OMG, GINYOU fam! 😱 My sweet Nora is turning FIVE next month, and guess what?! It's ALL about the princesses this year! 👑 She's been planning this since her third birthday, no joke! Every day it's a new princess dress-up session and a new list of demands for her "royal celebration."

I'm so excited for her – she deserves the absolute bestest party! But you guys, I'm already stressing about one thing: how many party supplies do I need for a princess party that's gonna have, like, 15 little kids?! Fifteen!! And they're all under, what, maybe 5 or 6? My Max is 3, Hazel is barely 1, and Nora is 5. So we're talking full-on toddler chaos, right?

Last year for Max's superhero party, I totally underestimated the snacks! Little villains everywhere grabbing handfuls of chips, and we ran out of napkins SO fast. Cameron (my husband) had to run to the store mid-party, which was NOT ideal, lol. This time, I want to be PREPARED, but also, like, not end up with enough tiaras to outfit an entire small country, you know? We move every three years with the military, so I can't be hoarding a warehouse of party junk! (Though I *did* find some cute purple streamers from Max's party that I think could totally work for a Rapunzel theme… shhh, don't tell Nora! 😉)

So, seriously, if you've done a big princess bash for a bunch of little ones, tell me all your secrets! Napkins? Cups? Plates? Goodie bag stuffers? **How many party supplies do I need for a princess party** that won't leave me with a mountain of leftovers OR sending Cameron on an emergency grocery run?! Help a coffee-fueled mom out! ☕️🤪

Priya, I totally feel your pain on the mid-party run! Been there, done that, and learned my lesson the hard way. For Hazel's 8th birthday last year, we did a unicorn theme, and I thought I had enough plates for 20 kids, plus adults. WRONG. We had 25 kids and maybe 10 adults, and those little unicorns were EATING. I ran out of themed plates right when the cake came out. Had to put the cake slices on boring white paper plates, and Hazel, my Hazel, was NOT happy. It was a complete disaster for my brand, honestly. Never again!

Since then, I always over-buy by about 25-30% for kids' parties. You want the best party on the block, right? You gotta anticipate the chaos! For 15 kids, I'd say plan for at least 20-25 "servings" for disposables. That means:

• Plates: Go for 25 princess-themed dinner plates (for pizza/main food) and another 25 smaller dessert plates. Kids drop stuff, trust me.
• Napkins: At least 50. Seriously. Little hands get messy. I always buy the character ones, like the exact princess Nora loves.
• Cups: 25-30 cups. Some kids will lose theirs, or want a second drink. Again, go themed!
• Goodie Bags: One per kid, plus 2-3 extra for siblings who might show up unexpectedly. Small toys, stickers, a princess lollipop. Nothing too crazy.

And think about your food layout. Will there be a "main meal" and then snacks? If you have separate snack stations, you might need even more small plates or bowls. Don't skimp on the tablecloths either – wipeable plastic ones are a lifesaver. I photograph EVERYTHING, so I need those matching colors to pop! For that unicorn party I mentioned, I ended up having to link to how many party supplies do I need for a unicorn party for my next client because it was such a learning experience!

My kids Theo (9) and Ellie (12) are usually helping me set up, so they're pretty good at spotting if we're running low on anything, but with little ones, it's just a free-for-all. Go big or go home, Priya!

Oh, Priya, I hear you loud and clear! With five littles myself – Finn is 3, Lily is 6, Diego 9, Maya 11, and Piper 12 – we've done our fair share of princess parties over the years. And you know, sometimes it feels like you need ALL the things, but honestly – you don't! Being a homeschool mom and always on a budget, I've learned a few tricks.

When I'm thinking about **how many party supplies do I need for a princess party**, my first thought is always "what can I reuse or DIY?" For plates, instead of buying super specific princess ones for everyone, I usually grab a pack of plain colored ones – maybe pink or purple – from the Dollar Tree or even a regular grocery store. Then, I let the kids decorate them with princess stickers or even just glitter pens as an activity before the food comes out! Saves a bunch of money right there, and it's an activity! Win-win!

Napkins though – always get extra. Always. Little hands, sticky cake, juice spills – it's a given. I usually buy 2-3 packs of the cheap plain ones, plus one small pack of the actual princess-themed ones for the cake table, just for a photo op. We learned our lesson when Finn (my 3-year-old!) spilled a whole juice box at a friend's party and we had, like, one napkin left. Disaster averted thanks to some quick thinking with a paper towel roll from the kitchen – but still!

For drinks, I use a big dispenser for water or juice, and then regular clear plastic cups. Again, stickers are your friend! Or even just a sharpie to write names. It really helps you figure out how many napkins do I need for a safari party or any party, really – you don't need fancy for everything.

Goodie bags can be simple too! A small tiara from a party pack, some temporary tattoos, maybe a little bubble wand. My kids, especially Lily, love helping me put them together. We get our coffee together, and then they help me fill the bags. It's chaos, but it's fun! I've even seen some cute TikToks where people use small cloth bags and let the kids tie-dye them for a take-home craft. So many budget-friendly options!

Oh, Priya, the age-old question – **how many party supplies do I need for a princess party** when you've got a gaggle of tiny royals demanding perfection! As an event coordinator for HOA and community events here in Denver, I can tell you one thing: always, ALWAYS over-buy on the consumables. It's better to have too much than too little. Especially with little ones who are prone to dropping, spilling, or just generally making a mess!

My five, Jude (1), Asher (3), Meera (9), Stella (10), and Beckett (11), have taught me that. When Beckett had his pirate party, I thought I was smart with the exact count. Nope. Two kids decided to use their pirate cups as toy boats, and another spilled their juice, needing a new cup. All within 10 minutes. I usually factor in an extra 50% for plates, cups, and napkins for the younger crowd. For 15 kids, I'd probably grab supplies for 25-30. Seriously. I'm allergic to glitter, not literally, but the cleanup is enough to make me want to cry, so I know a thing or two about anticipating messes!

My secret? Amazon Prime. I order everything. And I mean everything. The nice thing is you can usually return unopened party supply packs if you truly over-did it. So I'll grab a 50-count pack of themed plates, a 50-count pack of napkins, and usually a 30-40 count of cups. It feels like overkill, but it's peace of mind, right?

For goodie bags, I actually like to go practical. For my own kids' parties, I once did an 11-pack of Kids Birthday Party Hats and let each kid pick their favorite color to wear for the party, then they got to take it home. Two birds, one stone! They loved them, and it cut down on cheap plastic toys that just end up in the trash.

And for the general decor, if you're worried about Nora demanding a perfect theme but you're on a budget, look for solid colored streamers, balloons, and tablecloths that match the princess's main color. Then you can add just a few key princess items – a banner, maybe some cutouts – to make it feel special without breaking the bank. It's a great way to handle the visual aspect without having to worry too much about how many photo props do I need for a Bluey party, you know? Just get a few core pieces and let the kids be the stars!