Alice in Wonderland: Creating an Ambiance

Photos by Camp Fotografia

Ambiance is critical to the success of every party. As I suggested a few weeks ago, the Alice in Wonderland party had many possibilities and many characters to work with (see What About Wonderland?). The danger in a lot of imagery is creating chaos instead of a welcoming atmosphere. However, if your elements are harmonious, the outcome, as one observer of this party commented, can be quite... magical.

Cake by Carla Prado

I think the pictures speak for themselves. Especially these...

Photos by Camp Fotografia

Disney Princess: Culture Bash

The world is getting smaller. Like most big cities, Sao Paulo has its share of multicultural families and that population continues to increase.



Photos by Camp Fotografia

I thought designing a party for the daughter of an American mom and a Brazilian dad was going to be pretty straightforward. The theme was Disney Princess, a popular choice. Anticipating the party, the couple had brought a bounty of Princess themed party goods in their move from New York to Sao Paulo, so we were set on supplies. But I didn’t anticipate the clash of culture that occurred over a 3-year-old’s birthday.

Catering by General Prime Burger

For most in the States, a birthday party consists of pizzas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and birthday cake. But a Brazilian birthday party involves much, much more. The idea of having an elaborate sweet table, well, it kind of scared this Manhattan mom. And with good reason. Some sweet displays can get quite outlandish if put in less attentive hands. She also didn’t understand the typical children party menu and why mini-hotdogs and brigadeiro were a requirement. Honestly, with a child that was only two, she didn’t have much experience in this arena as it was. But the Brazilian family and friends that were to be the guests of this event has certain expectations.

So what did I do? For one, I backed off the Brazilian bling.

Cupcake tower/cake by Carla Prado

We made the cake table simple. A lovely, themed cupcake tower with some Disney Princess dolls and a garden of sweets calmed her fears.

While children’s birthday parties in Brazil are usually light on adults, she had invited quite a few and as it was being held on a Saturday, we knew they would probably show up (especially since many were Americans). So we included a gourmet buffet complete with cocktails. To balance out the Brazilian elements, we injected some American party activities like a piñata.

In the end, everyone, Brazilians and foreigners alike, felt in his or her element. And of course, the party princess had a fabulous time at very her first Brazilian bash.

Photos by Camp Fotografia

What About Wonderland?

What do you do with a party theme like "Alice in Wonderland?" Honestly, I was a rather frightened of this Disney classic when I was a child. So many elements, so many weird and wacky characters, so many (dark) colors - so much chaos! So how do I turn this tale into a happy celebration for a little girl? In the story, Alice had a problem similar to mine when I took on this project. Chasing the elusive white rabbit. As she goes down the “rabbit hole” she wonder where exactly she will end up, and as I analyzed the various possibilities of this party, I wondered the same.

The important thing to focus on with a theme that has so very many possibilities is to find a thread of consistency - and stick with it. While you want to stay true to the sentiments of the story's origins, in this case disorder and whimsy, you need to create an environment that's festive and comfortable for guests. However, dealing with an idea like this gives you almost endless freedom to be creative and make your mark.  


So where to begin? Like any good story, you begin... at the beginning. The invitation.

A party invitation sets the stage for the celebration and expectations for your guests. Envelopes handcrafted from storybook pages allow the invitee to share a bit of the story prior to the party. It's also makes for a lovely keepsake.


Another challenge was, unlike newly released or re-released films, Alice in Wonderland hadn't played in theaters for decades. So Alice party supplies were scarce. But the film has some timeless imagery that made the design more than possible.

Characters like the Queen of Hearts, talking tiger lillies and rose gardens can lead to some very girly possibilities. 


Planning for this party is currently in the works, but I’ll be posting the outcome in the upcoming months.


Wish me luck!