Mad Hatter

While we have created a variety of “Alice in Wonderland” events, with very different invitation design concepts, the most unusual was featured in a long glass corked-bottle. The rolled invitation revealed an image of the Mad Hatter on one side with event details noted on the back. The invitation entailed hand-burned edges, glitter-infused bottles, and a large exterior manila hang tag with hand burned edges denoting the guest’s name on one side and “Open Me!” on the other.

EVENT DESIGN

The intricate imagery and captivating whimsical characters presented in the “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” story provide an enormous foundation from which a designer can envision creative and innovative design concepts. In an effort to weave a tale such as this within a micro-event, modifying the design palette to a focal point of a “Mad Hatter Tea” table setting, permitted the luxury of harnessing one aspect of the tale, and staging additional small strategic vignettes emphasized specific “scenes” thereby evoking an ethereal, fantasy vibe.

OUTDOOR MAD HATTER TEA

MICRO-EVENT

BALLARD PARK, RIDGEFIELD, CT

Vignette stylization for this event was modest, focusing on a singular table set for four, as well as a small buffet set as a micro-candy emporium. A bright, cheerful color palette of ruby, sunflower yellow, and the blue-est of skies, was paramount to the ideal aesthetics! For this eventscape we featured a square table, however, a small banquet table, set for two, such as one acting as a bride & groom’s table, or a long banquet table set as a majestic king table, can be equally dramatic and impactful in presentation.

Victorian carved mahogany chairs with red and gold plaid upholstery added an elegant vintage touch. The décor for the main table, set for a whimsical “high tea”, entailed a compilation of items, applying the philosophy of abundance. A vibrant ruby embroidered-swirl linen draped the table, meeting the authentic grass carpet.

An exquisite Mad Hatter Statue acted as the dramatic centerpiece. Sporting vintage circular spectacles, the Hatter donned an exaggerated-size black velvet top hat adorned with a captivating ruby ribbon-swirl-taffeta wired ribbon wrap, a prominent bow, lengthy ribbon tails, and tag denoting “In This Style…” In his hand he held a miniature saucer featuring a decadent ruby-frosted cupcake punctuated with a custom “Eat Me!” tag.

Surrounding the statue, an edible garden sprouted at the Hatter’s feet… miniature birch wired-fencing enveloped a bed of moss featuring an artisanal wooden hand-painted “Garden” sign, large decorative faux mushrooms, a plethora of striking “strawberry blooms” on skewers, stunning sunflower blossoms, “Cheshire Cat Whiskers” (rolled strawberry licorice-round) florals, and glass test tubes filled with ruby chocolate-covered sunflower seeds. Apropos porcelain green cabbage plates dressed the table mingling with white porcelain teacups and saucers enhanced with large custom hang tags with hand-burned edges demanding “Drink Me!”Embroidered “H” monogram vintage cloth napkins, forged-iron scroll silverware and a vintage platinum ladies pocket watch, completed the tablescape.

MICRO CANDY EMPORIUM

A vintage crazy quilt, rich with vibrant colors and patterned textiles, draped over the table staged for the Micro Candy Emporium display. The centerpiece showcased a moss-embellished decorative child’s chair staged with gorgeous sunflower blossoms. Flanking the chair were a pair of vintage rope-carved wood candlesticks touting tall burgundy & ivory striped tapers donning miniature straw-hat lampshades!

The Micro Candy Emporium buffet table displayed adornments including a vintage Tiffany sterling silver sugar shaker, silver sugar spoon, “Courtly Check Collection” enamel “MacKenzie-Childs” black & white checkered display platters, an artisan papier-mâché white rabbit, and a decorative silver tiered-cupcake display piece with charming dangling crystal embellishments. The statement cupcake confections touted tall ruby frosting peaks sprinkled with sugar crystals and spiked “Eat Me!” signage. Black paper cupcake skirts with white ruffling provided the necessary dainty polish! Porcelain black & white polka dot, and black & white striped dishes, and an array of decorative miniature crystal dishes, cradled ruby & black raspberry jelly candies, large  ruby & black marbled gum balls, strawberry licorice twists, black dark-chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, test tubes filled with ruby chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, and “Cheshire Cat Whiskers” (rolled strawberry licorice-round) florals. Custom edible blooms of large hand-dipped ruby white-chocolate marshmallows, sprinkled with sugar crystals, were presented on elongated skewer stems featured in faux spun-sugar grass. A large Victorian carved wood mirror was displayed on a decorative easel… a nod to “the looking-glass”, and decorative vintage iron fencing suggested a private sector of the park.

INDOOR MAD HATTER TEA

EVENT STAGING: MICRO EVENT

TABLESCAPE

While this approach to creating a Mad Hatter Tea embraces a complete antithesis of the prior detailed staging, both the outdoor vignette stylization, noted above, and indoor vignette stylization, noted below, are equally visually impactful and stimulating. The inspiration for this particular staging drew primarily from the 2016, “Alice Through the Looking Glass” movie, showcasing various design aesthetics from the film. Set within the interior foyer of a high school, in honor of the upcoming graduates, this event duplicated certain key design elements as showcased in the “OUTDOOR MAD HATTER TEA” vignette setting, noted above, such as the statement Mad Hatter statue, and various accoutrements. In designing both the indoor and outdoor event showcases, there are a plethora of items featured on the main table. In “telling this tale” visually, the tables are virtually overflowing with objects that provide intrigue and enticement, ushering-in a fantastical aesthetic.

The INDOOR MAD HATTER TEA vignette design was set atop a ruby, black, & ivory swirl-patterned area rug, adjacent to faux grass carpeting lining the entrance to the school. Behind the table, lengths of plush ruby & gold velvet striped fabric panels, married with black velvet drapery, hung from the ceiling offering the illusion of a window setting. Above the table a plethora of custom die-cut cardboard pocket watches, embellished with vintage gold glitter, were suspended from the ceiling by means of delicate brass chains. The table aesthetic showcased a long king table design, set for eight, featuring a vintage chestnut wood farm table, a Windsor mahogany armchair, and wood cross-back farm-style chairs enhanced with ivory linen chair pads. Black tulle bows were added to the chair ties for more of a dramatic effect.

The tablescape promoted miniature birch wired-fencing enveloping a bed of assorted mosses and perfect appointments… a tall moss-covered whimsical topiary… a large silver candelabra with tall burgundy & ivory striped tapers donning miniature straw-hat lampshades!… miniature “Alice in Wonderland” die-cut cardboard characters… silk floral clusters & silk cabbages… decorative porcelain mushrooms… eclectic mismatched porcelain teacups and saucers stacked in precarious piles… porcelain tea service sets… porcelain green cabbage plates & cabbage display dishes… vintage Tiffany sterling silver sugar shaker… silver sugar spoon… random vintage wooden spools of thread… collections of vintage leather bound books… “Alice-In-Wonderland” pop-up books… and a custom book featuring a welcome to the graduates. Nearby school walls were adorned with custom miniature wood doors and an assortment of vintage clock faces varying in size and design.

EVENT VIGNETTES

-An enormous hand-rendered canvas featuring a scene from one of the “Alice-in-Wonderland” book pages, portrayed the “dwarfed Alice” within a dollhouse-sized home. The canvas was hung as the optimal drapery for the high school’s main office. Huge ruby paper roses, and vintage wood fencing wrapped the exterior of the office space.

-A pair of entry doors displayed lengths of canvas, one design featuring a custom hand rendered message of “Down the Rabbit Hole”, showcasing the infamous “rabbit”, intricately drawn and decorated with silk wired-ribbon & a rhinestone brooch. The second entry door revealed a canvas length embellished with replicated “Alice in Wonderland” book pages.

-Vintage custom barnwood signs were created to showcase directional signage denoting “Future” & “Past” standing before a vintage hand-painted screen revealing an enchanted forest and castle scene.

-A vintage typewriter was displayed at the main entrance displaying a welcome message to graduates and visitors, alongside large white ceramic chess pieces and random vintage wooden spools of thread.

PHOTO OP VIGNETTES

Two photo-op vignettes were custom creations allowing guests to indulge in the optimal “wonderland” experience…

-One custom photo vignette was stylized as the “Mad-Hatter’s Studio”, featuring an interior studio wall constructed from aged wood palettes, replete with a vintage paned-glass window showcasing an antique lace valance with opulent tassel trim. A barnwood shelf and iron display hooks displayed a collection of hats for guests to wear during photos, as well as a selection of vintage shoes. A custom tailored “Mad Hatter Studio” textile “story-board” fashioned with fabric swatches, inspirational photos, samplings of millinery plumes, vintage buttons, embroidery threads, exotic embroidered and woven trims, and color swatches graced the vision board. Bespoke “Mad Hatter business cards” were even created as the perfect keepsake!

-The alternate custom photo vignette featured an original movie theater life-size standee promoting the “Alice Through the Looking Glass” film. The Mad Hatter character portion of the standee was embellished with a custom strung vibrant “rainbow-of-vintage-wood-spools-of-thread belt”, and a collection of colorful silk ribbon samplings. A vintage hand-painted children’s bench stood before the movie standee alongside custom wood stump “mushroom tuffets”, and leather suitcases with luggage tags reading “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road’ll take you there!”

MAD HATTER TEA CROQUET

Custom Croquet-Boards created for both children, and the young-at-heart, were created to enhance events that promoted guest interaction. The table-top croquet boards were constructed with extremely thick hard foam and wood bases covered in faux grass carpeting. Miniature vintage croquet sets adorned the boards showcasing intricate “flower-pot” and teacup holes, and an infusion of the types of décor and accoutrements noted for the tablescapes, detailed in the above “TABLESCAPE” texts.