Guest list can be length from your computer table to your kitchen and come back to your computer table. You will think that everyone need to be notify and be invite. Because what, we are Malaysia. Other country may shortlisted their guest list according to their group of network. But for us, as bound to the rule of harmony society, consensus that we hold need to be respect. From family members to neighbours to office mate, forum friends and if your child were to sent to day care centre…his/her friend plus nanny need to be invite.

When you have this problem, always look back to your budget allocation. Are the budget enough to cover everybody that will attend your baby birthday? Are food that you budgeted is enough to cover everybody?

As for the solutions, your guest list can be divide into couple of group such as :

1. Family- both side parents, both side siblings, aunties, uncles and nephew

2. Friend- close friend or aquitance/ facebook

3. Officemate

4.Forum or bloggers friend

5. Neighbours

Every circle of group you can estimate how many person you want to invite. This will really help you to stay in your budget.

RSVP- this is what Malaysian afraid and lazy to do!

In most countries in the world, rsvp is the most important things for them. Why? From there we can actually planned our party smoothly. But as Malaysian tradition, rsvp will show that the person who invite is not sincere enough to have the guest to be in their party. As for my family, we do rsvp but my mom especially she said…”kalu nak buat kenduri kasi orang makan jangan kedekut” but the things is if let say you prepare food for 50 people but the guest attend is 100 people, where to get another 50 people catering in short time. Another pro of rsvp is no wastage happen. You will know exactly how much you want to prepare the food.

Birthday card with rsvp instructions

So do please put rsvp into your invitation and if they did not give answer within a week. Please do call the list of people to confirm their attendance. This is the way that you may know how many people will come and can plan your baby activity. Too many will give headache and stress your baby. Especially when your baby is not really good with outsider people.

In their early stage of 1 year, they are learning communication and developing trust to outsider. If we did not count their development and feelings towards this situation, they definately feel frustated and started to make noise. You will not enjoy your party and you need to concerntrate to your baby only and the purpose of having chit chat with your friend will not happen. Guest will feel that their attendance is not importance.

Yes, people word can be sharp as knife but you as organizer need to be firm. I had once people talk behind me about my wedding. I believe that I have invited all my friend, people that I know but if you were not in my invitation, either I forget or I purposely not intend to invite you at my wedding. But mostly I managed to invite everbody only a few that I really forget and lost contact with my dear friends…..

Next week, favourite topic for all…choice of theme. I will posting lots and lots of picture related to party theme, contact of suppliers to get your party theme succesfull. And moms and bloggers out there watch out the black is coming to town!!!!

xoxoxo

Lydia Nasir aka Mama Rayyan

BUDGET is major problem for all of us. Even Bill Gates also facing same problem like us. Every that we planned must have min budget and max budget you can go for.

What is min budget? Min budget is when you can buy the item at certain rate whereas max budget is when the item price will not at your wish price but you can go to certain limit.

Budget will include of decoration item, caterings, entertaiment, door gift and snack to be served on that day. All this time will not have the same amount of budget. May be you would like your guest to enjoyed food and entertaiment. Some may consider door gift is the most important thing or decorations play number one role. Netherless it’s depend on you.

Decorations : Budget allocation

While planning for a theme, decoration will play the most important role. It will determine the theme is sucessfully convert from sketech idea to real things. In Malaysia, we still don’t have strong base for DIY. But most of the countries especially europe or america, they able to create to design and DIY things by their own.

Don’t spend to much on getting the theme look like a theme party, but intergrate idea of the theme with your creativity and imaginary. To plan a 1st birthday party boy/girl you have to be like one. The goal is to make the baby happy n enjoyed not to stress him out and turned the party to be adult party!

Party Place : Budget Allocation

There are many choices on the location where you want to conduct your party. It can be at the hall, in your house, garden, restaurant or cafe, hotel or special place like ice skating ring. There are some pro and cons about those choices.

There are plenty restaurant and cafe who willing the organize your party and suprisingly the price is relative reasonable. I can suggest you a few which is in Klang Valley area.

1. MISS READ contact Mr Kelvin Lai (Director of Sales) 03-9221 8266  kelvin@delicious.com.my Their catering menu start from RM50++ per person…super delicious menu offer!

2. Mc Donald- They have package A & B. I will show you their party pack later. Person to contact is their party planner in each store. As for who staying near Gombak you may proceed to contact person incharge in Titiwangsa Branch-very nice lady

3. A&W petaling Jaya. Their offer very good deal for part package. Price starting from RM600nett including A&W bear, food and staff to entertain your kids.

4. Group Base Catering. if you guys want to do the party at your own house. I highly recommended this catering group. I’ve used this catering for Baby Rayyan Majlis Cukur Jambul & Aqiqah. This catering was recomended by my mom friend. They food is super delicious and price really reasonable. May be this time I will used them as official caterer.

5. Hotel Ballroom. When you have extremely thick notes in your pocket, you can choose this option. Your baby birthday party will definately be party of the year!

But remember, from all of the option given above. The most important is your baby happiness and the guest. Make sure every location that you choose will not hassle both party.

Please do email me if you have any question regarding anything that you have in mind.

I will also feature some of the party shop inclusive mine collection for sale  in Malaysia especially Kuala Lumpur itself. So you can have great party planned at lower cost.

WEEK ONE : MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!

Rule number one in every party, wedding or anything that include planning-please bear in mind that not everybody can attend your party or wedding if you don’t choose the correct date. It happened to my frens. Party on Saturday-only  a few can attend because some may work on that day. So careful mark your calendar and ask around whether they able to come. Tentatively book all your friend even if you friends label you as silly planner.

When you should tentatively book your friend? Basically, one month before the event. It can two month. In order words spread unofficial news about ur party. Like I’m doing like now. Baby Rayyan party tentatively will be on 30th of May 2010. Please do make urself free coz dat that will be amazing and super delicious food to be served.(advertised for a while )

Mark your calendar also means that you need to know how long do you need to plan the party to be sucessful. Some may say, why want to spend so much time on it. U never know because many things can happen and remember you are spending more time at the office compare to home. So mark your calendar every week for progress that you have made.

As for now another 2 months to go and I have got all the quotation for food, favors, entertainers, decorations and also some things that need to be design. So basically I have done 40% from the party planning job. 0% on party job.

Actually at this stage, you should surf the internet for party theme, party supplies and few things that you will need.

There are a few party shop in Malaysia which offer good stuff for party. List of shop as below :

1. PARTY SHOP MALAYSIA   http://www.partyshopmalaysia.com 

     KOTA KINABALU,SABAH

2. ABSOLUTPITCH  http://www.absolutpitch.com/services.html

    JALAN BUKIT BINTANG, KUALA LUMPUR

3. BUGS PARTY http://www.bugsparty.com/

4. BALLOONS BOUQUETS (Bangsar & Ampang Point)

5. PARTY BALLOONS (IKANO & Mont Kiara)

6. PARTY GADGETS (7th FLOOR, BERJAYA TIME SQUARE)

7. International Website that offer reasonable party item & shipping to Malaysia

Mark your calendar also give urself a proper timeline, when this surfing or anything to be done. Not to say exact date but u have an idea when u should have all the quotation in your hand.

Next week I will update on the list of things that need to be done and concerntrate. I will show u guys how to make invitation card. Simple but yet adorable…..

**forget to tell..for those who following my blog… every week I will post a key word for you to open a teasure box. What inside it? Suprise!!!!! Where is the key word..pls check ur self.

On the Rayyan birthday party, I will announce the winner.  

Untill then…

XOXOXOX

Lydia Nasir