The Greatest Show on Earth

Behr's second birthday is right around the corner. If I learned anything from his first birthday it is this: 1. Start planning right after Christmas and 2. Eat cake early. Don't wait until Behr is exhausted from all of the festivities and then expect him to perform. As grateful as I am for these lessons, they didn't help me figure out what to do this year. After racking my brain for potential ideas, under the sea, the jungle, red wagon, among others, I looked at what I had in my party supplies and started perusing pinterest. Some time in early November, I came across the chalkboard from a carnival themed wedding and finally settled on a circus theme!

I started pulling ideas from my own pinterest boards and all over the internet and this is what I came up with to get me started.

• If I Ran The Circus by Dr. Seuss provided my color foundation, and kept me from going crazy.
• Behr is obsessed with straws as well as milk and cookies. These yellow reusable straws will undoubtedly get use in our home for years to come. 
• Anna posted glitter garland and almost jumped in my car to drive to Boston just to see it in person. She gave me a few pointers that saved both time and money. I'll share more about those after the party. For you non-DIYers, you can also purchase the one featured here from etsy.
• Fun fonts! I love a good excuse to explore new fonts and make a new invitation design. You can order your own circus invitations from my etsy shop here.
• My original inspiration. Would you ever consider having a carnival wedding? It looks like a blast.
• I picked up these adorable red and white polka dot favor boxes at The Influence Conference Market in October, well before I had a theme in mind for Behr's birthday. But I couldn't pass them up. They might be perfect for animal crakers to go. 
• These rainbow skewers were one of the first items I ever pinned. I have been dying to use them for a party, so they will definitely be on the menu.

I find it incredibly helpful to create an idea board for any party, event, or project I am working on. It allows me to step back and refocus on my original plan, even if I decide to head another direction, knowing my initial inspiration is key. I cannot wait to share how this all comes together for Behr's party this weekend!

Disclaimer: compensated affiliate links may be used in this post.