Since 2017, unicorn parties have been all the rage. Bright colors, unicorn-themed decor and party food, and even customized clothing and accessories for the birthday kid are the touchstones of this fun and festive theme. Celebrities have thrown their fair share of unicorn parties this past year, employing everything at their disposal (including high-end commissions of decor and clothing, bespoke bakeries, Etsy, and even their own DIY skills) to give their kids an unforgettable birthday celebration.
For her daughter Stella’s ninth birthday, Tori Spelling threw a colorful bash that included a piñata, a face painting station, the requisite unicorn cake, and a “real” unicorn for the children to play and pose for pictures with. Tori even decorated Stella’s hair with glitter to bring some extra sparkle to the day.
(images courtesy of Tori Spelling, Instagram)
Kourtney and Kim Kardashian threw a dual party for daughters Penelope and North (turning six and five, respectively) that featured a 10-year-old DJ manning a DJ station covered in pink fur, rainbow-pattern robes for the birthday girls (atop swimsuits for an eventual dip in the pool), and a treats table that included cotton candy and s’mores. Like Tori Spelling’s party, this one also included some live “unicorns” and even hair glitter (although this time it was applied to the horses’ manes—a very fun look).
(images courtesy of Kim Kardashian, Instagram)
Jessica Alba said she took inspiration from her company Honest’s Unicorn Training Pants as a visual theme for daughter Haven’s sixth birthday. Guests were treated to super-cute food like unicorn-inspired sugar cookies, cake pops, macaroons, and “unicorn horn” ice cream cones. They also played party games like “pin the tail on the unicorn” and had pool time with unicorn-themed inflatables!
(images courtesy of Honest Company, Instagram)
Terry Biviano took on a more romantic tone when setting the pastel theme of daughter Azura’s fourth birthday party. Azura herself wore a princess-worthy outfit from Tutu du Monde, accompanied by ballerina slippers and a customized headpiece from artisan milliner Viktoria Novak. Unlike many other unicorn cakes decorated with just icing, sprinkles, and glitter, this one had a charming cascade of real flowers as its main decoration. The party sported a literal “wall of sweets” with cupcakes and other confections, and a fabulous arch of flowers and a unicorn statue rounded things out nicely. This was another event that had a “live unicorn” party guest, although it’s a good thing that they also had a statue because in multiple photos the pony looks rather disgruntled.
(image courtesy of Teri Biviano, Instagram and Serena Cece Photography)
(image courtesy of Anthony Minichiello, Instagram and Serena Cece Photography)
On the earlier end of the birthday spectrum is Molly, Ali Fedotowsky-Manno’s daughter, who enjoyed a lovely unicorn party to celebrate turning one year old. A lot of particular thought obviously went into this one, with nice little personalized touches from custom “Happy Birthday Molly!” Etsy cupcake toppers, to a wooden photo display covering the little girl’s first year (which Ali made herself), to making sure that there were both unicorn party hats and horse party hats to accommodate any boys who weren't quite that interested in unicorns. Guests also got something to take home in the form of unicorn-themed gift bags, which included both a unicorn plushie for the kids and a straw cup (Molly’s favorite) to help make the parents’ lives just a little easier. Along with the must-have unicorn cake was a separate “smash cake” for Molly (if you’re unfamiliar with the term, Google it—they’re awesome).
(image courtesy of Ali Fedotowsky, Instagram and Ashley Burns Photography)
It’s easy to look at the celebrity parties with an admiring-yet-jealous eye and think “well, sure—if I had Kim Kardashian’s bank account, of course I would do that!" but the thing to remember is that so much of the wonderful concepts described above can either be exactly replicated (via the same Etsy dealer, etc.) or provide some great inspiration for your own little one’s party. Yes, Terry Biviano’s bespoke headpiece sounds lovely, but the fact that Viktoria Novak used Swarovski crystals and vintage hand-dyed fabrics to create it probably didn’t impress little Azura any more than something made with materials you can get from Hobby Lobby. She is four. She cares about running around, having fun, feeling pretty, and maybe getting to hug a unicorn. And on that note, while having a “real” unicorn at the party is impressive and makes for some wonderful pictures, do remember that it involves having a live animal around small children, which can lead to some less-than-wonderful situations when the two interact. (Plus, do you want to walk around nervous that you’re going to step in unicorn droppings?)
The most important thing is that the birthday child and everyone else has a good time, and with some focused thought and creativity, you can throw a party just as colorful, beautiful, and fun as any of the celebrities you see on Instagram. When you look at Ali Fedotowsky-Manno’s party pictures, one of the most adorable is also one of the simplest-- a white box with a bunch of colored helium balloons tied to it with Molly sitting inside, a huge grin on her face.
