How to Throw a Beautiful Pastel Princess Carnival Birthday Party

Celebrating my girls is always special, but this year was extra meaningful as we celebrated not just one, but three of my daughters’ birthdays with a Pastel Princess Carnival! 🎠👑 I wanted to create a celebration that truly reflected the joy they bring into our lives. It was a day filled with love, fun, and unforgettable moments, all wrapped up in soft pastel colors. Here's how I pulled it off!

A Memorable Celebration with Thoughtful Decorations

The theme was all about light, happy colors and creating a sense of joy. The girls wore matching pastel dresses that were just as dreamy as the party itself. Seeing them twirl around in their princess outfits was one of the sweetest highlights of the day. 💖

The photos in this post were taken by @KeniParksPhotography 

When it came to decorations, I knew I wanted to create a space that felt like a fun carnival, while still being elegant and girly. Here’s how I decorated:

• Plates, Cups, and Party Favors: I used pastel-themed plates and cups, along with gift boxes filled with mini gumball machines, slinkys, and bubbles as party favors. The kids couldn’t get enough of the surprises inside!

• Wall Decor: To enhance the atmosphere, I hung a pastel pennant sign and a cheerful "Happy Birthday" sign above the party favor table. These added a festive touch that welcomed everyone to the celebration!

• Backdrop: The horse carousel backdrop from Amazon was the focal point of the setup, and I added a gold fringe curtains behind and around it to make it really pop.

• Tablescape: I placed the cupcakes in a ferris wheel to fit the theme, along with a good quality white tablecloth and pink ruffled table skirt to tie it all together. 

A Retro Touch: Gumball Machines & Cotton Candy Fun

One of the fun, retro elements of our Pastel Princess Carnival was the old-fashioned cotton candy machine. 🍭 It brought a nostalgic carnival vibe to the party, and the kids (and adults!) couldn’t get enough of the freshly spun cotton candy. This machine really added to the carnival experience and created a fun station that everyone loved!

In the party favor boxes, I included mini gumball machines (from TEMU) filled with pastel sixlets chocolate candy. 🎁 These adorable, colorful machines were a huge hit with the kids and perfectly fit the pastel theme. They made the perfect little mementos for the guests to take home and enjoy, adding a playful and sweet touch to the party favors. Adding these retro-inspired elements, like cotton candy and mini gumball machines, helped tie the whole carnival theme together, bringing a sense of nostalgia and fun to the celebration!

Custom Projects that Add a Personal Touch

One of the best parts of this party was being able to DIY a lot of the elements, making it feel more personal and budget-friendly:

• Popcorn & Candy Stand: I created a carnival-style popcorn and candy stand using boxes, styrofoam, cardboard, and gift wrapping paper. It was a fun project and really brought the carnival vibe to life. I got these cute little popcorn boxes from HERE.
• 3-Tier Cake: It was my first time making a 3-tier cake from scratch! I decorated it myself with a cute carousel cake topper (which my daughter got to keep as a toy!) and edible carousel horses made with modeling chocolate and silicone molds. The cake turned out beautifully, and the girls loved it. 🎂 I recommend this starter kit if it's the first time baking a cake yourself.

• Custom Pastel Carnival Sugar Cookies: A special party calls for special treats! I ordered custom pastel carnival-themed sugar cookies from a talented seller on Etsy, and they were not only beautiful but delicious. Each cookie was intricately decorated to match the carnival theme with horses, carousels, and pastel colors. These cookies added the perfect finishing touch to the dessert table, and the kids absolutely loved them! 🎠🍪

• DIY Carnival Sign:

  I made a custom carnival sign using wooden signs I painted, attached to a pole with a bath/shower rod and velcro strips. The kids loved it, and it added a personal touch to the decor!

Fun Carnival Games & Activities

There was plenty of fun to go around! Here are some of the games and activities that the kids loved:

• DIY Carnival Games: We set up bean bag toss, matching ducks in a pond, ping pong cans, and glitter tattoos. Most of the materials were either from the Dollar Tree or Amazon, which kept costs low.

• Bounce House & Pony Rides: The white bounce house was a huge hit and fit perfectly with the pastel theme. And the pony rides? They were the highlight of the day for the kids! 🐴🎠

A Heartfelt Thank You to Family & Friends

This party was truly a labor of love, and it wouldn’t have been the same without the help and support of our friends and family. A huge thank you to all the family who traveled from South Florida, my mom who drove down from Atlanta, and Ava’s god-mommy Maleeka, who flew all the way from Honolulu, Hawaii, to be with us. Your presence made this day even more special. 💕

And I can’t forget to give a shoutout to our amazing photographer, @KeniParksPhotography, who captured every precious moment of the day

How I Kept the Party Budget-Friendly

While it looked like a grand celebration, I made sure to keep costs manageable by incorporating a lot of DIY elements. From making the popcorn stand to baking the cake myself, these touches not only saved money but also made the day feel more personal.

If you’re planning your own pastel princess or carnival-themed party, don’t be afraid to mix DIY projects with store-bought items! I’ve linked some of the products I used to help you get started. 🎉

Click HERE to view the list of items I used.

In Conclusion

Planning this Pastel Princess Carnival for my girls was such a special experience. It’s a day they’ll remember forever, and I hope these tips and ideas help you create a special day for your little ones too! 🎠👑

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