Taylor's First Birthday
Design & Styling: Davina Kim
I have been so excited to share all the details of Taylor’s first birthday, but wanted to wait until the photos came out. My beautiful and talented friend, Sunny Kim, just sent over these photos to us and she couldn’t have captured this day more perfectly!
For those of you who aren’t as familiar with Korean culture, a Dohl is a big milestone in a baby’s life. Think Quinceñeara or a Sweet Sixteen— a Doljanchi (First birthday celebration) is a huge occasion, where family and friends will gather to celebrate. Back in the days, when resources were limited, many children would get sick and die at a young age due to illness and widespread disease, so a Doljanchi was a way to commemorate a child having made it to their first birthday!
Nowadays, parents will go above and beyond to book beautiful venues and hire planners to plan and prepare an elaborate dohl, sometimes even more outlandish than a wedding! I used to think the idea of turning a birthday into such a grandiose event was ridiculous, but after becoming a mom, I can see how one can easily get carried away!
I wanted to stay true to the traditional elements of a Korean Dohl, but wanted it to have a romantic, yet modern feel. My dear friend, Davina Kim, helped bring this vision to life by adding subtle hints of wood and gold, similar to a Hanok Village and incorporating beautiful garden blooms to give off a romantic, Tuscan feel. I wanted a soft blush and peach color scheme with hints of gray and gold to keep things traditional, yet feminine.
From hand painted florals on Taylor’s cake, gold threads and pearls on the beautiful desserts, to the delicate laser cut signs and window panels by Lettertou, it was everything I imagined and more.
If you know Daniel and me well, you also probably know that we are both “creatives” in our own respects and can both be a bit particular when it comes to events and planning. From our wedding to our baby shower, we’ve always done everything ourselves. We really wanted this day to be extra special and not have to worry about all the little details so we could enjoy the day celebrating with our loved ones.
I did, however, want to have a small part in creating something special for Tay, I decided to hand make her Doljabi items as a keepsake for her. The Doljabi is one of the main highlights of a Korean Dohl. It is a game that is supposed to predict what the baby will grow up to be.
There are several objects that are each symbolic of a different occupation. Upon arriving to the Dohl party, each guest has the opportunity to choose which object they think the baby will choose and participate in a fun lottery! The objects are then laid out in front of the baby and the fun is in watching what object he or she will pick up!
For Taylor’s Doljabi we chose the following items:
Ball= Athlete
Macbook= Tech Geek
Money= Entrepreneur
Microphone= Entertainer
Pencil= Scholar
Paintbrush= Artist
I bought some Polymer clay and mixed them together to create a color palette that would match Taylor’s dohl. Having never worked with baking clay before, it was definitely a challenge, but I had so much fun creating each piece. Many times parents will use small toys or trinkets that are symbolic of the objects and you can also find cute doljabi sets on Etsy, but I thought it would be much more meaningful to make something that Taylor could keep and cherish even when she gets older.
In the spirit of a traditional Korean Dohl, Taylor and I also wore matching Hanboks (traditional Korean dresses) that we had custom ordered to match her party decor. (I can’t ever pass up an opportunity to twin with my baby girl!)
While our guests dined, we slipped away to change into our hanboks and I was so glad our photographer was able to capture this intimate moment.
But we had to quickly make our way back to the party to get ready for the DOLJABI!
….and Taylor chose MONEY!
Of course, the doljabi is all in fun, but I can’t wait to see where her talents and skills will lead our little Tay in the future!
Another major highlight was Tay’s Cake Smash. I’m sure by now, most of you know how well Taylor eats and how much she loves food. Naturally, I was so excited for her to try cake for the very first time!
I am so obsessed with these photos of her Cake Smash. Can we take a second to appreciate her flower crown? One of Taylor’s favorite aunties made this beautiful flower crown for her and it couldn’t have been more perfect for these photos! I hope Tay enjoyed her cake because Mommy & Daddy definitely had a lot of fun!
Speaking of fun, we can’t forget about the PHOTO BOOTH! We asked Her Balloon Art for a custom photo booth and we definitely made sure to take full advantage of it!
And who can forget about the cotton candy machine! Tay didn’tget to try some, but she did get a GIANT cotton candy made just #FORTHEGRAM, lol.
Tay’s Beautiful Modern Hanbok: Petals For Tasi
There was also one final thing we wanted to do for Taylor and that was to create a Time Capsule. We asked each of our guests to write a note for Taylor to read in 2035! Along with her Doljabi items, her beautiful gold rings and bracelets that were gifted, and a love letter from Mommy & Daddy, the notes were all placed in a beautiful box and sealed for her to open when she turns 18.
It was almost as though Taylor knew it was her big day. From beginning to end, she was ALL SMILES and that’s more than we could have ever asked for. To be able to celebrate Taylor’s first birthday with our nearest and dearest was such a blessing and we are so incredibly thankful to all our family & friends.
One last THANK YOU to all of you who have shown Sweet and Savorhie
so much LOVE & SUPPORT this past year.
What began as a simple way for me to document my Motherhood journey has become a platform that has allowed me to not only share my interests and hobbies, but for me to learn, connect and grow, and for that I am so incredibly thankful.
xoxo,
Su & Tay Tay
