Princess Tea Party -5yr- Dress-up Tea

Princess Birthday Tea Party:  For my daughter's 5th birthday we had a princess tea party.  We made our own invitations from our computer and downloaded Disney princess clip art to add to the front of the invitations.  We chose a Cinderella pose for the front  and used hot pink print. We personalized each invitation with each girl's name on the front and included "Attire:  Princess costume" inside the invitation. We had the party on a Sunday in January from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m.   

The girls showed up in a variety of princess attire including tiaras and dress up shoes.  We had a special child sized tea table set up for the gifts which had a princess balloon bouquet centerpiece.  I asked their mothers if it was ok to put play makeup and nail polish on them. 

I escorted each one to a special dress up area.  This included an old white vanity, trimmed in gold leaf that had a lift up mirror in the middle.  I'd decorated the vanity with a silk pink rose garland and a mini-dressmakers stand trimmed in small beads.  A lamp with a crystal beaded lampshade lit the vanity and I applied play eye shadow, blush, lip gloss to their faces in their colors of choice.  They also got either pink or blue body glitter on their hands and lower arms. 

After this they picked out their favorite color of "silk" dress up gloves (pink, purple, blue, or white) which had embroidered butterflies on the backs.  And we gave them each a feathered mini boa and a beaded necklace.  We took pictures of the group immediately after because the girls didn't want to leave on their gloves and boas!  (They were "scratchy"!) 

While I finished up last minute tea party set up, they danced to a Disney Princess CD which had all the popular princess songs from the different movies.  The girls were just precious as they spun and twirled and giggled throughout the whole CD.  In the "ballroom" where they danced we hung white paper lanterns with tassles. 

Next we called them to the tea room.  This was a glassed-in, carpeted sunporch with a large round patio table transformed into a beautiful ladies tea table.  I used a solid pink ruffled tablecloth on the bottom topped with a white lace table cloth.  The centerpiece was another princess balloon bouquet sitting among a child-sized silver tea set with tray. 

The table was preset with white cloth napkins with white embroidered flowers, clear glass plates which allowed the lace table cloth to show through; gold silverware; child-size china tea cups adorned with an angel sitting on roses trimmed in gold; and ornate clear glass ice cream dishes which were footed.  We sang Happy Birthday and served lemonade from a matching tea pot, Neopolitan ice cream with sprinkles and their choice of mini-cheesecakes, chocolate petit fors, or birthday cake or all 3!. 

The birthday cake was decorated with pink roses and a gold princess carriage & little white horses sat atop.  The cake read "Princess Amanda". As they ate they used words like "darling, marvelous, glorious,..." and held out their pinky fingers while sipping "tea".  Also in the room was a white shelf tower holding 6 dainty ceramic tea pots (one on each shelf) and a side table which showcased 2 feather fans in pink and purple. 

After the tea, we opened presents and played a game.  I had my daughter sit in the "queen's chair"--a large wingback white/floral chair in the living room to open presents.  After thanking each guest, we played "Find the Lost Slipper".  Each girl gave me one of their dress up slippers and I hid each one within the house.  When I was done, all the girls combed the house for their own slipper and helped the others find theirs.  They loved the game so much they wanted to take turns hiding the shoes.  We also had a princess castle tent set up for them to play in.   

As their mothers arrived for pick up, we gave each girl the gloves, beads, and boas they had chosen earlier to take home.  We also gave them satin sachet bags full of party favors--sunglasses, more beaded necklaces, play rings, "Princess" compact mirrors, a pair of miniature "glass" slippers, and a bracelet of heart "pearls".  I don't know who had more fun, my daughter or me!