Birthday party has Alice theme

Rose Dearinger as Alice from the recent Tim Burton remake of Alice in Wonderland at her 10th birthday party.

BEAUTIFULLY planned from the dainty china tea cups to the little “drink me” bottles handed out to each guest, the magical world of Alice in Wonderland came to life in Ipswich at the weekend.

Staying true to Tim Burton’s 2010 film, characters such as the Mad Hatter, Red Queen, Tweedledee, Tweedledum, Dormouse and March Hare were all in attendance at a Mad Hatter’s tea party in Nerima Gardens.

The elaborately styled event had a very special purpose, celebrating 10-year-old Rose Dearinger’s birthday.

To add to the fun of the day, each guest was given instructions as to which character they would be playing on their invitation.

Rose’s father Nathan Dearinger, who arrived dressed as the Mad Hatter, said the day also included a game of croquet with the Red Queen, feeding the pigs in the petting zoo and visiting the glasshouse to ask the pansies directions to the tea party.

“They have been all over the park today,” Mr Dearinger said.

“They have had quite the adventure.”

Perfect down to the last detail, there were even platters of “eat me” cakes, and trays of other baked delicacies scattered across the tables. Mr Dearinger said his wife Cathy had planned the party for weeks.

“She has been baking for weeks,” he said.

“Plus organising with the council and the head gardener at Nerima. Getting the details absolutely right was very important.”

From last year’s Up sleep-over where big puffy clouds hung from the ceiling, to an Australian Outback Spectacular party where Rose and six friends travelled to the Gold Coast and back in a limousine, Mr Dearinger said his daughter’s birthday parties were always elaborate affairs.

“All of her friends have elaborate parties,” he said.

“All the mums try to do something special for their girls.”

Mrs Dearinger said she enjoyed planning the special celebrations.

“It gets bigger than Ben Hur each year,” she said.

“Living in Ipswich just gets the creative juices flowing. The croquet lawn was perfect for playing a game with the Red Queen and the gardens were just perfect for a Mad Hatter tea party.”