A GLIMPSE OF THE ETHEREAL
Shh. Are you alone? Quick, close the doors. Because I am about to tell you a secret:
Fairies are real.
Bea, the fairest fairy of them all.
This amazing moment was captured by Delightful Little Darlings. I am in love with this picture!
Wouldn’t it be marvelous if your best friend one day told you this? This is the stuff of a little girl’s dreams. More specifically, this is the stuff of our dear Bea’s dreams, who so loves fairies with their fluttering wings and delicate features.
Thankfully, my job at Party Magic is to make those dreams come true, if only for that one special day.
Welcome to Fairyopolis.
THE CONCEPT: FLOWER FAIRIES BY CICELY MARY BARKER
When my good friend, Mommy Carmela, told me that Bea loved fairies, and that she (Carmela) loved the woods, the idea practically jumped at me. You see, a slightly eccentric hobby of mine is to collect special edition books. I have special edition, hardcover (and sometimes even pop-up) books on Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and even Beauty and the Beast.
But my favorite book of them all is actually a series of books on Flower Fairies, by Cicely Mary Barker. The first of the series was published (would you believe it) in 1923.
Although Cicely died in 1973, her legacy lives on through her wonderful works of art. Today, her estate continues her works through modern adaptations. This is how the first page of my own flower fairy book looks like:
This is a scanned copy of my actual book, if you are curious. And as you turn to the next page, the fairies’ treehouse pop-ups!
In the spirit of the pop-up books, Mommy Carmela had the amazing idea of doing a pop-up invitation (graphics done by Party Magic):
If you were reading carefully, you’d notice the invitation mentioning that the event was a surprise party for Bea, and that everyone should stay mum and on the down low!
All of Mommy Carmela’s hard work at keeping the party a secret paid off when we saw the look on Bea’s face as she arrived. Pure happiness!
Basing the theme of an event on the works of a genius like Cicely, with such a rich history, and a romantic, evocative style of painting and illustration, is such an honor. And my pleasure even doubled when I saw just how much Bea was happy on her special day.
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS
Even though the Party Magic team and I went through all the pain to recreate a fairy wonderland for Bea, I have to say that the real MVP of this event is Mommy Carmela herself. All of the details, from the little props handed out to the kids as they enter, to the program flow, the entertainment, and the suppliers, were all conceptualized and prepared for by Mommy Carmela.
Party Magic’s entrance set-up for Bea involved creating a separate section for dressing up the kids (left side)
Let me walk you through:
Upon entering, all the girls get a necklace with a small bottle, which contains 2 stubs: one stub for claiming their flower crown, flower wand, fairy wings, and fairy basket (which contains a tutu and a bottle of goodies), and another stub to claim their giveaways!
Next, the kids get to go to the kiddie salon, then enter Fairyopolis. Those who entered were greeted by these lovely creatures:
Right inside the venue, guests get to take photos at the photo-op area:
The overall mood I was aiming for was an organic and whimsical woodland:
For the dessert area, I wanted a more romantic feel, so I opted for this kind of set-up:
Sugarplum really did a wonderful job on this one, with their beautiful desserts:
And most of all, that birthday cake!
Bea was a natural performer. She sang, danced, and overall positively glowed that day, much to the joy of her doting parents:
Our best wishes, and love goes to you, dear Bea! Happy 7th to the fairest fairy of them all!
Love,
Michelle
Where is the venue?