We are Stage 1 Diploma of Event Management studies, our team, Picture Perfect Events, consisting of Briony Rigg (Event Administrator), Meg Broadbent (Front of House), Shahar Schell (Beverage Coordinator) and Jess Hodge (Stylist), ran a high tea lunch for the William Angliss Staff Activities Committee. We were also lucky enough to have Chiara Iacopino (Front of House) and Will Wright (Beverage Coordinator) from another event team join us to run the event and they proved to be incredibly valuable team members. Our high tea event took place on the afternoon of Wednesday, 23rd of June, in the Angliss Bistro, with registrations opening at 2:45pm, and the event closing at 4pm.
Our clients loved the idea we proposed to them, of the high tea being Alice in Wonderland themed. The styling, food, and beverages were inspired by the wild and mystic Mad Hatter’s tea party, including various styling elements, scones, and a Queen of Hearts inspired mocktail.
Our stylist, Jessica Hodge, had plenty of fun, and had an insane number of ideas for this exciting theme, gathering things from both the AA room and sources outside of WAI. On the event day, the final product was outstanding and received endless comments and compliments. Each table featured a fake grass table runner, a small wooden log, a bird cage, fake flowers, mini toadstools, jumbo playing cards and a small bottle with a ‘drink me’ tag. Each attendee had a custom-made placemat, and each table had a food menu, and a menu with the mocktail. The styling of the event was definitely a highlight for both the attendees and the staff, as it provided the appropriate Mad Hatter setting and left people in awe.
To go along with the theme, we also encouraged the attendees to come wearing an Alice in Wonderland inspired hat or costume. We made it a fun competition with the winner being chosen by us, the event students, and being gifted a HOYTS gift card!!!
There was an assortment of different finger foods served on three tiered stands, to fit with the high tea theme. The clients requested hot and cold finger food and were very adamant on having scones! So we served a roasted vegetable roulade roll, a smoked chicken roulade roll, sausage rolls, roast curried pumpkin frittata, and of course, scones! To go along with the Alice in Wonderland theme we also had raspberry shortcake biscuits and tiktok biscuits.
As it was a lunchtime event, the clients did not request a cocktail, but they did love the mocktail we proposed to them! As the beverage coordinator, I came across a Queen of Hearts inspired mocktail, which fit the theme perfectly! It was a red colour with black sanding sugar rimming the glass, to match the Queen of Hearts at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. Plenty of happy attendees purchased the mocktail, along with enjoying tea and coffee that were served at each table.
We were fortunate enough to have Chris Harris, the director of education at William Angliss Institute, attend the event as well as present the welcoming speech to the attendees. Chris, along with everyone else, agreed that the event was coming at a perfect time considering the current situation. Everyone really appreciated getting an opportunity to catch up with, and even meet new, colleagues.
The event ran smoothly, and everything ran on time, everyone arrived and excited with a smile on their faces. We, Picture Perfect Events, are so grateful we got the chance to plan and run this amazing event, and we look forward to doing it again in the future.
