When my daughter, Olivia, asked for a Garden Tea Party to celebrate her 5th birthday, my creative juices really started to flow. There is something so sweet and special about a little girl’s first tea party, and I instantly envisioned Olivia with her sister and their friends in an enchanted, magical setting. With a lot of work and painstaking attention to detail, my backyard was transformed into a lush, picturesque garden—perfect for any little lady to sit and take her afternoon tea!

I started by designing and building a gorgeous custom canopy around the dining area, with flowing drapes that cascaded down to the table seating all of Olivia’s friends. This created an incredibly charming atmosphere and seeing the drapes dance in the breeze only added to the ethereal essence I was hoping to capture. My favorite part of the table was the simple, yet elegant golden chandelier that hung in the center—rather than having it be an overly ornate decoration, I opted for a playful piece that while appropriate for a children’s party, lends to the overall sophistication of the event.

The table was beautifully decorated with delicate birdcages, which I filled with silk flower petals; for centerpieces, I arranged Manzanita branches, speckled with organza butterflies, birds, and hanging terrariums. I also set the table with multi-tier serving trays filled with adorable butterfly and flower-shaped tea sandwiches, my own fun and whimsical twist on traditional Afternoon Tea fare. Rather than seating cards, I had an artist design custom tea cups for every guest at the party with their names, which also served as a lovely, personalized parting gift.

Of course, the perfect tea party would not be complete without a stunning dessert table so I built a customized 8ft by 6ft flower backdrop, hand-crafting every intricate bud out of brightly-colored paper and then making it come to life with realistic accents. The backdrop stood behind an absolutely breathtaking designer cake, matching cake pops and elegant tiers of delicious cookies, cupcakes, and macaroons. The vibrant colors of the backdrop and desserts worked so well together, and with the garden-theme mirrored in every detail, this was truly a focal point of the party’s décor.

To make the party as enjoyable as it was beautiful, I invited our favorite Princesses who helped entertain guests with singing and dancing, and I organized various activities ranging from cupcake decorating to bracelets crafting. I also ordered a castle bouncy house which is always a favorite of the kids’.

I really loved being able to watch my ideas come to life and took so much pleasure in hand-crafting every last detail of this party; however, the most rewarding part for me was being able to create a fun, memorable experience for my daughters and their friends, and to make Olivia feel so special on her birthday.

Enjoy!
Alexandra