Ellie’s Berry First Birthday

I’m so happy to finally take the time to share this sweet and special celebration. I’ve been meaning to document Ellie’s first birthday for quite some time. She’s two and a half now, but as they say – better late than never.

For Ellie’s milestone birthday, I knew I wanted something intimate at home with a classic summer feel. Sloane’s first birthday was incredibly special. We celebrated with a “Summer in Savannah” theme and hosted an elevated backyard barbecue that I still love looking back on. I wanted something with a similarly timeless summer spirit for Ellie, something that would feel beautiful and nostalgic when we revisit it years from now in her birthday book.

When I came across the idea of a “Berry First Birthday,” I fell in love immediately. I expanded upon the idea by going for an elevated summer picnic feel.

This time around, I intentionally kept the gathering small. I didn’t want a large event that might overwhelm the moment. I wanted to be fully present and savor the day. As an older mom, I’m acutely aware of how fleeting these early years are. Having such a large age gap between my two girls gives me a perspective I didn’t have the first time around. I wanted this day to feel meaningful, personal, and centered completely around Ellie. And that’s exactly what it became.

Planning a Summer Party in Texas

I adore a summer birthday theme. With Sloane and Ellie’s birthdays only four days apart, I’m no stranger to midsummer celebrations. But in Texas, planning a July gathering comes with one unavoidable reality: the heat.

Temperatures are almost guaranteed to reach 100 degrees, which makes outdoor food and cake nearly impossible. Over the years I’ve learned that guests rarely linger outside when there’s perfectly good air conditioning indoors. So aside from the puppet show and face painting, the celebration took place inside.

Designing the Celebration

I decided to design and plan most of the event myself – from the invites and signage to the menu and decorative details. I truly enjoy the creative process and wanted to savor every little element. I chose soft blues paired with pinks and berry reds which felt so quintessentially summer – fresh, cheerful, and classic.

For the backdrop and balloons, I enlisted my go-to event designer, Lolo Creates, who always does such beautiful work. She absolutely nailed it.

A Strawberry-Inspired Menu

I had fun building the menu around our theme, incorporating strawberries into both sweet and savory dishes. The result was a playful mix that felt elegant yet festive and casual, evoking a summer picnic vibe.

The spread included:

• Strawberry lemonade
• Strawberry shortcake made with fresh Southern biscuits
• Strawberry pecan salad
• Savory balsamic strawberries with goat cheese and honey on crostini
• Tea sandwiches
• A charcuterie board

And of course, custom cookies, which were almost too cute to eat.

Ellie’s cake was one of my all-time favorites. The strawberry decoration was simple and charming, and the cake itself had the most delicious fresh strawberry flavor. It felt perfectly on theme and so cheerful! We had a little mini naked cake for her to smash.

Picnic-Inspired Party Favors

One of my favorite parts of planning a celebration is putting together the take-home gifts.

For Ellie’s party, I created little favors designed to resemble miniature picnic baskets. Inside, I curated a collection of strawberry-themed treats guests could enjoy later:

• Knott’s Farm strawberry cookies
• Sour strawberry candies
• The most wonderful French strawberry jam

Each basket was finished with a soft pink gingham hand towel, tying in perfectly with the summer picnic aesthetic.

Milestones and Memories

We also included a small display celebrating Ellie’s first year. We had done a family milestone photoshoot, so I framed several photos of her and placed them alongside a milestone fact sheet listing her favorite things. One of my favorite details was the time capsule cards for guests. Each person wrote a note to Ellie that she’ll open on her 18th birthday. I love the idea that she’ll one day read those messages and feel how loved she was from the very beginning.

Celebrating the First Year

Ellie had the best time greeting her guests, watching the puppet show, and of course smashing her cake. A tradition I started with Sloane and continued with Ellie, is giving a short speech at their first birthday party. I take a moment to reflect on their first year and thank the friends and family who prayed for us and supported us on the journey that brought each of our girls into this world. The first birthday carries deep meaning for us. What it took for each of our daughters to be here makes that milestone feel especially sacred. It’s a celebration we never take lightly, and one we approach with immense gratitude. Giving that speech is always emotional. I can’t get through it without tears. But I still do it, because I believe it’s important to express gratitude out loud and mark meaningful moments intentionally. After the party, I place a printed copy of the speech in each of the girls’ first birthday books so they’ll always have it.

A Day to Remember

Looking back, Ellie’s Berry First Birthday was exactly what I had hoped it would be: joyful, meaningful, and filled with simple, beautiful moments shared with the people we love most. And while it may have taken me a little while to write about it, I’m so grateful to have this memory preserved.