All Abord the Quirk Express: A Wes Anderson Themed Party

Director Wes Anderson's distintive style makes for so many costume-worthy outfits, so when it was time to celebrate my milestone birthday, I knew his films would be the theme for a blowout costume party. Here are the elements I used to pull it all together for a fantastic birthday party. 

What to Eat and Drink
I used Anderson's films to inspire the menu items, and I paired the dishes with quotes from the films to help illustrate why the hell I was serving pb & j and tuna sandwiches at an evening party for adults. (Spoiler: they were gobbled up!).

From Rushmore we had two types of sandwiches offered by Max to Mrs. Blume, carrots from Rosemary and Herman's flirtatious stroll, and honey with a Rushmore beekeepers label I made.

The Royal Tenenbaums inspired butterscotch sundaes, Margot's grudging choice when at the ice cream parlor with Royal. The Darjeeling Limited was our source for savory snacks and sparkling limeade, or "sweet lime" that's offered to the brothers on the train.

Fantastic Mr. Fox was represented with Bean's Alcoholic Cider; I made beverage labels by using Anderson's favorite font, Futura.

A friend, and fellow Wes Anderson devote, was generous enough to bake and decorate miniature chocolate cream filled pastries just like the ones Agatha crafts in Grand Budapest Hotel. They were just divine, and everyone admitted to eating far more pastries than we should have.

Lastly, I hired a talented local baker to craft these beauties, all wrapped up so guests could nibble on them at the party or take them home for later.

Decorations 
I used some favorite iconic images from Anderson's work around the house to decorate for the party. I've always wanted a Tenenbaums flag like the one that flies atop their house, and this was my excuse to get one. Boy With Apple was easy to print on a color printer and pop in an existing frame.

I gave out small buttons with images and quotes from different films during the party, and they were a playful, small favor that people got to wear and take home. 

Costumes

I sent out invitations a month before the party so guests would have plenty of time to think about and assemble their costumes, and seeing my closest buddies come as some of my favorite movie characters was the best gift I could ask for. There were wigs and red knit hats galore, foxes, birds, dogs, and oodles of other characters who partied the night away to the soundtracks from Anderson's films.

Even our terrier got to participate thanks to a look-alike character in Isle of Dogs. Friends came in costumes from Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Life Aquatic (by far the biggest gang of party-goers!), Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs, and his short film Hotel Chevalier (a fun and unexpected addition!).

I can't think a better way for a movie lover to celebrate a special occasion, and I'm grateful to have good friends who are happy to play dress up with me for my birthday. What a grand night it was.