Alice in Wonderland Birthday Tea Party

A lot of great parties can be decorated using things from the dollar store. Here's an idea of a Alice in Wonderland themed tea party for a milestone birthday.

Invitation:
Use Lewis Carol’s clip art from the book. "Hurry, don’t be late to join Jolene for a very merry 30th un-birthday tea party. Wear your favourite hat. Buffet lunch will be served followed by tea and cake. Stay for drinks and card games."

Décor:
Make a long tea party table made by putting 2 or more rectangle tables end to end the long way and covering with white bed sheet table cloths. use assorted chairs to surround the table with high backed arm chairs at heads if available. Staple two playing cards back to back at the short ends and tuck a paper napkin and a silk red rose inside and place on each plate.

Centerpieces:
Use various colourful teapots down the center of the table full of real or fake flowers. If you can't find teapots, use assorted white or clear vases, bowls and pitchers. For color fan out a circle of playing cards alternating every other one and glue in place. Use as a trivit under floral containers. Porcelain rabbits or plastic mice painted white are also pretty mixed with clocks, embelished top hats and piles of playing cards for later.


Buffet:
Make tiered serving plates either disposbale plates and cups or ceramic. For the paper versions glue paper doilies to the bottoms of the plates then hot glue all pieces together tucking a few rocks unside the cups for stability. For the ceramic version, tier up some plates and glasses and super glue together. Here's a Design Sponge link with more details. Make raised plates and bowls in the same manner. glue three pony hair beads to the bottom of a saucer and top with the top half of a two liter bottle as a dome. Remore the neck and replace with a toy ball or large bead. Hot glue in place. Fill with little piles of cookies and cheese cubes and display with "eat me" cards. Serve "Queen of Hearts Tarts", finger sandwiches, and of course a toppling colorful birthday cake like the one here from Family Fun.


Favors:
Make teabags out of white party bags like on Family Fun and tag them with "thank you". Place them in a basket or on a tray by the door labeled “take one”. Fill with small chocolate bunnies, a variety of tea bags, clocks, decks of cards or other suite (poker) favors…

As guest sarrive, have them choose a seat and grab a bollted drink labled“drink me”. Have them help theirselves to the buffet. Afterwards encourage card games (drinking games, poker etc.) and more drinks. Make sure everyone takes a favor when they leave.


Dollar Store items needed:
packs of playing cards
bunches of silk roses
rabbit figurines
teapots
plastic top hats
teacups and saucers
pony hair beads
rounded 2 liter soda bottles
clocks
white paper lunch bags
chocolate bunnies
paper doilies
paper plates and cups or ceramic plates and cups
super glue and hot glue
assorted teas