5 Years Anniversary Party Theme - Mad Hatters Tea Party
My sister, June and her husband Peter celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary with a party. Since June was seven months pregnant the party was also going to be her baby shower. Peter called my parents for help planning. The theme was, "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party".

The Invitations were shaped like tea cups. Inside was a picture of the white rabbit looking at his pocket watch and holding up a finger. Beside the white rabbit were the details of location, date and time looking as if they had been written by a child in colorful crayon.

The day of the party I showed up early to help set up. The thirty foot long table had already been put up. It was made from four rented banquet tables. I helped cover it with white linen and set the tapestry place mats in front of every chair. Ten rented chairs had been placed on each side and two beautiful, high-backed wooden chairs from a prop rental warehouse were place side by side at the head of the table. Between the flower centerpieces was a row of ten teapots of all shapes and sizes, down the center of the table. Most were from Aunt Blanche's collection, but she picked up a few at a thrift store. The teapots were filled with wine instead of tea.

Behind the main table was a ten-foot table where the buffet would be set up. Mom and Aunt Blanche made some of the food, but the rest was being delivered by a caterer. After I was done with the placemats mom put me to work wrapping napkins around sets of plastic utensils to make them into easy to grab packages. These were put into a wicker basket at the end of the buffet table.

June made some cardboard rose bushes and flamingos and she put them around the yard. She even made some of the white roses look like they had been painted red.

When it was almost time for the party to start I took my camera out of my purse so I could take some pictures of the set up before the guests arrived. I nearly burst out laughing when my father came out of the house dressed as the Mad Hatter. My mom was right behind him wearing a Queen of Hearts. costume. June was dressed as Alice and Peter was wearing a white rabbit costume. They all looked great and I took a group picture.

Guests started arriving and of course headed right for the buffet. Dad had a hard time filling his plate with food because every time he tilted his head, his oversized hat slid off his head. Once it almost landed in the potato salad, but I caught it just in time.

When we were done eating Mom and Aunt Blanche brought out a cake in the shape of a table set for tea. It was so cute. All the dishes were made out of chocolate. It was very delicious.

Afterwards we played croquet and Peter knocked over one of the flamingo cut outs. Every one laughed especially when he couldn't get it to stand up again.. Peter left the croquet to the women and played horseshoes with the men. The party was fantastic. I want my fifth anniversary celebration to be as much fun. It shouldn't be too hard, I still have two years to plan it.