I’ve always been a fan of throwing parties—there’s just something magical about the whole process, from the initial planning to seeing everything come together in the end. Birthdays, especially, hold a special place in my heart because they’re a celebration of life. For my daughter's recent Wonderland-themed birthday party, we went all out while keeping things budget-friendly. There were so many elements involved, and people kept asking me about the "how-to's," so here's a detailed breakdown of what we did.
The decor was inspired by the whimsical tea party scene from *Alice in Wonderland*. My mom got really creative with tissue paper poms, following a tutorial from Martha Stewart. She made them and hung them from fishing lines attached to the house and surrounding trees. We also reused lanterns from a previous Candyland-themed party where they were wrapped in cellophane to resemble giant candy.
To keep the tea party vibe alive, we scoured thrift stores for vintage-style floral tea cups for each girl to take home. For the boys, we found large vials at Michaels for just $1 each. These served as "Drink Me" vials, reminiscent of the iconic moment in the movie. I designed custom "Drink Me" tags that you can download online, print on cardstock, and attach to the cups and vials with ribbons.
For the centerpiece, we found a set of ugly blue tea cups at The Salvation Army for a steal. After spray-painting them white and pink, we glued them together in a stack. A half-circle foam piece and some flowers completed the look, and it was all topped with moss balls wrapped in polka-dot ribbon.
The food was equally delightful. We made PB&J and turkey sandwiches cut into butterfly and flower shapes with oversized cookie cutters. Each sandwich was wrapped and tied with an "Eat Me" tag, adding a touch of whimsy. Water bottles were personalized with labels from Onlinelabels.com, and we even had a topsy-turvy cake made by Custom Cake Designs, which was both visually stunning and delicious.
Face painting was another highlight, thanks to my talented friend Christina. She painted designs inspired by Alice while dressed as the character herself. Another friend brought along pet rabbits, which were a huge hit with the kids.
Party favors were placed under the birthday gift—a canvas painting for our daughter—inside cute tin pails. Inside were items like silly straws, whimsical tattoos, bouncy balls, and mini slinkies. These were leftovers from previous parties, so it was a budget-friendly way to give something memorable.
The invitations were a unique touch. We had a "tea party" photo shoot with my daughter, and the invites included a skeleton key, which we found in bulk on eBay. The note read to bring the key to unlock a hidden treasure. At the party, the kids collected treasures from a large trunk, but I think it would be even more fun to build a set of doors where the key unlocks one, like Alice’s experience in the movie.
Other fun additions included a bounce house from a previous party, a cotton candy machine borrowed from a friend, and a dress-up station with tutus, hats, and accessories. We even transformed old school chairs with twine, ribbon, lace, and flowers, turning them into whimsical pieces.
This party was such a joy to organize, and I’m already looking forward to the next one. If you want to see more photos and details, check out the full event online.
*P.S. For more photos and behind-the-scenes content, visit [link].*
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