When it came time to celebrate our daughter Isla’s first birthday, my husband and I knew we wanted to make it unforgettable. Being hardcore Harry Potter fans, it felt only fitting to immerse our guests in the magical world of Hogwarts for her first birthday party. Here’s how we turned our home into a spellbinding experience for Isla’s big day.
The inspiration behind the theme was simple—my husband and I are huge Harry Potter fans. I wanted our guests to feel like they were stepping straight into Hogwarts. To set the stage, I created a magical entrance by hanging a brick wall curtain over our main doorframe, complete with a Platform 9 3/4 sign. As guests walked through, they were transported into a world filled with flying keys, floating candles, and letters from Hogwarts.
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We initially planned to stick to a $500 budget, which included everything from food to decorations. However, we quickly realized that bringing Hogwarts to life would require a bit more. Our main splurge was on the decorations, which we handcrafted to ensure every detail matched our vision. To save on costs, we asked our parents to pitch in with the food, which allowed us to focus on creating an immersive experience. We took great care to ensure that all of our food matched the theme. We even created custom signs for each dish, adding a bit of fun to the feast.
We invited about 40 of our closest family members and friends, keeping it intimate yet lively. Hosting the party at our home made the experience even more personal, allowing us to easily transform our space into different areas of Hogwarts. The invitations were one of my favorite parts to create. Each one mimicked a letter from Hogwarts, complete with the recipient’s address printed on the envelope. This little touch made the invites feel special and set the tone for the magical day ahead. The decorations were the heart of the party.
We crafted nearly everything by hand, from the Platform 9 3/4 entrance to the flying keys and floating letters. It was a labor of love, but seeing our guests’ reactions made it all worth it. The room was filled with the warm glow of floating candles, and it truly felt like we had brought the magic of Hogwarts into our home. I’m thrilled to share that the items I created for Isla’s party are now part of a rentable event kit. If you’re planning your own Harry Potter-themed party, you can rent these decorations to bring the magic to life in your space. Head over to my website for more details on how to make your party as enchanting as ours!
While we didn’t ask our guests to dress up, my husband and I wore custom-made t-shirts, and we had two special onesies made for Isla. One was for the cake smash, and the other matched her Hogwarts house colors for after she was cleaned up. These little touches helped us feel connected to the theme without going overboard. The highlight was the smash cake, which I made myself. It featured three Quidditch hoops as a cake topper, and the filling was colored to match Isla’s Hogwarts house. Watching her dive into that cake was pure magic!
We wanted the focus of the party to be on catching up with our guests, but we did plan one special activity—a Harry Potter quiz using Kahoot. It was a huge hit! Most of our guests are Harry Potter fans, so the quiz turned into a fun, competitive moment. The winner received a gift bag filled with Harry Potter-themed prizes.
For such a special occasion, we hired Katie Skinner Photography to capture every magical moment. From the excitement on Isla’s face as she smashed her cake to the smiles of our guests as they walked through Platform 9 3/4, Katie captured it all beautifully. If I were to do it all over again, I’d add a Potion Making Station to keep our guests entertained while we changed Isla into a fresh outfit post-cake smash. I’d also suggest asking guests to dress up—it would have added even more magic to the day.
Party Favor Ideas for Your Harry Potter-Themed Party
Although we didn’t have party favors at Isla’s party, here are some ideas for anyone planning their own:
Mini Potion Bottles: Fill small glass bottles with colorful liquids to create your own potions.
Wands: Hand out wands to each guest as they arrive—perfect for casting spells!
House Scarves: Provide scarves in the colors of the four Hogwarts houses, so guests can show their house pride.
Chocolate Frogs: These sweet treats are a must for any Harry Potter party.
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