Adoption Party +DiY Inspiration

Over the past month or so, I had to best opportunity to help my friend, Jessica, plan an adoption party! She and her husband adopted two precious girls, and decided that a celebration was in order. Their friends and family couldn't agree more!

I'll save all the meaningful details for Jess, and let her tell ya.

As for me, to be honest, I didn't even do much! I got to hear her ideas, and direct her to some awesome blogs and sites around the web that would give her some inspiration for her own party. I did get to make some fun signs, which I'll share in a bit. I'm not graphic designer, but you will soon see how easy it is to make fun things on paper without knowing much of anything! 

The party was a total hit. I thought I'd share some of the fun party planning details that went into the making. Again, I didn't do much! I'm such an amateur when it comes to these things, but I have a whole lot of fun doing it.

Start: Invitations!

Designed by the fabulous Jenny Gilbert, of course!

These invitations are so perfect and fitting for the Lawrence fam! They all look exactly like that and they have quite a mini farm at their house. Dogs, chickens, a goat. So perfect!

Back:

Jenny made them into a postcard. How fun!! Instead of presents, the girls asked if we could bring a teddy bear to give to Brave Heart Children in Need. The organization gives care packages to foster children when they are taken from their home.

I put together a little welcome sign as you enter the door. Jenny sent me some of the doodles from the invitations.

{Fonts: Tweedy, Clementine Sketch, Pea Cari}

{Background: PuglyPixel}

I couldn't ever get a clear picture of this sign actually in it's party spot.

There was a ginormous water slide, so we all hung out in the back yard. 

Jess lined the back fence with balloons. Idea taken from this awesome co-op party I found from Beautiful Living.

And hung photos up of the girls, which was suggested by Cyd from The Sweetest Occasion. Thank you so much, Cyd!!

Jess also had the great idea to add a homemade photo booth to the party. I think that photo booths are the best wedding/party trend to hit since balloons. 

She made the backdrop from some wood from a fence in her neighbor's yard. I'm telllin' ya, she had the best ideas! Isn't it pretty?

{Font: Angel Tears, Octin Vintage}

{Background + Camera: Ruffled Blog}

Blood makes you related. Love makes you a family.
I have super sweet photos of all kinds of families that attended the party. Relatives, friends, church families, community groups, etc. All kinds! Those pictures are going to get uploaded to Facebook in the next few days! I promise.


I made some fun labels for utensils and condiments.

{Font: Rebekah's Birthday}

{Background: Maybe*Mej}

And the drink table. Oh...the drink table!
Jess had the idea for guests to drink out of mason jars and to add a label on there that would say "Lawrence Family est. July 14, 2010". Couldn't get the labels to work out so I found this wedding from Ruffled blog that had a mason jar table set up. Um, perfect! Our friend, Ashley, designed the tags! So cute.

{Fonts: WM Flowers, Ecuyer DAX, Jane Austen, Landliebe, Octin Vintage}

Guests were asked to write their name on the tag, and the mason jar was also theirs to keep as a party favor. Genius.

Instead of a guestbook, Cyd from The Sweetest Occasion gave us the best idea to have a thumb print tree. "What's a thumb print tree" you ask?? Well, just look for yourself.

{Font: Octin Vintage,  Angel Tears, Aboris Folium}

{Background: from Ruffled Blog}

There was also an ice cream sundae buffet! I didn't get a picture of it before everyone stampeded the table, but here are some messy ones. 

{Font: Rebekah's Birthday}

{Background: Maybe*Mej}

Well, those are all the fun little party details! I hope you can see how easy it is to improvise and make fun things without having a design degree!

 Congratulations, Lawrence Fam! Love you guys so much.