Please recommend your venue for First Birthday Party

[Anonymous]

DS is turning 1 in February. We are currently looking for a venue that can accomodate 50 people for lunch. We have a budget between 1000-1500 and are looking for venues in Tysons Corner/Reston/Herndon/Chantilly/Centreville.
If any parents on DCUM can recommend a good venue we would greatly appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with cake and balloons at your house?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you're looking for a restaurant type setting. A restaurant wouldn't be the best place for a 1st birthday party, because one year olds don't tend to like to sit quietly at a table for any period of time. Plus, restaurants aren't baby-proofed, and you'd constantly be chasing after your child as she wandered the restaurant and getting in the way of waiters carrying heavy trays filled with hot foods.

If you're planning on inviting other children of a similar age, I'd avoid restaurants. It's much more pleasant to have a party at home, where there are plenty of toys to offer distraction and kids can have the freedom to crawl and toddle and walk around.

Catering might be a good option. I like the catering done by Uncle Julio's (Rio Grande Cafe).

[Anonymous]

Rent a fire hall or something like that.

[Anonymous]

I also agree with pps. Can't you cater something at your house? With my twins first birthday, we had to plan the party around their naps or else they would be totally cranky and the party would not be fun for anyone. Your house is already babyproofed and your kids won't have to sit in a high chair for hours like they would in a restaurant setting.

If you really don't want it at your house, I would look into a hall over a restaurant - that way you can bring toys and set up your own play space.

[Anonymous]

This is a joke, right? $1500 has to be a joke. What are you going to do for the 16th birthday? If this is not a joke, put the money in his/her college fund. If you want to have a party with 50 of your friends and relatives, go ahead, but don't pretend it's a birthday party for the kid, because it's not -- he either won't be awake or he'll melt down part way through. And he certainly isn't going to understand and remember.

[Anonymous]

Is the birthday party for the child or parents?

[Anonymous]

Cater at your home. That way you can put your son to nap when he inevitably gets fussy.

[Anonymous]

Hey haters, if the parents want to spend the money, that's their choice! Cool down!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey haters, if the parents want to spend the money, that's their choice! Cool down!

First pp here. I am all for spending a lot of money on parties and celebrations. For me, it was more about the fact that a 1 year old is not going to enjoy lunch out at a restaurant. It is just silly for a first birthday ...

[Anonymous]

For this amount you could rent a private room at most restaurants which might solve the problem of kids not wanting to sit through the whole meal. Try Maggianos in Tysons Galleria or some of the places in Reston Town Center.

[Anonymous]

Seriously? We're having a first bday party at our house tomorrow with cupcakes and bagels. Total cost - $50. Why on earth would you spend so much money on this?

[Anonymous]

Excuse me. I'm not the OP but I can't wait for DD to turn one so I can celebrate.

Yes, it's for me. For being awake all night with her, for all the pain I went through, for all the moments we shared, for all the lessons DD has taught me.

DD is only 6mo old but I'm already thinking about it. I wish I could spend that much but my budget won't keep me from celebrating the way I want. It's a victory for us to have accomplished all this and we want to celebrate.

Our friends were very supportive, great helping hands. They deserve a real meal. Bagels, seriously? I want more, our friends deserve more. In the end who's paying the bill? Mind your own business, you bunch of bitter, women. You're jealous.

I'm glad to know none of you haters will be there to enjoy with us. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

PP here - I get the desire to celebrate for the mom. It took me 3 years, 3 m/cs, and IVF to finally have DS. I'm overjoyed to be a year out, but that doesn't mean spending an appalling amount of money on a birthday party. It's not jealousy - it's knowing that people all around us are struggling for basics and if you have the kind of income that allows you to spend like this, then help out others less fortunate, or at least put it into a savings fund for your child.

And, as a Jew, good bagels and lox is considered quite the treat, and completely appropriate!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Excuse me. I'm not the OP but I can't wait for DD to turn one so I can celebrate.

Yes, it's for me. For being awake all night with her, for all the pain I went through, for all the moments we shared, for all the lessons DD has taught me.

DD is only 6mo old but I'm already thinking about it. I wish I could spend that much but my budget won't keep me from celebrating the way I want. It's a victory for us to have accomplished all this and we want to celebrate.

Our friends were very supportive, great helping hands. They deserve a real meal. Bagels, seriously? I want more, our friends deserve more. In the end who's paying the bill? Mind your own business, you bunch of bitter, women. You're jealous.

I'm glad to know none of you haters will be there to enjoy with us. Thanks!

How do you know? I might be a friend of yours. Your friends are not going to tell you to your face, but they think your big 1st birthday bash is ABSURD! They will laugh at you and grumble about having to go and having to get your kid another gift. Seriously. And your DD is going to be so fussy about the big party. I'm not bitter and I have the money. My wedding cost $250,000, which a lot of people would think is ridiculous, but it was a party for adults and we felt it was worth it. Our DS's birthday will be cupcakes and light snacks with only our familes in attendance. Not becaue of the money, but because that's about all the party DS can probably handle.