First birthdays
The party we are asked for most. Smash cake, high chair, a backdrop for the photos, and a layout that works for newborns and great-grandparents in the same garden.
Party hats on
Kids’ birthday party planning in Los Angeles
We plan children’s birthday parties across Los Angeles, and first birthdays most of all. We design the theme, book the entertainment and the vendors, and set the whole party up, so you get to watch your child’s face instead of the clock.
Overview
A birthday that works for every age at the party
A first birthday is rarely a party for a one-year-old. It is a party for her cousins, her parents’ friends, the four-year-olds who arrive at full speed and the grandparents who want a chair in the shade. They cannot all use the same thing, so we plan the space before we plan a single balloon.
For Mila’s wildflower first birthday in Northridge we gave the backyard three jobs. A bounce house and ball pit at the back for the big kids, a soft play set for the babies, and a colouring table in the shade for everyone in between. The long tables ran down the middle so the parents could sit and still see all of it.
Her mum told us afterwards that the best part was getting to enjoy the party herself. That is most of what we are for.
What’s included
Kids’ party planning services
Every party gets its own mix. These are the pieces we plan most often.
The bounce house, the cake, the performer and the rentals are billed to you directly by the people who supply them. Our price covers the planning, the design and the coordination, with no markup on anything you buy.
- Theme and concept, down to the cookies and the favours
- Backdrops, including built and layered ones
- Balloon garlands and installations
- Kids’ tables, dessert tables and place settings
- Entertainment: character performers, bubble shows, face painters
- Bounce houses, soft play and activity stations
- Signage, stationery direction and custom favours
- Caterer, baker and rental sourcing
- Floor plan, play zones and a timeline
- Setup, event-day coordination and breakdown
The process
Planning a birthday party with us
Tell us about the birthday child
Their age, what they are obsessed with right now and roughly who is coming. A guest list of babies and school-age cousins changes the layout.
We design the theme
Mood board, colour palette, the backdrop, the table and the cake direction, with one round of changes. We carry a theme all the way through. For Santi’s trash-truck second birthday, the cake matched the truck from his favourite show right down to its face.
We line up the fun
On our planning packages we recommend vendors and help you compare them: bounce houses, soft play, performers, bakers and caterers. On The Bubbly Experience we book them, manage their arrival times and keep them on schedule.
We run the party
On The Bubbly Experience, Francie and Ruta set up, stay through the party and pack down what we installed. You get to be a guest at your own child’s birthday.
Occasions
Birthday parties we plan
Themed parties
Race cars, mermaids, trash trucks, wildflowers. Santi’s first birthday in Winnetka was a racing party built around a backdrop we made in three layers, with a curved race track across the front.
Pool parties
Celine’s under-the-sea third birthday in Woodland Hills was planned around the pool and a mermaid who brought a bubble show. A pool changes the layout first, so the food and the play area stay on the same side of it.
Big-kid and teen birthdays
Older children want a look they can be proud of, and they have opinions. We have planned a Great Gatsby party for a fourteenth birthday.
The Bubbly Files
Birthday parties from The Bubbly Files
Real parties we planned and styled. Each photo links to the full story.
“Amazing party planners. I used bubbly socal girls to plan my daughters 14th birthday and they delivered a beautiful great gatsby theme party and it was amazing from set up to clean up.”
Working with us
Two moms who have been the host
Bubbly started with the parties we planned for our own families. We know what the morning of a birthday feels like when you are also the parent.
On The Bubbly Experience we are at the party from setup to pack down. We are also the two people who planned it, so nothing gets lost in a handover.
Service area
Kids’ parties across Los Angeles County
Our home is the San Fernando Valley, and the birthdays in The Bubbly Files were in Northridge, Winnetka and Woodland Hills. We plan parties anywhere in Los Angeles County with no travel charge.
Backyards, indoor playgrounds and park picnic areas all work. Parks and venues usually need a permit and have rules about bounce houses and decorations, so tell us where early and we will plan inside them.
Ways to work together
Our packages
Three ways to work together on a birthday, depending on how much of the party you want to hand over.
The Pop Blueprint
Event design
Starting at$500
You have the ideas, and we turn them into one cohesive celebration. You get a complete creative plan you can bring to life yourself.
- Design consultation
- Custom mood board and color palette
- Theme and concept development
- Tablescape design
- Backdrop, balloon and focal-area concepts
View everything included
- Dessert-table styling plan
- Signage and stationery direction
- Curated décor and rental recommendations
- One design revision
- Final celebration design guide
You handle: Purchasing, vendor communication, setup and event-day execution.
Start with thisThe Spark Partnership
Planning and design
Starting at$1,000
For the client who wants professional guidance all the way through planning, but is comfortable running the celebration day.
- Everything in The Pop Blueprint
- Personalized planning checklist
- Preliminary event budget
- Vendor recommendations for up to five categories
- Assistance reviewing vendor proposals
View everything included
- Rental recommendations and quantity guidance
- Floor plan and guest-flow plan
- Event-day timeline
- Vendor contact and delivery schedule
- Three planning meetings
- Ongoing email support while you plan
You handle: Signing vendor agreements, vendor payments, setup, event-day management and breakdown.
Start with thisThe Bubbly Experience
Full-service planning & production
Starting at$2,000
Hand us the details and be fully present for the celebration. We plan it, design it, and bring it all together on the day.
- Everything in The Spark Partnership
- Complete styling and setup of approved décor elements
- Founder-led event-day coordination by Francie and Ruta
- Onsite for setup, the celebration and breakdown
- Full vendor sourcing and quote comparison
View everything included
- Vendor communication and coordination
- Budget tracking
- Rental coordination
- Site visit or walkthrough
- Detailed floor plan and production timeline
- Final vendor confirmations
- Vendor arrival and delivery management
- Breakdown of Bubbly-installed décor
The starting price covers a local social celebration of up to about 50 guests. Larger events, additional locations, extensive installations or longer coverage are custom quoted.
Start with thisAlready planned it and just need the day run? That is The Final Pop.
Package pricing covers Bubbly's professional planning, design and coordination services. Décor, rentals, florals, balloons, catering, entertainment, printing and other vendor services are purchased separately. Final pricing is based on guest count, location, event complexity and coverage required. Travel is included for celebrations within Los Angeles County. Events outside Los Angeles County may receive a customized travel quote based on location and the onsite visits required. Read our FAQ for deposits, timelines and what happens if it rains.
Good questions
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should we book a kids’ party planner?
Eight to ten weeks before the party is the sweet spot, and a little more for a spring Saturday. If your date is sooner, ask anyway, and we will tell you honestly whether we can do it justice.
Can you book the entertainment?
Yes. On The Bubbly Experience we source and book performers, bounce houses and soft play, and manage their arrival on the day. On The Spark Partnership we recommend vendors in up to five categories and help you compare their proposals.
Do you plan first birthdays?
More than anything else. We plan the smash cake, the high chair, the photo backdrop and a layout that works for babies and grandparents at the same party.
Can the party be at a park or an indoor playground?
Yes. Santi’s second birthday was at an indoor playground in Northridge. Parks and venues set their own rules on permits, bounce houses and decorations, so tell us the place early and we will plan inside them.
Everything else is on the full FAQ
Let’s celebrate
Planning a celebration in Los Angeles?
Tell us about your event and let Bubbly SoCal bring the details together.
Start planningBased in the San Fernando Valley, available across Southern California, from Santa Barbara to San Diego.