1st Birthday Party Planning

Michael's first birthday is just two weeks away and I have been in party planning mode. We are having his birthday party at the local country club's pool. With as many people that will be coming, (20, just in my family alone) there just isn't enough room to have it at home. I think a pool party will be a lot of fun.

Here are the invitations I designed and made.

This is the front if the postcard, and on the back is all of the information about the party. I had them printed from vistaprint.com. I got a great deal too! A few weeks a go, livingsocial.com had buy a $50 gift card for $10! So I only paid $10 plus shipping for 100 invitations (that was the smallest amount I could order). So, I've sent out a ton of invitations. I love that the front is really more like a "birthday announcement" and people can leave it on their refrigerator like they would a birth announcement.
There really isn't a "theme" for the party, more like a color scheme. I am using bright summery beach colors. I am also adding touches of beach/ocean items.
Like the cupcakes for example.

I ordered these from Sam's Club. I am getting the small cake,with the star fish on it, as Michael's smash cake. Everyone else will have cupcakes.

As far as decorations go, I bought several beach balls and swim rings to have floating in the pool. We will also get balloons to tie on the fence that goes around the pool. The balloons will be in the four colors that are on the invitations. And that is it. Not a lot of decorations at all.

One thing I am most excited about making for the party are the favors. I am going to try to make these:

I got a crab, a number 1, and a letter M cookie cutter and I will try my best to make them look as cute as these do. I found the idea here:
I found a recipe for sugar cookies and a recipe for royal icing. I also found a great tutorial on how to make decorative sugar cookies here:
I am doing a test run this week to see how they turn out.

I am so excited about Michael's birthday party. Everything is coming together great and i think everyone will have a lot of fun. Now we just have to pray for no rain on the day of the party.