A photo birthday invitation is a clever and unique idea for your child's birthday. Your child will have an invitation like no other and a photo invitation is a great way to start off a personalized party. With a few simple tips and tricks, you'll have the perfect birthday invitation with an adorable picture.

First a few simple dos for your picture perfect birthday invitation.

Make sure you've got the right photo. Remember these invitations are going out to your child's friends. The way they look on the birthday invitation is very important. Work with the guest of honor to select a picture that they'll love to show their friends. This will make them feel confident and extra special. If you can't pick out a photo together, make sure you at least get the OK for the picture you'd like to use.

You might also want to take this opportunity to get your child ?dressed up? for an elegant picture. If you want to invest in professional photography, this can be a great place to do it. Or you might want to take the photo to a fun and wacky direction. Dress you birthday kid up as a cowboy, astronaut or princess and you've got a great theme for your party. Anyone can have a western-themed cowboy party, but your birthday invitation will be personalized with a fun picture of the guest of honor.

Photo birthday invitations don't have to be just for kids. Grown-ups can enjoy some fun with pictures, too. Get out those baby pictures out for your next big milestone party.

While there are many great advantages to using pictures for your invitations, there are some pitfalls you should be aware of.

Don't pick an inappropriate snapshot. That picture of your teenager as a baby bathing in the kitchen sink is adorable, but it will embarrass your birthday kid. Save that for another occasion. It bears repeating: this is your child's party and the wrong picture on the birthday invitation could spell disaster.

While a photo invitation is a great and unique idea, there may be some apprehension about sending out a picture of your child in the mail. In this case, an envelope is a must. Make sure your invitation comes with an envelope so the photo and date of the party is only seen by the intended recipient. For additional safety, take your invitations directly to the post office. This will give you additional piece of mind that your invitations will be delivered properly.

You should also try to avoid an e-invitation with your child's image. Many, many people have access to the internet and you don't want any unsavory characters to get a hold of your photo invitation. This many not ever be an issue for parents, but this precaution can give you some piece of mind while you're planning your child's birthday party.

Take advantage of your adorable birthday kid and make the perfect birthday invitation with their photo. With just a few simple steps you can have the most exceptional invitation that can also become a treasured keepsake for you and your family.