked up the phone guestbook during the song and it recorded everything, which made listening back even more special and fun."

Lauren remembers discovering After the Tone when a video popped up on her For You page, featuring a mom leaving a voicemail for her son at her baby shower before he was even born. She knew then that a voicemail guestbook would be the perfect way to leave a heartfelt message for Mila on her first birthday. 

"She's the greatest thing that's ever happened to my husband and I, and I can't wait to share these voicemails with her when she's grown up." Lauren and Kevin left a tear-jerking message for Mila at the start of the day: "We recorded our voicemail first because I knew I’d shed some tears—and I was right!" 😭

Listen to Lauren and Kevin’s Emotional Voicemail to their baby girl 

The shift towards more personalized and meaningful celebrations is just beginning. That’s why destination weddings, custom embroidering at bachelorette parties, photobooths, and, of course, audio guest books from After the Tone have become so popular. The guest book’s ability to be a part of almost every significant life event, even long after the event is over, makes it so remarkable. 

Whether it’s a milestone birthday or just another year around the sun, take notes with creative ideas like these that will take your special day to the next level!