Birthday Party Invitations Ireland —
How to Pick the Perfect One
Planning a kids' birthday party is basically a part-time job. Between the cake, the venue, the party bags, and trying to remember which cousins can't eat gluten — the last thing you need is to spend three hours lost on some faceless website trying to find an invitation that actually feels right. We've got you. 🎈
The invitation is the very first thing guests see — before the balloons, before the cake, before your child tears through their presents in 90 seconds flat. It sets the vibe. And a beautiful, personalised invitation that matches the party theme? It makes people excited before they've even arrived.
Here in Ireland, birthday parties are a whole thing. We're talking 30+ people in someone's house in Mallow or Midleton with enough food to feed a small village, aunties who will absolutely judge the party bags, and at least one child who will cry before the cake is cut. The invitation needs to do justice to the occasion.
"The invitation is the one piece of the party your guests take home before the party even happens. Make it count."
So let's walk through everything — from timing, to themes, to how many to order, to why you really should pick a small Irish maker over a faceless printing factory (we promise we'll be funny about it).
⏰ When Should I Order Birthday Party Invitations?
This is the question nobody asks until they're suddenly two weeks out from the party, panicking in a Tesco car park. Don't be that person. Here's a rough guide to ordering timelines:
💡 Good to know
At Printarelle, most orders are processed and ready within 1–2 working days. Standard Irish delivery is typically 2–3 days after that — so realistically, you could have invitations in your hands within a week of ordering. Still, give yourself breathing room. You'll thank yourself later.
For 1st birthdays specifically, give yourself a bit more lead time — you'll likely want to hand-deliver some of them, take photos for the baby album, and honestly just sit and admire them for a bit. A first birthday only happens once. ❤️
🍼 The First Birthday — Make It Special
The 1st birthday is the biggest small-person milestone there is. Your little one won't remember a thing (sorry), but you will — and so will everyone in the photos. The invitation should be as beautiful and special as the day itself.
Our most popular first birthday invitations are built around soft, dreamy designs that work perfectly with the classic Irish 1st birthday setup — lots of people, lots of flowers, lots of balloons, and a smash cake that will never quite wash off the highchair.
📌 What to include on a 1st birthday invitation
Child's name, date, time, venue, dress code if any, RSVP name and date, and whether you want gifts or just their presence. For a 1st birthday, a note like "no gifts needed — your presence is our present!" is perfectly acceptable and honestly a relief for guests.
Girls' Birthday Party Themes
Whether she's obsessed with mermaids, convinced she's a witch (and honestly you're not arguing), or just really, really into butterflies this week — we've got a design for her.
✨ Magical & Enchanted
For the little one who lives in a world of sparkle, potions, and wings — our magical collection covers unicorns, butterflies, and full-on witch energy (the fun, cauldron-stirring kind).
🌊 Ocean, Nature & Rainbows
For the little nature lover, the beach-obsessed, the girl who collects snails and thinks they're pets — our nature and ocean collection is soft, bright, and full of joy.
🎬 Fun, Pop Culture & Hobbies
Has your daughter declared she wants a movie night party? A pop star party? We have all of those covered. These are brilliant for older girls (5+) who have very strong opinions and will absolutely tell you if you picked the wrong invitation.
Boys' Birthday Party Themes
Boys' birthday parties in Ireland tend to have a theme that could be summed up as: "whatever he's currently obsessed with at top volume." Whether that's football, racing cars, space, or wanting to be a firefighter — the invitation should match that energy completely.
⚽ Sports Mad — Football & GAA
If your boy sleeps in his kit and knows more about Premier League statistics than is healthy for a 6-year-old, you need a football invitation. We have six football designs — from classic sketch style to kawaii football pitch — but the one we're most proud of?
🚀 Speed, Adventure & Heroes
For the boy who wants to be a racing driver, an astronaut, a firefighter, and possibly a dinosaur, all in the same afternoon. These invitations go hard — bold, colourful, and full of energy.
🦁 Wild Things & Characters
Not every boy party needs to be about speed and sport. Some kids just want all the animals. Our jungle safari and kawaii police officer designs are brilliant for younger boys — vivid, fun, and guaranteed to get a "COOL!" from the birthday boy.
Harry Potter Hogwarts Surprise Reveal
For the Potterhead who's about to turn any age — this gold foil keepsake ticket is the kind of invitation people actually keep. From €8.
Shop Now →📄 White or Kraft? The Great Paper Debate
Every Printarelle invitation comes in two cardstock options — classic white and natural kraft. Here's how to think about which one is right for your party:
White Cardstock
- Crisp, bright colours pop beautifully
- Classic, traditional look
- Works with every design
- Great for photography (1st birthday shoot!)
- Most popular choice
Kraft Cardstock
- Natural, rustic, earthy feel
- Eco-friendly appeal
- Stunning with floral & nature designs
- Brilliant for wildflower or garden themes
- Unique — stands out in the post
💬 Our honest opinion
If you're going for a unicorn or rainbow design, white cardstock is your friend — the colours sing on a bright background. If you've chosen the wildflower, garden, or teddy bear designs, kraft cardstock gives them something extra-special. The earthy tones add warmth that makes the whole thing feel handcrafted and intentional. (Because it is. 🌿)
🔢 How Many Birthday Invitations Do I Need?
Ah, the eternal Irish question. Over here, "just a few close people" can somehow turn into forty by the time your mam has "mentioned it to a few friends." Here's a realistic Irish guide:
💡 Ordering tip
Always order a few extras. You will forget someone. It's just a fact of Irish life. Grandparents each want their own copy, someone will want one for a scrapbook, and you'll want one for the baby box. Order 3–5 more than you think you need. You'll use them.
Our invitations are available as singles (€2), packs of 5 (€9), packs of 10 (€16), and up from there. Packs are significantly better value — 10 individual cards would cost €20, but a pack of 10 is €16.
💛 Why Not Just Use Vistaprint? (We Knew You'd Ask)
Look, we get it. Vistaprint pops up in every Google ad. They've got a big website, lots of templates, and they're the "safe" choice. We're not here to be rude about them — but we are here to make a case for doing things differently.
| Feature | Big Printing Corp | Printarelle 💛 |
|---|---|---|
| Who reviews your order? | An algorithm | A real person in Cork |
| Minimum order size | Often 25–50 minimum | From just 1 card (€2) |
| GAA Hurling invitation? | What's a sliotar? | We've got the only one in Ireland 🏑 |
| If something goes wrong | Chat bot + 7-day wait | Actual person sorts it, quickly |
| Your money supports | A shareholder in another country | A small Irish business in Mallow, Cork 🍀 |
| Personalisation | Generic template, limited options | Fully personalised to your child's name & details |
| Irish occasions (Communion, GAA, etc.) | Don't really get it | We literally live here. We get it. |
| Cardstock quality | Variable; often thin | 250–300gsm premium cardstock |
| Packaging | Plastic wrapped, bubble wrap | Eco-friendly kraft packaging |
| The feeling when it arrives | Meh, it'll do | "Oh that's actually gorgeous." 😍 |
"Every Printarelle invitation is printed and checked by hand in Cork. When you order from us, a real person is taking care of it. That's not marketing language — that's just how we work."
And honestly? The price difference is smaller than you'd think. Our invitations start from €2 each — less than the price of a Freddo bar (yes, we know what Freddos cost now, we're all grieving). For a pack of 10, you're looking at €16. That's a beautiful, personalised, printed-in-Ireland, checked-by-a-human invitation for €1.60 each.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — every single invitation from Printarelle is fully personalised. When you order, you provide your child's name, the party date, time, venue, and any RSVP details you'd like included. We do all the design work and print your personalised version. You'll never receive a generic, fill-in-the-blank invitation from us.
We process orders within 1–2 working days. Standard delivery across Ireland typically takes a further 2–3 days, so you can usually expect your invitations within a week of ordering. We'd always recommend giving yourself 3–4 weeks before the party date to be comfortable — but we understand Irish life sometimes means last-minute. Get in touch if you're in a rush and we'll do our best.
Our standard birthday invitations are A6 (105mm x 148mm) — the classic invitation size that fits perfectly in a standard C6 envelope. We also offer A5 size for some designs. Each invitation is printed on 250–300gsm premium cardstock, either in classic white or natural kraft.
We love a challenge! While our listed designs cover the most popular themes, we do sometimes take on custom design requests. Drop us a message through the contact page and let's chat. We can't always say yes, but we'll always try to point you in the right direction.
One per household, not one per child — so if a family of 3 kids is all coming, that's one invitation. For 35 kids, you might realistically be looking at 20–25 family invitations, plus a few extras for grandparents, keepsakes, and the inevitable person you forget until the day before. Round up by 5–10% and use our bundle pricing for the best value.
We want every Printarelle order to be perfect. If there's an error on our end, we'll reprint and resend at no cost to you. Because we're a small studio (a real person, not a call centre), we're able to actually look at your order and sort things quickly. Your satisfaction matters to us genuinely — not just as a line in a policy document.
