Marli’s One LUv First Birthday

I love when clients become family.

After planning Tinina and Marvin Luis’ Our Little LUv baby shower, we were beyond excited to come back and celebrate their next chapter — their daughter Marli turning ONE.

From baby shower to first birthday… we love a full-circle moment.

Marli's One LUv Concept

With Our Little LUv being such a hit, we kept the name play going — because when it works, it works.

Tying back to the family name, Luis, we introduced Marli’s One LUv — a continuation of the story, but with a fresh, playful twist to match her big personality.

This time, we took things straight to the islands. A Jamaican beach-inspired theme felt like the perfect fit for Marli’s name, her energy, and the family’s heritage. We pulled in bold, vibrant colors — black, gold, green, and red — creating a celebration that felt warm, lively, and full of culture.

To bring it all together, the artwork subtly nodded to Bob Marley, which made the theme feel even more intentional. And honestly, with a name like Marli, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

One LUv Hut & Tings

If you know, you know… we had to run back a fan favorite. The LUv Mart from the baby shower was too good not to remix — so for Marli’s birthday, we transformed it into a Jamaican-style beach shop: One LUv Tings.

Think vacation energy, but make it personalized.

Guests stepped up to a beach hut stocked with all the essentials: custom Marli t-shirts in multiple colors, beach hats, sunglasses, branded bandanas, beach bags, coconuts, and custom cups.

It felt like you just landed somewhere warm and walked straight to the resort shop.

Everything doubled as a keepsake — fun, useful, and something guests would actually take home and use.

The Main Moment

Right next to One LUv Tings sat Marli’s One LUv beach hut, anchoring the space.

Her colorful three-tier birthday cake took center stage, while a collection of her monthly milestone photos lined the side — capturing her journey from newborn to ONE.

And just like that… everybody was saying the same thing: where did the time go?

Kids Play (Because This Is Their Party Too)

Let’s be clear — this wasn’t just a party, it was an experience for the kids.

For the babies, we created a soft play area designed for safe crawling, climbing, and exploring — complete with plush toys and a custom ball pit in green, red, and yellow.

Mini luxury ride-on cars? Of course.

And for the older kids, we brought in a full Jammin’ bounce house — because respectfully… what’s a kids’ party without one?

Safe to say, nobody was bored.

One LUv Details

We leaned all the way into the island experience — starting with The Jerk Hut.

Guests were served authentic Jamaican jerk chicken, bringing that real, flavorful, can’t-miss-it aroma into the space. You could smell it before you even saw it — and that’s how you know it’s done right.

Right next to it, we had the One Irie Bar, because a Jamaican celebration isn’t complete without it. Guests enjoyed Red Stripe, rum-based cocktails, and fresh coconuts, all paired with custom Marli’s One LUv drink stirrers. The kids had their own moment, too, with personalized tropical drinks.

For seating, we kept things relaxed and on-theme with beach-style chairs and sand-toned table linens. Centerpieces featured palm leaves and lush greenery, creating that effortless “on vacation” feeling throughout the space.

The Takeaway

From Our Little LUv to Marli’s One LUv, this wasn’t just another event — it was a continuation of a story.

Being trusted to celebrate multiple milestones for the same family is something we never take lightly. Watching Tinina and Marvin step into parenthood — and now celebrate their daughter’s first year — was truly special.

And if this is year one… we already know baby Marli is outside living her best life from here on out.

If you’re planning a celebration in Washington, D.C. or New York, we’d love to bring your vision to life. You can contact us by filling out our inquiry form.