Mad Hatter Tea Party Bridal Shower

Event stylist and interior designers Alexandra Lauren and Jennifer Wright created a festive bridal shower to celebrate the wedding of Risa Bjork and Ryan Prosser. Featuring the black-and-white checkered pattern of MacKenzie-Childs dinnerware, the Mad Hatter theme reflected Alice’s journey through the rabbit hole. The Swan River in Bigfork, Montana, provided the perfect backdrop for this magical afternoon tea honoring two people who are “totally bonkers” for each other.

The Inspiration

The Mad Hatter: “Have I gone mad?” Alice: “I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret… All of the best people are,” from the Alice In Wonderland movie by Tim Burton.

The world of Alice in Wonderland came alive for this bride- and groom-to-be with decorative food and dinnerware to make the guests feel as though they had fallen through the rabbit hole into a land of enchantment. Lauren found this theme absolutely fitting. “Jennifer and I own our own interior design and event styling business, so we had a wonderful time planning and hosting this event for my best friend, Risa,” she says.

Décor

Alexandra Lauren captured the essence of the food and drink from the classic children’s book with cucumber sandwiches topped with “Eat Me” tabs and an assortment of old medicine bottles labeled “Drink Me.” There was even a tray of vegetables to represent the rabbit’s food. Alexandra and Jennifer combined mismatched teacups, checkered MacKenzie-Childs dinnerware and Blue Willow pieces to bring the enchanted world to life. She adorned the tables with large playing cards and ribbons danced in the trees. The most creative piece was the tailgate of a red 1948Ford truck which displayed the bar and dessert table. The party’s site in a clearing in the woods truly immersed guests in the wonderful world of Wonderland.

Host Your Own

“Guests were encouraged to dress for a Mad Hatter’s Tea,” says Alexandra Lauren. “We announced that there would be a gift for the best hat and the ‘most bonkers’ costume. It’s hard to have a bad time when you are dressed silly and fun!” she admits.

During the shower, guests create a vintage photo album made from old book pages. Ask attendees to bring a photo and a message about the couple and how they are “bonkers” for each other. Make the food and décor represent the different Alice in Wonderland characters with fun, whimsical colors.