After months and months of planning for Jonah’s superhero-themed Korean first birthday party (aka “Dol” or “Dohl”), the big day finally arrived. Jonah’s Super Mom and Dad really used their superpowers to throw one of the most creative and fun-packed birthday parties my husband and I have ever been to! We had such a magical time photographing Jonah’s big celebration at Maggiano’s Little Italy at The Grove! Everything was so beautifully planned and decorated that I couldn’t help but “ooh and aah” at all of the details! I also enjoyed observing the guests’ surprised reactions as they walked into the room. There were so many activities for all superheroes – a caricature artist, photo booth (taken by my husband!), Korean traditional game (Doljabi), delicious food & dessert, etc. – that all the guests had a blast!
The effort that Jonah’s mom put in preparing for this big event was like planning a wedding, seriously! She went way above and beyond in preparing for this big celebration! I especially love all of the talented DIY projects that she put together! She created capes, masks, and custom superhero-themed favors for all 14 kids. Each cape was customized for each kid with their initials on the back! She also made 65 cape lollies and over 300 stars for all the garlands and Doljabi sticks!! Every detail was spectacular! To add to her creativity, I designed and created a front-page newspaper layout with an article that was written by Jonah’s mom, a Welcome Sign, and a Doljabi Board with the images that I captured from Jonah’s first-year portrait session that we had prior to the party. My husband and I also made some superhero props that all the guests seemed to have fun with at the photo booth!
Here are some photos from the event!
I also love how they incorporated traditional Korean elements into the party. Baby Jonah was adorable in his Korean traditional outfit, hanbok, during Doljabi, which was the highlight of the party. The following items were placed in front of Jonah and whatever he grabs is believed to predict his future talent or career path! Which of the following items do you think Jonah grabbed? Take a guess!
Stethoscope = Doctor
Gavel = Lawyer
Ball = Athlete
Book = Scholar
Paintbrush = Artist
Money = Finance/Accountant/Entrepreneur
To make the game more interesting for the guests, each guest was instructed to place one star in the jar of the item that they thought Jonah will choose. The guests kept the corresponding star for a raffle. Based on the item that Jonah picks, a raffle winner was picked from the jar labeled with Jonah’s selection.
Jonah ended up picking a book (scholar) and a stethoscope (doctor)! His parents must be happy about his bright future! :) Jonah’s birthday party has definitely educated us about Korean first birthday traditions. We are very honored to be part of this important day in their family’s life and experience the festivities of a Korean Baby’s First Birthday, Dohl. Happy Birthday, Super Jonah! Your smile brings so much joy to your family and to all those around you! Thanks for inviting us to photograph such a momentous occasion!
If you were a guest at Jonah’s birthday party, please use the link and the password that we shared to view all the images, including your photo booth pics! They are ready to view! :)
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Cathy Murai Photography loves to shoot special events! Whether its an upcoming 1st birthday party for your kids, traditional 1st birthday parties (ie. Korean dohl), kids birthday parties, baby showers, or any special event that shows off your creative entertaining ideas, we would love to capture your celebration and all the details! Event photography service includes high-resolution digital files with print release. Please contact us for further details of the services that we offer.
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