Add a personal touch to your birthday décor with instax™
Birthdays are always the best celebrations. Why? Because they’re all about you, of course.
So, it only makes sense to match the vibe of the occasion with birthday decor ideas that show off your personality, your favourite people, and what you love the most.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a big milestone birthday or a low-key event with a carefully selected few — your celebrations deserve personalised birthday decor. If you’re not gonna go all out on your birthday, when else will you?
If you want to turn your birthday celebration into a day that’s truly all about you and your nearest and dearest, here’s how to do it with instax™ photo prints, instant cameras, and instant photo printers.
How birthday decor ideas level-up celebrations to new heights
Anyone can blow up some balloons, throw some bunting around the walls, and call it a day. But not you.
From adorable baby pics to selfies from the latest instalment of “the gals’ brunch”, you know that printed memories are the best way to add giggles, smiles, and maybe a few teary eyes to your b-day decorations. And it’s never been easier to achieve than with instax™ instant photo cameras, smartphone printers, and a whole array of film styles to match every mood, feeling, and vibe of the day.
The very best birthday decor ideas do more than just look good. They bring up feelings of nostalgia, pride, and excitement — while looking grid-worthy.
5 creative birthday decor ideas using instax™ prints
From downright chaotic to timelessly classic, these birthday decor ideas know how to elevate a sub-standard celebration into something you and your pals will never forget.
1. The welcome photo trail
You gotta start strong from the very moment your guests arrive. To hit the brief from all angles, why not create a welcome trail for your fellow party-goers using a batch of your favourite instax™ snaps, carefully lining the way to your party space?
Go as feral or modest as you wish, with features from crazy nights out to those heart-warming, wholesome moments.
You can either lay them out carefully over the floor or stick them to walls, hang them from trees in your front garden, or stick them to interior door frames using washi tape or another suitable adhesive. Not feeling faffing with the sticky stuff? Peg them along some string or fairy lights (more on this later).
When thinking about film styles, you can either choose a mix for extra flair or go for one film style for a more cohesive look. The choice is yours. Some of our favourite party-style films include instax™ mini Sprinkles, instax™ mini Confetti, instax™ SQUARE Star Illumination, and instax™ Black Frame Instant Film.
2. Photo memory wall
It’s a classic for a reason, and an absolute must for milestone birthdays. Choose a wall, mirror, or source a pinboard to display photos of you from over the years — and yes, that also means including pics of your 11-year-old-blue-eyeshadow phase.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can even arrange your prints in the shape of your age, or add to the display with hand-written captions featuring funny quotes or stories. It will definitely make your guests stop and stare — but in the best way!
3. Birthday cake photo toppers
Ever thought about decorating your birthday cake with photos? Well, now you have. All you need are a few instax™ mini prints, cocktail sticks or wooden skewers cut to size, and trusty ol’ tape.
Go themed with holiday snaps, pet pics, or questionable outfit choices from years gone by, or make it wholesome with family pics, snaps of you and your besties, or your biggest achievements to date.
It’s ultimate main character energy, but it’s your birthday, after all.
Disclaimer: For safety reasons, always remove any decorative photos or toppers from your cake before lighting candles.
4. Photo party bag tags
Remember going to your friends’ birthday parties back in the day and coming home with a party bag full of goodies? Let’s bring that back, but with a personalised photo twist.
Choose one photo for each guest (up to you how embarrassing you go!) and peg it onto their party bag using a mini clip. You can either print these beforehand using your instax Link™ smartphone printer, or do it in real time with your fave model of instax™ instant photo camera.
(Bonus host points if you have time to write a quick thank-you note on the frame).
5. Photo fairy lights
If you want to take a birthday photo banner one step further, this is the way to do it.
Start by choosing some fairy lights that fit your birthday celebration aesthetic, along with plenty of mini pegs or clips strong enough to hold your snaps.
Curate a collection of snaps that must be featured on your special day, and attach them to the fairy lights. You can even buy multiple packs of fairy lights to hang along a wall, across the buffet table, or around the cake stand.
Even better, give each fairy light string a theme with different snaps in a variety of print styles. Throwbacks, best friends, embarrassing moments, candids, unseen pics… you’ll never run out of ideas.
The best birthday table decoration ideas
Did you think we were done? Not quite. It’s time to talk tables — where the cake and the food live. They’re an important part of any birthday celebration, so they deserve the same decorating attention as the rest of your setup.
- Photo print place settings: Print a photo of each guest before they arrive and place it at their seat, either tucked into a napkin or propped up on a cute mini easel. They also double as budget-friendly party favours and keepsakes! It’s a win-win.
- Confetti and prints: Don’t just scatter confetti across the tables. Mix in your favourite instax™ prints too for ultimate flatlay vibes. Just don’t forget to pick a colour palette, theme, or matching film styles to keep the vibe in check.
- Photo-enhanced menu and drinks cards: Planning a menu or drinks station for your celebration? We hope so. Snap some pics of your beverages and dishes ahead of time during practice rounds, and peg them onto your menu or drinks cards. There’s no better way to get your guests hyped for what’s to come…
How to build a DIY photo booth with instax™
Don’t worry — you don’t have to blow your party budget on hiring a techy photo booth with all the bells and whistles. As long as you have your instax™ instant camera to hand, you can create a photo booth setup with no stress and minimal fuss:
- Backdrop: Just use what you have! Funky blankets or patterned sheets, DIY balloon walls, homemade paper garlands, tinsel, or even tinfoil for a sci-fi look.
- Prop station: Head to your local charity shop and grab what you can find. Think quirky sunglasses, hilarious hats, cringe-worthy signs (did someone say live, laugh, love?), and other random props.
- Guestbook/photobook: Grab a scrapbook, coloured pens, and glue for guests to stick their snaps.
- Instructions: Snap it, print it, stick it, sign it. That’s all there is to it.
If you have the instax mini Link 3™ to hand, then you’re in luck. This small but mighty powerhouse features a convenient ‘Click to Collage’ mode for an in-app photobooth experience from your phone.
Capture six different images with three seconds to strike the next pose, then print as a collage. You can even turn them into animations on your phone — perfect for sharing on your story.
Make your birthday one to remember — one instax™ print at a time
Ready to make your birthday celebration the most personalised and quirky one yet? No excuses — we’ve already got you geared up to go with everything you need.
With instax™ by your side, it’s never been easier to create quick, fun, interactive birthday party decorations that don’t break the bank (or your back).
Your birthday only comes round once a year, so make the most of it. Choose or snap your fav prints, grab your instax™ film, and start printing with your instax™ instant photo camera or printer.
