Nicolle of Libby Lane Press here to share my own little cowgirl’s 5^th Coral and Lavender Pony Party!

My daughter, Sophia has had an affinity for horses since she was 2 so when she finally reached the age where we could host her party at a local stable she was ready to get a jump on the planning long before her celebration. Since horse-themed parties tend to be a popular trend I started to brainstorm ways we could incorporate the vintage flair that I love with  a modern feel, so we opted for a less traditional coral, lavender and chartreuse color palette with pops of black rod iron for a more equestrian feel.

PARTY HIGHLIGHTS to look out for:

• Ruffled tiered buttercream cake with elegant fondant flower and birthday girl’s favorite pony as a topper
• Personalized, Pre-packaged bakers box lunches adorning the table
• Gorgeous ruffled linen tablecloth with fabric flower bunting
• Darling horse cakepops wearing bows and coordinating cookies to match the party invitation

Color Pallet & Inspiration

Long before the table is sketched and the shopping begins I envision the color palette and overall look for an invitation. I adore the look of embellished paper designs so we opted for a flourish die-cut invitation with a wooden button and burlap ribbon to send to Sophia’s guests. I lined the envelopes with Rifle Paper wrapping paper sheets and printed to and from address information on the color coordinated envelopes in the fonts and colors that matched the invitation perfectly. The invitation had the vintage modern look that I was striving for and set the tone for the rest of the party designs and décor.

The Dessert Table

Second to the invitation, the dessert table is a favorite focal point that I like to plan out piece-by-piece well in advance. I do not use any fancy technology or tablets, but rather good old fashioned paper and pencil. I start with the table I plan to use and draw an overall layout that involves placement, heights and display pieces that will be needed. Using this rough sketch I determine how to incorporate the sweet treats that we all love!

I chose to use the ruffled linen tablecloth that I had made for my very first styling project to add not only texture, but also a muted color tone. I added the shabby-chic fabric flower embellished bunting from CalicoCaprice to brighten the natural look.

Once the tablecloth was chosen I contacted the talented and equally sweet Fresh of Fresh Bakes, and she created an elegant ruffled layered buttercream cake with a big coral fondant flower and chartreuse center that coordinated perfectly with the aesthetic of the event. I also sent her a very general idea of a horse cake pop I was dreaming of and she took the idea and ran! The girly horse cake pops adorned with flowers had to be possibly the cutest things I have ever seen! The ruffled cake paired with Sophia’s favorite horse figurine and a simple little bunting I made with ric-rac and twigs was breathtaking. Even guests commented how hard it was going to be to cut the beautiful cake (until they actually took a bite!).

I had the pleasure of meeting Nicole from Salsa Sweets and boy am I happy about this collaboration. I shared all of the party details with Nicole and she dreamt up the perfect addition to this stunning table. The horse cookies were like works of art. The horse head cookie even had a flower to match the cake pops and several were flourish-shaped to coordinate with the invitation design. Nicole’s attention to detail was show-stopping down to the addition of the #5 and Sophia’s name on the plaque cookies.

One of the fun additions to the table was Little Debbie Oatmeal Pies. Yes, you read it correctly — the individually packaged oatmeal cookies with icing in the middle. I thought they would coordinate nicely (not to mention easy), so I bought them, unwrapped each and packaged in cello bags with washi tape and bakers twine and placed next to the mini-banana bread loaves in gingham paper cones. Between the wooden tiered stand and embellished Wooden Berry Baskets, our treats looked divine.

The vintage crate used as a cake stand, authentic blue Ball Mason jar and flour sifter used as vases are all antiques and repurposed from my family. These subtle nods to the past always make the celebration even more meaningful.

I do not typically have the honor of using professional flowers at my children’s events, however Stacy of Blush Floral Design Studio was kind enough to create a gorgeous mix of salmon-pink roses, white ruffled peonies, hydrangeas, lilac and babies breath to complement the dessert table. Stacy chose each flower with the overall look in mind and she was right on target. We had enough gorgeous blooms to sprinkle them throughout the party. What a treat!

The Lunch Table

It was a perfect day for picnic dining so our little cowboys and cowgirls each found their seat at the table with their personalized, pre-packaged bakers box lunch. I am a fan of ease when it is time for guests to eat; so pre-packaging each child’s lunch is something I love to do ahead of time if I can. Each bakers box contained a sandwich cut with a flower cookie cutter, pretzels and a bag of apples. Lemonade was served in mason jars with daisy-cut lids.

Party Attire

• A HUGE thank you to Kristina from Modern Frills for yet again creating the most adorable shirt for Sophia’s party.
• Kristina is a Libby Lane Press go-to for party attire and you can see why.
• My talented and always-helpful friend, Amy sewed Sophia’s skirt literally hours before the party. I am one lucky gal!

Party Favors

Sophia loves picking out favors for her friends, so each cowgirl received a pretty pony pendant necklace displayed in a pink velvet horse-head shaped box. It was such a hit! The boys received Bullseye, the horse from Toy Story, figurines.