5 Tips for a Korean First Birthday Celebration They Will Never Forget
Dol (or doljanchi) is a Korean ceremonial tradition that celebrates a baby’s first birthday. This ceremony blesses the child with a prosperous future and has historically held great significance in Korea, and now in the United States for many Korean-Americans.
The day-to-day challenges of new parenting are busy enough, so we’ve listed our top five tips for finding the perfect venue for your child's Dol.
[if !supportLists]1. [endif]Find a venue that will not only accommodate the Korean culture, but will embrace it with professionalism, respect and celebration.
[if !supportLists]2. [endif]Select a venue that allows you to customize and integrate traditional rice cakes into the celebration’s menu.
[if !supportLists]3. [endif]Locate a venue that can work with Korean traditions and dietary requests. Check online reviews as well as good old-fashioned word of mouth to find the best locations.
[if !supportLists]4. [endif]Choose a spot where your guests can dine comfortably as well as easily participate in Korean ceremonies and games. Today’s celebrations typically average 100 people or more!
[if !supportLists]5. [endif]Seek an expert who can seamlessly incorporate decor and themes (princess, jungle and rainbow themes are currently trending). An experienced event planner who can create just the right touches to make the event a success should be a requirement on everyone’s list.
“Flexibility with Korean first birthdays is what makes Normandy Farm the go-to spot in Philadelphia's suburbs,” said Fallyn Maleski, social sales manager. “We understand the traditions and work with our guests to determine how best to accommodate those traditions within budgeted packages. There is no extra venue fee with us and we remain extremely price point competitive.”
At Normandy Farm, we also go the extra mile by partnering with Mosaic Events, specialists with expertise in various customs; this allows parents and their guests to relax and enjoy the celebration. “We are there to provide setup, agendas and timelines, including guest raffles and the doljabi (돌잡이) ritual of choosing the table prize,” notes Crystal Lee of Mosaic Events. “These are all part of the package.”
Take a glance at what guest Jungah Jang shared with us about his daughter Olivia's recent celebration:
“Your entire staff was awesome. Stephanie made my and my guests’ day. She took great care of my party like it was her family's party. She handled all requests on time, coordinated the whole day nicely—it was organized and perfectly performed. Thank you so much for providing us wonderful service.” —Jungah Jang
So when searching for the ideal location with professional expertise for your child’s Dol, call us at (215) 616-8500.
Located just 25 minutes from Center City Philadelphia and situated in the heart of Blue Bell, Pa., Normandy Farm Hotel and Conference Center is more than a meticulously restored American landmark—it's a fully wired, high-tech hospitality venue. Relax on our grand terrace, sip a cocktail in America's oldest silo, play a challenging game of golf on our championship course, plan an event with us or dine on our delectable farm-to-table cuisine. It all adds up to One Historic Experience.
