DD's birthday party dilemma. WWYD?

[AliBaby]

We would like to have a party for DD. We did one last year for her at home and had all her friends and parents of her friends over including all of mothers group and others. It was a lot of work and a lot of money and a lot of cleaning up so bot doing that again.

We would like to go to a play centre that DD loves. We have a budget of $250 for the party. We can only afford to invite max 10 little friends as it costs per head.

I have this dillemma though...There are 12 children in our mothers group and she has about 5 other friends out of mothers group.

I cant invite them all. There is no way we could afford it and I refuse to pay for some and then expect others to pay and 17 is way too many kids IMO.

So what do I do? There are 2 kids that will def come from mothers group as I was friends with their parents way before we all had babies, but with the other 10 kids, DD isnt really close to all of them. Maybe 3 others in the group she seems to really love playing with.

Geez organising parties are hard when you are trying not to offend anyone.

Any suggestins welcome (except dont have a party).

[Party-of-five]

have others from mums group had parties and not invited everyone?
do you get a discount at play centre for a large group and then ask that they pay for themselves?

[AliBaby]

None of them had birthday parties last year where they invited everyone. They may have just done something with family and friends out of mothers group. This year DD has been to 4parties from mothers group friends. They invited everyone from mothers group. I know others have had parties this year but not invited mothers group at all.

NO discount at the play centre for large group.

[BrightSparkles]

I know that this particular play centre in her fav, are there other play centres around a little cheaper thouhg? They seem to have similar things?

[Party-of-five]

tricky

If you would feel comfortable doing it I think just invite a few from mums group and her other friends its her party after all

[Santosha]

The way we got around this (as all the Mums in the mother's group are in the same situation of course), is that we had one party for all the mother's group kids when it was about half-way between the eldest and youngest's birthdays. One of the Mums volunteered her back yard, each Mum brought a plate and we did a kind of 'kris kringle' for presents. Then we had separate parties for just our own friends and family and our own birthday girl. This meant that we all weren't trying to juggle 'double booking' since all the MG kids' birthdays are within 6 weeks of eachother, and it saved expense and stress of having all those parties (and potential party guests).

[shellbell3]

What about simple park party? I know around here you can book rotundas at park, put on a BBQ, have few salads, nibbles, kids play on the playground and that it, no clean up and cheap!