Smarty Parties: Wynnie the Great's Magical 8th: a Magic Party!

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We had a magical time celebrating Wynnie's 8th birthday in September. If you follow Smarty Parties, you may remember Wynnie from her science-themed seventh birthday. Well, another year has come and gone, and her sweet parents asked me to put together a totally different experience for her. Instead of bright and modern, this year they wanted vintage and ornate. And instead of science, magic!

At the entrance to the party (a walkway that led around to the back of the house), I positioned a chalkboard easel, flanked with balloons and announcing "Wynnie the Great's Magical 8th!" Guests then followed the lighted path to the back yard to find magical surprises.

We kept the color palette to dark red, black, and ivory, with gold accents. Decorations involved top hats, rabbits, decks of cards, and anything vintage and magical.

Small cafe tables provided snacking space for the guests. Each one was set with a top hat centerpiece atop a gold charger, ringed with favors of wands and personalized decks of cards.

I positioned the dessert table against the back wall of the house, hanging red velvet panels on either side of black foam board, in the center of which was a lighted marquee "W" I made from a cardboard form and spraypainted gold. On either side of the marquee were rabbit ears peeking out of black top hats.

Across the front of the table was the birthday girl's banner, made from her name (Cricuit Carousel font) interspersed with giant playing cards featuring the number 8, in honor of her 8th birthday.

Now for my favorite part of any party: the dessert table details!

I ordered these custom "Vanishing Cupcakes" from Nashville Sweets. Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and fondant toppers featuring playing cards, stars with 8's, and magic wands. They did an amazing job, as usual, and also made this beautiful special cupcake for the birthday girl.

In addition to cupcakes we offered "Hocus Pocus Popcorn" that we popped onsite in a retro popcorn machine--not only was it a tasty snack, but it made the whole party smell especially festive.

And some pretzel wands for some more salty to balance the sweet cupcakes:

Also on the snack table were some sweets for guests to take home. They were invited to fill their magician's trunks (plastic treasure chests from Oriental trading) with tricks:

Strawberry "wands"

Coin Tricks (chocolate coins)

"Pick a card, any card!"

Guests gathered inside for a wonderful magic show by local magician Gary Flegal.

And the birthday girl herself even got to be his assistant--they made this table float!

The magic show was a huge hit with the guests--children and adults alike--and afterward, everyone went back outside for cupcakes and more snacks. Everyone had fun posing in the photo booth with their magical props.