Because EVERY child deserves The Magic of a Princess
Award winning princess party entertainment in Norfolk/Cambridgeshire
(Covering Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and parts of Suffolk)
How do you plan the "Perfect Party"?
Over the last 7 years as a Mummy and almost 4 years as a Party Princess I have come to learn what works and what doesn't work at children's birthday parties. Of course, it is not a one size fits all scenario, but, to help any first time party planners in creating an amazing and engaging party for their precious little ones, and their family and friends, we have created a little list of helpful tips to keep your party running smoothly and your stress as low as possible!
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All comments below are simply advice, based on our previous experiences and what has and hasn't worked before for us, as professionals in party entertainment, running events, and our own personal parties too.
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If you are looking for a complete solution please head to our Party Host packages which include a party host from the start to end of your party to help run everything as smoothly as possible!
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So sit back with a cuppa and let us help you to create birthday memories to last a lifetime!
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Helpful hints and tips, and things to consider, to get the most out of your party!
Budget!
Plan Ahead!
Choose your party time wisely!
Party Length Matters!
Check with your venue!
Themes, Decor and Party Bags!
Decor and Balloons!
Entertainment and Games!
Bouncy Castles and Face Painters!
Engage...
Have a back up plan
Village Hall Essentials!
Cake!
Invitations!
Despite what Instagram and TikTok tells you, parties can be as big or small, as extravagant or intimate as you choose. Setting yourself a manageable budget from the start not only keeps your party within your reach, but also helps to manage your own expectations. You can still have an amazing party without getting into debt <3
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And did you know that we only require a 25% deposit to secure a character visit- with the remaining 75% due the day before your party. We take payment via BACs or card online!
Lots of venues, vendors and families will plan their next year up and dates will fill up fast! We recommended contacting your entertainment and venue to ensure you can secure the date you would like for your party FIRST. Factor in seasonal things like Halloween, Christmas and Summer Holidays, religious holidays or significant dates (Such as Fathers Day, Mothers Day and Remembrance Sunday), Bank Holidays and Half Terms. We receive a lot of booking requests 2-3 weeks before the party date, and we are often fully booked this close to a date. You can always change your venue from a home to a venue or vice versa, but once we are fully booked, we are fully booked. We often have dates secured 6 months into the future.
To avoid additional costs for food, avoid party times that cross over meal times such as 12-2pm or 4-6pm. This could increase your costs! If you are choosing to host a party across a meal time, factor in allergens, meal prep, consumables, and time where any entertainment planned will be paused while your guests eat. Our package times are the entire duration that we are at your party for and if this includes a food break it can hinder our time with your party guests. We have some fantastic suggestions on buffet and food ideas, just email us for any recommendations on themes or catering companies that specialise in children's parties!
Choosing your party length (the duration your party will run for) is extremely important. We have found that 2-3 hours is more than adequate for a birthday celebration, and any longer than this can cause children to tire or become disinterested.
Some venues do not allow bouncy castles, bubble machines, or certain ages for parties, so do check ahead of time what they will and won't allow. It is also worth checking what set up time is included in the hire price as some venues will include 30 mins either side of your booking time to set up and clear away. This will help to keep your hire costs down, and utilise your time wisely! Do also check for things like available parking, kitchen facilities, power outlets and whether they allow decorations to be put on ceiling or walls.
Not everyone wants a huge party with a big theme and loads of elements, and believe it or not, it is not necessary to create a special occasion for your little ones! We offer home visits, where we can cater to any party size or home size and create wonderful memories for the entire party (adults included!) at a much reduced cost!
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If you do choose to theme your party, think about decor- balloons, table settings, food, and party bags. But here's a statement: NOT ALL PARTIES NEED A PARTY BAG. There- we said it! Did you know that at all 1 hour bookings and above, we offer a party favour for every child? Often these will be our star wands, popstar sunglasses or can be a small sweet treat. Why not use this as your party favour for each guest and save time/money? Win win.
On the subject or decor and balloons- did you know that one of our princesses Kylie runs her own balloon company? From bespoke balloon towers, numbers and arches, we can include this in your party package with us! Just mention it on your booking enquiry form and we can chat to discuss your requirements and add it to your quote! One payment, one supplier, easy peasy.
When booking your entertainment, think about what will give your children the most enjoyment for the duration of your party. Sometimes, a self serve craft table, buffet and music are more than adequate. But if you are looking to reduce your stress and organisation, let us handle the party games and entertainment. Our trained professionals, whether Princesses, Super Heroes or Toddler Characters, will play age appropriate games for your entire party size to include all children, and offer prizes where relevant. Games will be themed to your chosen character (or theme if choosing a Party Host) and you also have the option to add on a box pass the parcel free of charge on parties of 60 minutes or more, or a wrapped pass the parcel for a small additional cost (with none of the stress!)
We all love a bouncy castle and having our face painted. But did you know that most bouncy castle hire companies will not allow face paint or glitter of any kind on their castles? This is absolutely a must ask question if you are planning to have a bouncy castle.
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Letting it go.....(down)
Let's talk about the elephant (or rather castle) in the room. We have performed at enough parties to know that bouncy castles are a major distraction from our characters at 99% of parties. Not to mention, their generators are extremely loud. So we do ask, that when booking our services, that any bouncy castles are deflated for the duration of our appearance. Not only does it stop the distraction for children from our part in your celebration, but it also massively decreases noise and makes it easier for our well trained performers to be heard and appreciated. Why spend money on a magical moment to have it spoilt by a loud generator? We have found that this works best and also they inflate so quickly; that once your princess or character has completed their package, that the children are soon able to bounce to their hearts content without missing any of the princess fun!
If you've seen one of our performers before, you'll know how well we interact with children and adults alike for our entire visit. We take the magic making very seriously, as the princess years are short; so help us to keep that magic alive by respecting our performers, and keeping noise to a minimum when our performers are singing and engaging if we ask you to! There is nothing more beautiful than to see parents dancing with and having a great time with their children at a party.
We are very fortunate to have gotten to know many of you over the years but please do always call our characters by their names and not the individual performers names (which they will never respond to anyway as we will NEVER break character!)
If you are planning a summer party that will be outside or partially outside, always have a back up plan/space for if it rains! This also applies to high winds as many vendors like bouncy castles, glitter bars or performers will be unable to perform their services outside in high winds.
Having run very many private and public events, here are a list of items not to forget when hosting your own birthday party or celebration at a village hall:
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Bin Bags, Cake Knife/Slice, Lighter/Matches, Candles! Dish Cloths, ​Tea Towels, Washing Up Liquid, Foil or Napkins (for cake/food covering), Scissors, Pins or Blue Tack, Bluetooth Speaker, Table Cloths (wipe clean), napkins, plates, cups and cutlery, tea spoons (for coffees!), Jugs for juice, paper cups, wet wipes for toilets for little ones, hand sanitiser for tables, hands on deck to help you clear up at the end! Don't forget to create your party playlist before hand too!
Homemade or shop bought, individual cupcakes or custom 3 tier, most children like a cake on their birthday! We know some amazing cake makers locally, so if you are in doubt just ask and we can make some great tried and trusted recommendations!
Now that you've put all your hard work into creating a beautiful party; don't forget to invite people! No- you don't have to invite that family member you hardly see, and no, you don't have to invite the whole school class! Invite who you choose, and do so for the best cost by creating a digital invite and sending it on WhatsApp, or text! Save your money on printing and save those trees too :) Our favourite for design is Canva!