How To Host a Story-Telling Children's Birthday Party in London

Feature

| Ruth She

How To Host a Story-Telling Children’s Birthday Party in London

Planning your child’s Birthday party is never an easy feat, whether you’re having it in the comfort of your own home or scouting for a venue to host the special occasion.

Turning one is an especially popular celebration that so many more parents are throwing for their little ones. Surely the little rascals won’t remember such a momentous turning of age but when there is an opportunity to celebrate, why not take all the leg work out and let one of the most story-telling children’s party planners in the UK summon their magic (anywhere in the world) with you so you too can have a worthwhile time planning your little ones birthday?

Dazzle & Fizz, the name even sounds enchanting and rightly so. The company was founded by Charlotte Melia who started the business as a temporary arrangement to support her acting career. Little did she know however, that her business would soon flourish just months later so much so that to this day the demand for Dazzle & Fizz’s party planning and styling skills are running high. Their otherworldly story-telling celebrations are ones that can really be remembered for years to come and it’s just the reason why parents seek them out for their creative know-how.

Their strengths lie in their story-telling and entertainment expertise, as Charlotte puts it “As a professional actress, my focus in the early days was on the entertainment side of things. The development of the planning & styling came organically as I grew in confidence and experience. We take inspiration from many different platforms. Much of our style inspiration comes from popular fashion trends while the London theatre scene influences our entertainment ideas quite heavily. We’re particularly passionate about bringing our parties to life in every aspect through immersive entertainment.” Thus, to be able to deliver a creative concept that engages children whilst having a highly photographic set-up has made their events such a purposeful one to celebrate.

For this special feature, Dazzle & Fizz threw a successful children’s birthday party in London for a one year old boy. The ideal venue of choice was the Bluebird Restaurant in Chelsea due to their sizeable private dining room and privacy, it also helped that the restaurant works regularly with Dazzle & Fizz giving flexible access and set-up times. The only slight issue that was experienced was the dim lighting throughout the space making it difficult to capture photographs, it did not help that the weather was rather poorly as the room does come with large windows. Otherwise, it ticks all of the boxes in accommodating service, flexibility, aesthetics, proximity, space and food! We recommend opting for their delicious canape menu for the adults to enjoy whilst the little ones munch on the delightful children’s menu. The Bluebird Restaurant can accommodate as per your requirement, so don’t be afraid to let them know what tickles your fancy.

Dazzle & Fizz’s work is nothing short of meticulous if not interactive but putting it all together takes a certain character to deliver this incredible work. When asked what Charlotte enjoys most about the business she says that it is “the variety it affords – both in terms of the clients that I get to work with and the events that I get to deliver. With children’s parties, you really never know what request is just around the corner! One day you might be managing the logistics of getting a seventeen feet dinosaur in to a five star hotel, the next day, you might be flying a jungle to Nigeria. Although most of our work is in London, we work all over the world. This year alone we have performed in Monaco, Sardinia, Nigeria and Portugal”

Charlotte’s team continue to push boundaries when it comes to their parties – sprinkling their ‘wow-factor’ where they can – and most of them do really appear to have come out of a children’s story book. Take for example their recent work based on the book ‘Oh The Places You’ll Go’ by Dr. Seuss – from colour scheme, personalization, accessories, backdrops, cake to balloons, each element was clearly thought of and communicated. As the party was for a one year old, they took care not to overwhelm the children with too much décor whilst at the same time ensuring aesthetic harmony within the space. To add a bit of height and the final touch to the party, was the scale and wonderfully executed birthday cake which was lovingly created by Pastry Girls who have a portfolio of the most wonderful children’s birthday cakes out there. It is worthy to note that not only are they talented fondant illustrators but their cake recipe is mouth-watering – rich in moisture, perfect ratio of icing and not too sweet.

What one might underestimate with these parties however is the entertainment and interactivity that the children thrive on during these sometimes-overwhelming situations and what Dazzle & Fizz include in their services is just that – an entertainer that (as we have witnessed) is everything but impatient and spends the entirety of time interacting with the children based on their response be it when they cry, when they’re lonesome in a corner or when they’re running about. With décor lovingly placed and entertainer on hand, the result was a spectacular turnout that received one too many compliments from parents who attended.

Dazzle & Fizz don’t work with any blueprint when creating their clients concept and style, instead “each party is created individually and our styling is planned to work in harmony with the client’s chosen venue. Therefore, there is no real blueprint or formula that we follow. We love to push ourselves to ensure that each party exceeds the last”. Uncompromising on delivering quality each supplier they work with has been carefully handpicked for a reason, that is to deliver beyond expectation. Take for example Bubblegum Balloons, who have bedazzled many a roster of high-profile clients events. When you’re hiring Dazzle & Fizz you know you’re in for something special, something dreamlike for that big reveal.

For parents out there who have a creative flair and are keen to know what it takes to produce a wowing party that encapsulates we asked Charlotte to share some of her top tips.

1. Allow plenty of time to plan the party

Venues, caters, entertainers and party suppliers can book up long in advance. Avoid disappointment by planning your party with at least 12 week’s notice.

2. Order slightly more than you think you need

There is nothing worse than a child leaving the party without a party bag, or not having a space at the party tea table. Over order for your party by 10% to ensure that you cater for everybody (including siblings that turn up without notice and families that may not have RSVP’d). If the products don’t get used, take them home for imagination games, or tea parties at home.

3. Plan more games than you think you need

Young children have short attention spans, so plan at least 5-6 games per hour of the party. Have small prizes ready for each game and ensure that all children receive a prize to avoid tears.

4. Balloons are a great and flexible solution for dressing your party space

Balloons also service a range of budgets. For smaller budgets, opt for air filled scatter balloons and helium filled balloon bouquets. Higher budgets might like to consider bespoke balloons, which can arrive with full personalization, or balloon sculptures, both of which need to be built by professional balloon artists.

5. Choose a theme and run with it!

Children’s parties offer the perfect opportunity to be creative! Once you have chosen your child’s party theme, apply the theme to all party elements including your party food, party bags, entertainment ideas and party styling.

6. If you want to be completely stress free- book a party planner!

A good party planner will be able to arrange and deliver all of your party elements including venue, food, beverage, entertainment, styling and invitations. This is the best option if you’re time poor, but still want to host a fabulous event!