Ivy’s Mermaid 5th Birthday Party!
We recently celebrated my youngest daughter Ivy turning FIVE with the most magical Mermaid Birthday Party! She’s absolutely smitten with all things “under the sea,” so this theme was a natural fit. Think seashells, shimmering mermaid tails, iridescent bubbles, and of course… lots of celebration!
One of my favorite parts of hosting kids’ parties is finding ways to re-use party pieces. I always save décor from previous celebrations, just in case. (It’s my party-loving nature!) A few years back, my oldest daughter Blakely had a Mermaid Party too (see that party here!) so I was thrilled to pull out bins of seashells, tableware, and sparkly touches to reimagine them for Ivy’s special day. With a few fresh updates, the scene came together beautifully.
Every corner of the party felt sprinkled with a little mermaid magic, from the pastel flowers to the pearly details. I love capturing these sweet moments in photos because it’s often the little touches that make the biggest impact!
MERMAID FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS
Flowers are always my favorite party detail, and this one might be at the top of the list. My mom and I recreated the whimsical arrangements we made for Blakely’s mermaid celebration, but this time, we let them go bigger and taller since the party was outdoors.
Here’s how we created the “under the sea” look:
- Coral branches: Michaels and Hobby Lobby carry a variety of faux branches and stems. We spray-painted a few aqua for that coral reef vibe, and I just love how they turned out!
- Pink pampas grass: These fluffy stems instantly add a dreamy, ocean feel. They come in so many colors and are so easy to tuck into arrangements. Find the pink pampas grass here!
- Pearl necklaces: Draped casually among the flowers, they added instant under-the-sea sparkle. I used extras on the craft table and in the favor bags too! Find the ones I got from Amazon here!
- Flowers all came from Trader Joe’s. Truly nothing too expensive, but it’s all in choosing a variety of pastel colors and tucking in the extra goodies.
- Bubbles! We tucked in iridescent ornament balls (hooks removed) to look like floating bubbles. They caught the sunlight perfectly and tied everything together. Here are similar iridescent plastic ornament balls!
The end result was whimsical, colorful, and so “mermaid chic.”
MERMAID PARTY PLACE SETTINGS
I love a table that feels layered and magical, especially for kids’ parties. Here’s what we used:
- Plates: White dinner plates with dotted “pearl-like” edges, topped with iridescent pink plates, and finished with clam shell plates for that under-the-sea touch. I also grabbed these clam shell plates too for back-up!
- Cups + Napkins: Mermaid scale cups paired with adorable purple mermaid tail napkins tucked inside. Such a cute pop at each place setting!
- Table Linens: An aqua tablecloth set the scene with iridescent sequin table runners layered on top. (Saved from Blakely’s party…so glad I held onto them!)
It was a pearly, pastel dream from end to end!
MERMAID PARTY CRAFTS
We set up a few craft stations so the little mermaids could create their own treasures. These were such a hit:
- MERMAID BRACELETS: The kids strung colorful beads into bracelets. Pro tip: pre-cut and knot the string beforehand to make it easier for little hands. I used these kits here, and they were great!
- DECORATING TREASURE BOXES: These treasure boxes were a fun craft for all the little mermaids! I did spray paint them white, but you could easily recreate and skip that step. Then I set out paint pens (I loved these because you don’t have to prime them, the paint is ready to go out of the pen) and stick-on gems to let them decorate them to their heart’s content! They turned out SO cute!
To make the craft tables extra fun, we scattered plastic gemstones, rings, and “pirate treasure” down the center for the kids to collect and add to their creations.
The Mermaid Cake
For the cake, I kept things super simple (because sometimes easy really is best!). I ordered an 8-inch blue ombré cake from Publix and then dressed it up with the cutest set of fondant mermaid decorations I found on Etsy. Seashells, starfish, seaweed, and a few bubbles turned it into the perfect under-the-sea creation for Ivy’s big day. It looked custom, but it was truly the easiest party hack!
Finishing Touches
The beautiful balloon garland was made by Megan at King Party Pants here in Charleston. I loved how she added “pearl strand” balloons! It was the sweetest nod to our mermaid theme!
Between the pastel flowers, seashell details, and the kids’ smiles, this party was pure magic. Ivy was over the moon (or should I say over the sea) about her special day, and that’s all a Mom could ask for!
It was such a joy to celebrate Ivy turning five with the sweetest Mermaid Party! This under-the-sea celebration was filled with pastel flowers, pearly details, and plenty of magic, truly a birthday to remember.
If you’re planning a celebration of your own, be sure to check out some of our other children’s parties for even more inspiration:
Oh my gracious!! What a beautiful Mermaid Party! Ivy is a mighty lucky little lady!!!! Mom, (and grandmom)😉🫶🏻, totally did it “over the top”!!!! Sooo beautiful, Courtney… my best, Rinne