Hellobee

I love planning parties, but I also love finding ways to make parties cute and fun without breaking the bank. I’m planning Liam’s third birthday party (yes, it’s six months away, but this is totally normal for me) and since he loves firetrucks, I’ve decided this party will go along with that theme. I’ve rounded up some ideas for how to throw a firetruck party if you want to splurge or save!

I N V I T A T I O N

splurge: Minted  |  save: Paperless Post

I always like to start with the invitation when throwing a party and base the rest of the decor around it. I’ve always loved the options that Minted has to offer, but they can be pricey, especially when inviting a large number of people. Paperless Post is something I’ve never used before, but they have lots of free options and the ones that aren’t free are very cost effective. Plus, their designs are very well done and a step up from other online invitations I’ve used in the past.

L O C A T I O N

splurge: Fire Museum  |  save: Park – Example

There are many places you could have a firetruck party: a fire station, a fire museum, a play place, your home, or even the park. We had Liam’s first birthday party at our house and, while it was a lot of fun, it was also a lot of work to get our house ready and then clean up after. A new park is going in a few blocks away from our house at the site of an old fire station and they are putting in a firetruck playground, so I knew that would be the perfect place for our party. Plus, it’s free! I’m pretty sure there won’t be a system for reserving tables, but we plan to have it in the morning, so hopefully we can just get there early enough to claim the tables we need. Or we can have a picnic like Mrs. Bee did for Olive’s party!

F A V O R S

splurge: Amazon, inspiration here  |  save: Oriental Trading

There are so many cute ideas for favors for a party like this. I love the idea of taking mini metal buckets and filling them with toys and treats that all kids love. I tend to like simpler party favors, though, both as a host and as a guest (less “stuff” to end up in the toy basket at home). These fire fighter hats are inexpensive and can be used for dress up for years to come. If I was attending a party, a hat like this would be more than enough of a favor for my child. Plus, the kids can wear them during the party, too!

D E C O R

splurge:  Etsy Printables  |  save: BalloonsParty City

This printable party pack is very cute, but would require quite a bit of time and money to put together. I hate buy ink for our printer, so I would order prints from a professional company to save a little. Instead of going all out, a few balloons in coordinating colors are enough to add some fun without going over budget.

F O O D

splurge: Food Truck  | save: Breakfast, inspiration

A lot of our friends hire taco trucks to cater their kids’ parties. The food is always delicious and they set everything up and break it all down, so you don’t have to worry about anything. This fire truck pizzeria looks awesome, but is probably way out of my price range. Last year, we had a party between lunch and dinner and offered a variety of snacks, which worked out well, but this time, I thought of having the party in the morning and serving cold breakfast items like bagels, donuts, fruit, and juice. This would be very cost effective and also super easy to pull together.

A C T I V I T I E S

splurge:  Book a Truck  |  save: Pinata, Fire Truck Race

There’s a company in Australia that brings a fire truck to your party for a fee. I’ve read that you can try calling your local fire department and if they don’t have any calls, they might stop by the party, which I plan to try. I also want to get a pull string pinata like this dalmatian one. I’ve seen parties that feature adorable cardboard firetrucks for all the kids to race around in, which is a great idea, but I’m looking for easy and cheap, so I think the playground will have to be enough.

C A K E

splurge: Custom Bakery Cake  |  save: DIY or donut cake

This custom cake is too cute, but I can’t bring myself to pay a lot of money for something that will be cut into and devoured in minutes. Another option is to get a firetruck cake pan and make one yourself. Since we are doing breakfast, I want to make a donut cake and ask my local shop to customize the color of sprinkles for me. I can assemble the cake in a few minutes before the party.