The Price to Party: Jenna’s Super Mario-Themed Party

Woo-hoo, you’re reading Evite’s The Price to Party, where we invite you to learn more about how much a real party actually costs to throw (and get into detail about how you can recreate it)!

When it comes to DIYing adorable parties for her kiddos, Minnesota mama Jenna (@jenmariegreer) is an absolute expert. After putting together the sweetest magical one-derland party for her daughter Naomi, Jenna is back with the inside scoop on her son’s Super Mario-themed bday party. The best part? She kept her total spend under $100! (Yes, our jaws dropped, too.) Keep reading to find out how Jenna did it!

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Quick Party Details

Party theme: Super Mario 

City: Brooklyn Park, MN

Guest count: 12

Evite invitation: Super Birthday Party

Party Price Breakdown

Original budget: $150

Actual spend: $95.91

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1. Venue

Where: Our home

Cost: Free!

2. Food & Drinks

What: The party was mid-afternoon, so we didn’t do a meal. Instead, we had a meat, cheese, and crackers board, some fruit, chips and salsa, and cake and cupcakes.

Drinks: Water, root beer and Sprite.

Cost: $40

3. Decor

What: 44-Piece Super Mario Birthday Supply Set

Cost: $13.99

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What: Hanging Decorative Clouds

Cost: $9.99

Party Planning Questions

What made you decide to throw a Mario-themed party? 

Kai is obsessed with everything Mario Bros. and requested to have his very own Super Mario Party!

What are your top 3 musts for a birthday party?  

1. Plenty of balloons to match the theme and a fun balloon arch. 

2. Cupcake toppers to pull the theme together. 

3. Photo display of the birthday child throughout the years.

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How long did it take you to set up all of the decor, food and supplies? 

I spent 2 days preparing for the party doing everything from making the cupcakes to blowing up balloons and assembling the balloon arch. Simply deciding where to put the decor and how to hang everything up was time-consuming!

Any surprise hits? 

The hanging cloud decor got a bunch of compliments.

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What was worth it for you, even if it meant going over budget? 

I wanted my theme to stand out, so that meant getting plenty of decor and little details to pull it all together. The on-theme balloon arch and character cupcake toppers were definitely worth it.

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What was your son's favorite part?

He loved the Mario face balloons and, of course, opening presents!