Entertaining A Butterfly Party That Invites Kids Into an Enchanted Garden By Alexandra Churchill Alexandra Churchill Alexandra is a former digital editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on July 30, 2019 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Billye Donya Picture this scene: Once upon a time on a warm summer morning, a group of little girls arrived at a party in their dreamiest gowns. Each child was given a crown entwined with flitting butterflies and a pair of speckled wings. Rosy-colored blooms led the children to a table set with cakes and cookies, where they danced and filled the air with sweet laughter. As the hours passed and the daylight dwindled, the girls turned into beautiful, frolicking fairies. They perched on seats under a canopy of streaming ribbons to eat delicacies that were seemingly foraged from an enchanted forest. Still, the party's spell was fleeting. And though the delightful sprites returned home as human girls, they would never forget their magical day This was the ethereal vision for Royale Ziegler of But First, Party! in this kids' party theme and the paperware collection centered around it. "There is so much creativity happening in disposable partyware at the moment," she says, "that I find endless sources of inspiration! So when Mary-Kevin Stuart of Daydream Society sent me her latest collection, Flutter, my heart was aflutter and I could not wait to throw a fanciful butterfly-themed fête." Of the collection, Mary-Kevin explains, "I wanted Daydream's Flutter to feel very ethereal, evoking the feeling of wandering through an enchanted pastel garden filled with gorgeous butterflies. It was an absolute dream to design this collection in collaboration with Lillian Farag, an artist known for her feminine and organic aesthetic." 01 of 15 A Dreamy Space Billye Donya Young guests were seated upon entering the party, which was hosted at Oh Shiny Paper Co., a Los Angeles boutique and event space coveted by creatives for their high ceilings, white walls as a blank canvas for the colorful decor, and an abundance of natural light. 02 of 15 Wings in Waiting Billye Donya On the back of each seat, children would find a pair of costume wings in the style of a pink Monarch butterfly—each made of sheer fabric, airy pink hue, and painterly details in the speckled tips. The girls could take them home as a party favor after celebrating. 03 of 15 A Whimsical Wonder Billye Donya Overhead, Jen Lagedrost Cavender of Nectar and Bloom was the perfect florist to create an enchanted butterfly garden for this party. Of her creation she explains, "I wanted to shape the hanging panels into a form that felt like the layered and open wings of a butterfly." To create this masterpiece ahead of time, the main panels were cut from chicken wire, painted to the pastel palette, weaving in ribbons of varying lengths, and finally, attaching clusters of flowers and butterflies at different depths. 04 of 15 Blooms to Behold Billye Donya Silk roses and orchid varieties added a touch of romance and playfulness to the installation, alongside dried elements like hot pink pampas grass and straw flowers (Jen's favorite) in an array of ivory to rosy hues. She used fishline to string the panels from different points on the ceiling and adjacent wall, which changed the shape, flow, and effect of the panels layered together. 05 of 15 Playing Dress-Up Billye Donya This vintage-style miniature wardrobe rack was purchased from Restoration Hardware and added a bit of patina and worn charm to the party. It was fully stocked with handcrafted gowns from Elestory in traditional silhouettes, fluffy skirts in tulle fabrics, and charming details. 06 of 15 Butterfly Landing Billye Donya At the girls' table, all of the plates, napkins, drink cups, and cutlery were sourced from Daydream Society's Flutter collection. A set of pink and peach colored ribbons streamed down as the table runner. And a plate of royal-iced shortbread butterfly cookies from Star Bakes were near perfect matches to the butterflies featured on the partyware. How to Clean Up After a Party 07 of 15 Daydreaming of Dessert Billye Donya A fairy cake, historically, was teeny tiny. This edible masterpiece courtesy of Elise Cakes was, however, tall enough to appease a sizable guest list. The textured buttercream and butterfly silhouettes gave this cake the perfect blend of delicateness and whimsy! Inside, layers of vanilla bean cake and strawberry rose filling were inspired by flowers in season. 08 of 15 A Personal Touch Billye Donya Served in pairing to the cake and cookies were strawberries-and-cream tarts adorned with tiny edible flowers, also courtesy of Elise Cakes. At each place setting, calligrapher Aislinn Minardi of Proper Letter hand-lettered acrylic place cards and added a wisp of pastel-colored paint on the back. "Acrylic place cards are a major trend right now for all types of parties," Royale says, "but adding some color to the back and whimsical lettering makes these perfect for a kid's party!" 09 of 15 A Metamorphosis Billye Donya Temporary tattoos make memorable party favors at any themed party. The girls could pick their designs—butterflies and teeny-tiny florets—and enlist the help of a grown-up to play artist. These safe and non-toxic temporary tattoos were an extra party favor from the Daydream Society Flutter collection. 10 of 15 Just Like Magic Billye Donya These party favors were easy to use. To adhere a temporary tattoo, the clear top sheet was removed, pressing the tattoo with its design facing down, onto the skin. A wet cloth was held against the back of the tattoo; pressing down, and ensuring to wet the paper backing thoroughly. Wait 30 seconds, then peel off paper backing to reveal the transfer much to their wonder. 11 of 15 Circling Together Billye Donya After cookies and cake, little friends Giada (six) Lila (four) and Harper (also six) rushed to the tailor's rack for their pick of Elestory dresses. Here, the trio of girls joined hands in a game of ring around the rosie. 12 of 15 Fit for a Princess Billye Donya Here, six-year-old Giada peeks over her shoulder with a smile. She wore a one-of-a-kind tiered tulle dress from Elestory with soft sparkly embroidered stars and Swiss dots. 13 of 15 Lila in Flight Billye Donya The littlest of the group, four-year-old Lila danced in this tulle and chiffon piece from Elestory: a peony-pink ballerina dress made for twirling. 14 of 15 Harper Hops Away Billye Donya Six-year-old Harper donned this Elestory dress with an empire waist and soft ivory tulle skirt, plus embroidered details in a garden's worth of flowers and crawling vines. 15 of 15 Billye Donya Design and planning, Royale Ziegler of But First, Party! Photography, Billye Donya Photography Partyware, Daydream Society and Lillian Farag Floral installation, Nectar and Bloom Flowers, Afloral Cake and tarts, Elise Cakes Cookies, Star Bakes Calligraphy, Proper Letter Children's dresses, Elestory Venue, Oh Shiny Paper Co. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit