To cancel DDs party this Sunday?

Absolutely insane amount of money on a child's birthday party

Well it is true though isn't it.

OP wouldn't in hindsight because she now has more sense, all that money didn't buy friendship... and bragging about spending thousands (out of the blue when no one asked and for no reason) is, in general life, just classless.

Most (only just!) 3 year olds will enjoy a party with 10 kids a million times more than a party with 25. Shes so tiny. Even if she is a MASSIVE extrovert 25 guests is a bit overwhelming. Have a lovely party. It will be so much better on a bouncy castle without 25 kids falling about.

Agree that comment was mean. I wouldn’t spend that much myself and it sounds like OP wouldn’t with hindsight but some comments here are out of proportion. All OP is ‘guilty of’ is spending money she or her DP presumably earned, to give 25 (albeit it less) children a happy experience.

If you can't get a refund, then what on earth is the point of cancelling?!

Don’t cancel. Your DD will have a great time as will your family. Ten is often an average size for a party. Like PP have said, you can always round up some other children. If you let parents bring siblings just be mindful too many older ones may change the dynamic.

I organised a 21st birthday party for my son. Venue, food, decorations, and a FREE BAR only came to just over a thousand pounds! You must be mad!

That's a really mean reaction to someone who has reached out for help.

9 is enough for a 3 year olds party. I’d learn from it. And scale down ideas for 4th birthday, but don’t cancel this one. Enjoy her, and her little buddies .

Colin has become a family tradition for us, even the 19 year old still expects one 😁

My DD was 21 last Saturday, we had decades of people cancelling. This year pizza delivery at home. I think end of holidays, new school year makes people flakey.

9 is a great number op, plenty of opportunity to play on the equipment you've hired without risk of injury.

@leopardski yes I think I know too

it will be a great party OP don’t worry, and ignore all the posters bitching about the cost, if you can afford it, the fact that it can be done for less is irrelevant

I really feel for you as I'm in a similar situation for our 3 year old's party. We invited 35 kids and only have had 9 accept, and some of those have accepted only a few days beforehand. Ours was about half the cost of yours, not including an £190 cake. I won't be making this mistake again next year!! It's really tough so you have my sympathies. I hope you have a wonderful party.

It’s usually about £150-250. My kids are just past and at this stage so I’ve been doing these type of parties for ages and you are paying no where near the norm. And I’m in an affluent area.
£1200?! Are they having a joke?
You need to contact some more venues next time!

How much?…That’s insane!

Please don't cancel, especially if she's aware she's got a party coming up! My just 3 year old was so excited for her birthday party. Not sure why everyone's obsessing over the price but I wouldn't worry about people thinking you've gone overboard! She will still have a great time. Can you invite family members, aunties, cousins, grandparents just to fill the room out a bit?

We had over 30 for a party last year, it was awful!! Too noisy and busy and stressful. 9 should be absolutely lovely, that will be our max this year!

When I was 11, my parents spent a lot on a party for all the girls in my class on a hall in the local recreation centre, only 4 people turned up. Turned out there was another party that day and they all went there instead. We couldn’t get a refund so had the party anyway and it was awful. In your case, 9 is still a good amount and if you can’t get a refund what about asking siblings or parents? I assume if it’s fellow toddlers coming there will be parents coming anyway which will bump up the numbers. Why did all the others reject the invite?

Well, what's the point of cancelling then? 🤔

I mean, your DD is 3 - I doubt she will be counting the number of attendees! Or writing the non attenders a strong letter of complaint afterwards 😂 She'll just be having fun at her party.

And the moral of the story is that money can't buy class, sense or friends.

I totally understand how upsetting it must be to have that many cancellations. It seems odd to be honest. Why are so many cancelling?
Anyhow, my 3yo doesn’t even have 9 friends to invite to her next party. So to me to have 9 friends attending seems like a lot already. Even my 5yo doesn’t even have 9 kids he calls friends.

Its no one else's business but OP made sure everyone knows even though it has zero relevance to anything... which is why the whole things feels fake and stiring.

If OP had posted the same thing without that I guarantee not one person would have said 'how much have you spent on this party?'. Some may have still asked 'will you get a refund if you cancel?' but no one would say 'tell me how much in pounds you spent on this'.

In all honesty 25 would have been overwhelming for a 3yo. 8-10 will be a nice number. I think the bit where you’ve gone ott is on decorating but if you can afford it then no harm done. You’ll know for future years you don’t need to go crazy. Cakes have always been close to that for us so I don’t think you’re massively out of the normal on that.

Also the soft play quote was crazy so don’t go there in the future! The last activity party I did was climbing at £26 a head plus £8 per person for food. The softplay place is fully taking the piss in comparison.

How much? She's only 3. If no refund you will have to go through with it. A learning curve?