What do you get when you have a mother who has a knack for party planning and a soon-to-be 2-year-old who loves her tea set? A girly, dress-up tea party, of course.

“I am obsessed with the bow trend,” says Amy Chapman, mom of the birthday girl and the party planner behind Seaux Darling Design. “But also, my mom, who passed three years ago, loved Downton Abbey, and she would have absolutely loved the party.”

From giant pink bows to miniature pink chairs, birthday girl Izzy’s tea party had everything her mom could dream up, drawing inspiration from clothing brand LoveShackFancy and Netflix hit series Bridgerton. Keep reading to hear from her mom about how every fanciful detail came to life.

How was the theme achieved through the décor?

“The homemade giant floral bow over the arch was a must, complimented by the chandelier. The chandelier was my mother’s. We gave it an update and removed the lights for candles.

I plan everything, but it takes a village to execute. My husband helps bring all my backdrop visions to life. He made my arches and thought through the logistics of making the structure. He’s the best handyman. My sisters and niece help with the final setup like setting the food out, making sure the cake and cookies are plated, and getting Izzy dressed while I am making the final touches.

As things go with a 2-year-old, we had several last-minute things to do, but Izzy slept late, which allowed us to get the finishing touches together. While the sun was rising, I was painting the backdrop as the birds were singing. It was as if we were in our own fairytale. It helped with my last-minute jitters.”

 What was the color scheme?

“Pinks (bright and light, or blush and bashful) was always the color scheme, just like LoveShackFancy. I was on the fence about adding a hint of blue. But Izzy’s eyes pop with blue, and when I saw my grandmother’s floral china, I knew that pink and blue was the perfect color scheme!”

What were some of the smaller details included?

“We recycled Mardi Gras beads as our pearls. I bought mini lace gloves. Of course, we had to have little girl hats, and I added pink bows to them. Since it was Easter weekend, we decorated Easter eggs with beautiful floral tattoos and pearls. This craft was super easy but turned out gorgeous. Each little girl was excited to find out they were able to bring the gloves, hat, pearls and Easter eggs home.

I wanted to do florals on florals, mimicking the LoveShackFancy vibes. From the fabric on the big backdrop bow to the little girl’s teacups, saucers and teapot, everything had roses on it for our Isabella Rose. We had several florals, but the roses were the main showstopper.”

Why do you think kids’ birthday parties are so big right now?

“I lost my mother and became a mom all within a year. Creating memories and traditions has become so important to me. It is what I cling to when I want to feel close to my mother. I am intentional about documenting and taking time to create those same memories with my own daughter. That’s what keeps my mom’s legacy alive. The best memories I have of my mom are of being creative together. Whether that was setting a tablescape, cooking or searching for the best vintage find that we could update. She was the ultimate creator. I always want to help Izzy create, imagine and believe in the beautiful things in life. The heart and soul behind Seaux Darling Design is helping women celebrate milestones and create magical memories that last not only a lifetime but generations.”

Vendors:

Planning & design: Seaux Darling Design

Photography: Abigail Devall Photography

Table & chairs: Chere Fête

Cookies: All Things Sweet by Victoria