This is no ordinary children's party and deserves all the care and attention that my tired eyes can manage to muster at 10.30 at night whilst waiting for my pizza dough to rise, knowing that i've got to be up at 5am for a school circus day in Solihull. What better time to get my blog on. I always think it's a shame that my children's parties aren't captured on camera particularly well. Even with advancing smart phone cameras and attentive parents snapping away throughout the party sometimes the best moments don't translate well to photos. Particularly when you add into the mix my facial expressions and Lucas Jet speed movements, no camera is quick enough for me!
Until now...It was a Sunday a couple of weeks back. We were headed for a My Kid Atelier Party.
I have worked for these lovely ladies on about 4 or 5 different parties now. Each one has been as spectacular as the last. They are extra special children's party planners. We're talking 5* hotel parties, Chelsea Pizza Express fancy parties and even a Children's Party themed date party (yes that happened, I did a show for a couple who were on a date and wanted it to be children's party themed??? But one thing is consistent throughout all these parties. They are all styled to perfection with countless little touches to individualise the party and make sure it's a showstopper of an event to impress the most seasoned children's party parents. If you have big kids party dreams you would be wise to talk to these folks.
My Kid Atelier provide the everything in this picture as part of the package, the friendly team are on site hours before the party setting up all the finer things. The balloon arch and amazing circus cake add so much colour and fun to the room as a first impression for guests walking into the room.
Unusual Children's Party venues in London
We rolled up extra early to the beautiful grounds of Horniman Museum in Dulwich, London. We were early enough to stop and take in the scenery whilst enjoying a fab flat white coffee from the Sunday Artisan market. This was my 4th children's party in Dulwich and each one has been outstanding. I don't think any of them knew each other but they all seem to have the same great taste in children's entertainers.
The children's party venue is a beautiful light room with full panoramic windows and views over the gardens with a lovely balcony area. It's small enough to feel intimate but large enough to have plenty of fun.
I spoke to the staff at Horniman and they said they sometimes do 3 children's parties in a day on weekends so they are obviously a very popular choice and I can see why.
Capturing the magical moments of your little ones big day
Now we come to the real reason I have wrote this blog post. I've never felt so happy looking through pictures, actually maybe looking through our wedding pictures I was similarly emotional but this has recency bias. I just love these fantastic pictures that have been kindly shared with me by My Kid Atelier and their super talented photographer Karla Gowlett.
I can't share any of the pictures of the children's faces, but I'm so happy for the host family to have this whole album of their children enjoying one of the most special days of their little lives to date. Not to mention being able to send it to the parents of guests at the party. The emotion, wonder and pure enjoyment on their faces throughout the party gives off some magical pictures to cherish forever.
Karla has even managed to capture quite a few of my face that I look half decent in. I'd even say I look chiseled in one of the pictures but I don't want to put words in your mouth.
Without you seeing the pictures of the children's faces, it's difficult to articulate how lovely they are. But I guess from Karla's point of view she is there to capture the children's experience and the most powerful way to do this is by photographing their faces. Somehow she has managed to capture both the performance shots and the kids faces, so she must have eyes in the back of her head and very fast hands!
Obviously not everyone can afford to hire a professional photographer for their children's party, but you can take some tips from this expert by capturing the people rather than the performance. So often it's tempting to film or take photos from behind the kids, so you end up capturing the whole children's party of the back of the kids heads.
A great example of some amazing photos of children's expressions is also in this post from Loki's children's party in Bristol and this was just a friend of the birthday mum shooting on a mid range camera, the photos are just perfect.
I didn't capture a video from this My Kid Atelier party, but below is a video clip from another children's party for them where I was the entertainer at Pizza Express in Chelsea.