Aiden & Ian's Star Wars Birthday Party

Hi everyone! 

So here's my attempt at writing about Aiden and Ian's Star Wars birthday party, held back in April. (More than 4 months ago... Aaaccckkk!!)

I've split the blog post into two parts. One especially dedicated for the DIY party details (this one), while the other for the party event. As usual, vendor credits included at the end of the post.

In case you missed it, I previously blogged about DIY-ing the BB8 piñata, the light sabers and also the tedious effort in making the Millennium Falcon birthday cake. Click on the links to read more.

Let's start with the invite. As usual, I struggled with the guest list. I had too many people to cram under roof, and Aiden had his own list of friends he wanted to invite too. We ended up prioritizing his friends (it is his birthday after all) plus close family and friends. We distributed invites via Whatsapp. (Hey, we even installed our offshore platform using Whatsapp!) We found a very patient and capable photographer at Littlebigshots, who took pictures of the boys in their Star Wars outfits. I then added the invitation wording from an online Star Wars Font Generator.

The invite.

Moving on to the actual day. Before we start, let me clarify something. Hubby was quite specific about not using actual human form characters for decorations. (He thought it would be a bit weird to use Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harisson Ford) or Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) on printables.) Which was why I ended up using the masked form of Darth Vader, Kylo Ren and Stromtroopers for the dessert table. Due to this, I couldn't use the standard black and yellow colours - synonymous tones of the Star Wars rebels. Instead, I used blue, red and black to match the colours of the Galactic Empire. The dessert table ended up looking like a tribute to the dark side. *giggles* But it worked beautifully, as we all dressed up as characters of the Jedi Knights, ever ready to take down the reign of the First Order.

The Kizsport cheerful walls didn't really match the whole somber mood that I wanted to portray with my dessert table, but I didn't think that they would allow me to paint the walls grey :P

Let's get to the tables and chairs. You can ask the Kizsport management about how kiasu I was about the whole layout... *chuckles* I even measured the size of the tables to make matching place mats. I used an image I found on the internet, and then added the wording I generated from the online Star Wars Font Generator. Printed them in A3 size, and it fitted perfectly!

Next, I found a light saber printable online, and printed the 'hilt bottom' (not top) portion and wrapped them around Ikea napkins, to make it look like napkin light sabers. Similarly, I found an R2D2 printable for the cups, but instead of sticking it all around, I saved time (and stickers) by just sticking them to the front. Completed the table setting by placing Darth Vader and Stormtrooper masks on each individual table.

Personalized place mats, light saber napkins and R2D2 cups in action.

Darth Vader and Stormtrooper masks for all guests. Masks from GM Klang.

Next up, goodies for the kids. Other than the masks on the table (which ran out pretty quickly because the adults pun pau satu dua), each child received a pool noodle light saber and a goody bag. It was so fun watching the kids running around and chasing each other, brandishing their plush light sabers. For the goody bags, I used an R2D2 image on blue paper bags, and a Stormtrooper mask image on black paper bags. I filled each bag with a small box of Star Wars Lego and a Star Wars figurine (like the one on the cake). For babies, instead of figurines I gave them a Stormtrooper 'stress ball'. As part of the party deal, Kizsport also provided goody bags, filled with tidbits and a sand color activity sheet.

Pool noodle light sabers. Kizsport goody bags in the background.

Star Wars goody bags. Forgot to take a photo of the black Stormtrooper ones!

And now for costumes. I bought Aiden's Jedi costume from the DIY Parties & Fun group on Facebook. The costume was an ingenious idea by a member; using a baju melayu as a base, she added the V collar to the tunic. Complemented the whole look with tabards (sash) using faux leather. I thought I was going to copy the outfit for Ian, but in the end I got lazy and ordered Ian's Luke Skywalker outfit from Dallapaperie. She also has Star Wars costumes for rental, so Hubby became a Jedi Grand Master. As for me, I didn't fancy becoming Princess Leia so I ended up assembling my own outfit as Rey. I pinched some grey fabric into pleats and sewed them to a white top as tabards. I made my own belts and arm wraps using faux leather from Fabric Fanatics. Army green pants and boots. I didn't have time to make Rey's bag so wallet-on-chain pun bolehlah.

Ian 'Luke' Skywalker. Hubby's outfit even included a matching robe! Original Star Wars light saber from ToysRUs. Tipu ones from GM Klang.

A very decent looking Rey *chuckles*

Now.... my pride and joy (as usual), the dessert table. I designed the banner myself, again using an existing image off the internet and wording using the same Star Wars Font Generator. Banner and standees (Darth Vader and Stormtrooper) printed by Partyhaus. My only regret was that the banner was too small. As a rule of thumb, it should be wider than the size of the table. I found a Star Wars printable set online and using some basic editing, I made matching food tags, water tags, candy wrappers andddd a forgotten pennant banner. *hhmmmpphhh* 

The dessert table. Would have been nicer if I didn't forget to put on the pennant banner!

A closeup of the layout.

Starting from the left - Stormtrooper marshmallows. I drew these individually, using edible black food marker.

Vanilla cupcakes, adorned with light saber cupcake picks. If you noticed, I glued a black piece of fabric behind the cupcake stand to resemble Darth Vader's cape. The eyes of the Darth Vader mask actually lights up, but in all the fuss I forgot to turn them on. *smacks forehead* 

Mint Sabers! I painstakingly hand cut blue and red stickers to wrap around individual mentos sticks. Glued a light saber printable at the bottom end.

Three batches of mini macarons (and never enough).

The middle of the table. Personalized Kit Kat too. 

Hubby's pride and joy - the Millenium Falcon. Read about this epic birthday cake, here! Hubby wanted the cake to look like it's afloat on a desert, so I slathered the cake board to edge with liquid glucose (as adhesive), and covered it with crushed graham crackers to look like sand. Pipe supports were used to hold the cake up.

I love how the Imperial Army stood guard in front of the birthday cake. All figurines purchased from GM Klang.

Proof that the Millenium Falcon was actually a cake!

Fondant R2D2 cookies. It took me nearly half a night to cut those small individual fondant pieces...

The right side of the table. Chocolate covered Oreos, topped with Darth Vader shaped fondant pieces.

Push pop cakes. I used an R2D2 printable to cover the case. On the right, a photo of Aiden and Ian during their earlier photoshoot... Ian was Darth Vader!

Since it was soooo hard to get single coloured M&Ms (at a decent price, at least), I ended up buying huge packets of M&Ms and picking out the blues and the reds (and eating the rest). Filled it into plastic test tubes and covered the base using a piece of pipe wrapped in a light saber printable.

Party entertainment was provided as part of the party deal with Kizsport. Syed from the Bangsar Village branch is an absolute godsent - he managed over 50 kids all on his own! From getting the kids lined up for the Star Wars entrance march led by Aiden, to cake cutting, to party games, to hitting the BB8 pinata; I left it all to him. He also allowed us to blast Star Wars music all day long in the party room, so guests had to endure hearing the Imperial March playing on loop. *giggles*

On the floor beside the Stormtrooper standee, laid our BB8 pinata, and a jet fighter which was a birthday present from Kizsport to Aiden. 

Aiden whacking BB8, while Darth Vader looks on. Yes, I made the pinata stick to look like a light saber too!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post, where I'll (hopefully!) share photos from the event itself. But deep down I know, you're actually more interested in this post, kan kan kan? *giggles*

Thanks for reading!

And a hugeeeeee thank you to everyone who came! (How the heck did we fit everyone in??!!)

Vendor credits and links:

• Invite and poster photos from Littlebigshots
• Font for invite, A3 placemats and banner from Star Wars Font Generator
• Light saber printable (napkin and mint) from Disney Family
• R2D2 printable (for cups and pop cakes) from Catch My Party
• Darth Vader and Stormtrooper masks from GM Klang
• Star Wars costumes by Dallapaperie
• Star Wars banner and standees by Partyhaus
• Candy bar wrapper printable (repurposed into food tags too)
• Water bottle printable
• Push pop printable
• Official party photos by Louis Gan Photography
• Star Wars title typeface generator
• Star Wars milk cartons
• Star Wars crawl creator
• Hi-resolution Force Awakens posters
• Star Wars Jedi font
• DIY Star Wars balloon tie-fighters
• Star Wars party ideas