Ties or Tutus? A Gender Reveal Party!!

This post is WAY long overdue. I am so sorry. Things just went crazy after we announced that we are having a baby girl. However that is no reason for my tardiness! We have been packing to move, trying to figure out what to register for, which is a whole other post, and frankly I have just been so exhausted! #preggoproblems! Anyways, here's the recap of our gender reveal party, or as we called it Ties or Tutu's.

I scoured Pinterest, of course, for many ideas for decor, food, and creative ways to announce our baby's gender. I saw many many of the same announcement ideas and I really wanted to step out of the box a little. I saw the Ties or Tutu's theme and just fell in love. I was a dancer as a child and in my formative years, and my hubby works in a bank and wears a tie everyday so I thought it was super appropriate. Although in hindsight.....in looking at our chalkboard....many people commented on Facebook and Instagram that they thought it read Tits or Tutu's and didn't know the gender difference. I guess it was a good thing that she ended up being female! Haha

I decided to go with a dessert table covered half in pink and half in blue. We had two different types of popcorn in custom boxes, caramel corn and kettle corn. (per daddies request) We made pink and blue chocolate covered strawberries, funfetti cupcakes with custom cake toppers, to fit the theme, and had candy, left over from our reveal. I made pinwheels and hung streamers in pink blue and white to complete the backdrop. I also made "Tie" and "Tutu" signs that were meant for a game that we didn't end up playing, so they just doubled as decor. We used them in our announcement photo and I will put the best ones in her baby book!

Custom Popcorn Boxes

The Dessert Table

"Tie" Game Signs

Cupcakes with custom toppers "Ties and Tutu's" of course

Pink and Blue chocolate covered strawberries!

Once everyone arrived we mingled a bit, got very few photos, and ate some SUPER yummy food made by my cousin, who generously opened her home to us, and my mom. They made pineapple Swedish meatballs, chicken wing bites, strawberry and walnut salad, and potato skins. I forgot to take photos, and need to get these recipes because they were Ah.Mah.Zing!

My outfit. We each wore pink and blue as to not give a hint!

Family mingling and my mom and cousin cooking away

Here are some shots of some more decor items, I made two pennant banners. One that is seen on the chalkboard above and this big one that is seen below along with more pinwheels. I also took our ultrasound photos and the bump shots to date and hung those for everyone to see.

After food we played a couple of games. I wanted them to be light and fun, since this wasn't a baby shower. We did the old wives tales, where I read aloud the old wives tales and we filled in the answers. When I did it for the blog it was boy all the way, but it ended up being a tie at the party. Haha. Then I passed out notecards and asked everyone to write down their best baby names and their worst baby names. We read them aloud and all had a chuckle. There were some doozies!

I figured after those two games we better just announce to everyone what we were having. I spent about 20+ hours making a pinata for our reveal. I wanted it to be cute and special but to be honest I will NEVER make another one. What a time suck! Lol. We filled the pinata with candy and the plan was to have the Great Grandparent's hit first, then the Grandparents and so on. We go four people in and my grandfather took a huge whack and it when flying. So I went and picked it up and told everyone that the answer was written on a piece of candy and they would have to look for it, when in actuality it was written on several boxes of pink Nerds. I dumped the candy on the ground and my brother and sister in law went scouring. In less than 30 seconds my B.I.L. had found one and shouted "ITS A GIRL!" Everyone started crying and hugging, and saying "I knew it." 90% of the people said we were having a girl. 

It was such a fun and exhausting day. I am so glad we announced in a fun and special way. I want to thank my cousin for hosting and helping with the food, my mom for helping cook and keep me sane during the planning process, and my hubby for helping with decisions and being overly excited to have a party. I wouldn't have been able to do it without all there help! Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated the announcement of our little Baby Girl Kimball! We love you all!