Renaissance Princess theme, 5 years old  For my daughter's fifth birthday, I wanted it to be really special and momentous.  I really wanted her to feel like a genuine princess.  I wanted the hall to feel like a castle.  So, the decorating was really important. I borrowed a canvas with a castle on it and used it to give it a castle feel.  It was 10'X 12'.  This was also to be the backdrop for many pictures.  I also borrowed a princess throne. Nicolette sat on the throne as her guests from the "neighboring" countries stood next to her for the pictures.  The guests were called delegates. It was an early evening outdoor setting so I had twinkle lights to set the mood.  I hung imitation flowers along the pillars and the wall and on the guest book table I had a motion-censored butterfly.  As the guests arrived, classical waltz music played in the background. After signing in, I pinned a sash with the country that they represented painted on. Upon arrival, they were free to devour the hor's d'ouvres, dance, and or color on the mounted blue-colored butcher paper.  The buffet table was beautifully adorned with fresh flowers and whole fruits like pineapples and whole carrots resting in baskets.  The separate punch table was also adorned with fresh flowers and the necessary napkins and cups. The table was later used for the cake table. Since castles and unicorns go hand-in-hand, I purchased the unicorn invitations, plates, napkins, cups, and party favors.  For the boys, I purchased the knight party favors.  The best part of the buffet was the whole roasted pig. The kids loved it. Some kids couldn't even believe that was a pig. One child said, "I thought pigs came in white packaging."  Unfortunately, that is how far-removed our kids have gotten. So, it was a learning experience for the kids, too.  In addition to the coloring on the blue butcher paper, I had a unicorn pinata, the hunt for the red bull, and dancing.  The kids had a great time.  They didn't want the party to end.  My daughter especially loved it.  The day started off with going to the salon and getting her hair done. From there she donned her beautiful pink tulle and satin dress and pink sparkling shoes. Of course, she had her crown to top-off the ensemble.  She looked beautiful.  Like a true princess. The kids arrived in their own ball attire.  It was truly a beautiful evening. A couple of days after the huge event, she says to me, "Mommy, I want to have another princess party when I'm 11."  She still talks about her party and so do her guests.