A Peek into the Fantasy Table Charity Event

Each year, the talented Judith Baigent King—teaching chef, food writer, and author—spearheads the Fantasy Table event, an extraordinary fundraiser that provides educational scholarships for the dedicated staff at our mountain country club. It’s a massive undertaking, which makes it nearly impossible to say no when Judith asks you to host a table! What sets this event apart is the creativity involved: every table is completely unique, with each host choosing their own theme and vision for the décor.

Past Events

I must admit, the very first year (2022)we participated, I was a newbie in a sea of seasoned table hosts. Since our table is located in front of a large stone fireplace, the theme was Dinner in the Library.

From the book “vases” to the library book place cards, you can find all the details here. If you are hosting a book club event, there are many fun ideas you can replicate.

The challenge—at least for me—when participating in an event like this is the self-imposed pressure to outdo my own efforts year after year. How can I make the next Fantasy Table even more magical than the last? For the 2023 event, my chosen theme is Enchanted Forest. With our table situated in a spacious room with soaring vaulted ceilings, the goal is to create a more intimate, cozy atmosphere by visually bringing the ceiling height down.

We secure a live tree—technically a weed tree that needed to be removed—and placed it in a custom stand crafted by my husband. It became the dramatic centerpiece of the table, adorned with delicate lights suspended in clear glass globes. I have to admit, the tree made quite a statement. Once inside, it looked far bigger than it ever did in the forest.

From the fairies to the hand painted mushrooms, you can see the details of this table theme here.

Now heading into year three in 2024, the big question is—what’s next? With an Out of Africa–inspired theme, I focus on the romance and adventure of the 1920s à la Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. As always, my husband rose to the occasion when I asked him to build a canvas tent-style structure to drape over the table. (And yes, he still speaks to me.)

From silver candelabras to vintage suitcases and lanterns, you can see the details of the Out of Africa 1920’s table theme here.

This Year’s Theme

By May, I’ll admit—I was creatively spent. After spending three months planning and coordinating a fundraising and friend-raising event at our church, I had nothing left in the tank. Transforming an elementary school gym into an intimate, British-themed setting for 225 guests was an all-consuming task. Less than a week later, we set off on an Alaskan cruise, only to return and host a bridal shower the very next day.

With so much happening, there wasn’t much space left in my mind to dream up a dazzling new theme for this year’s Fantasy Dinner. So, I took a bit of a shortcut—let’s call it resourceful rather than cheating—and repurposed elements from the British theme on a more intimate scale.

The 2025 Invitations

I believe every great party begins with the perfect invitation. For our event, we sent guests a curated box filled with delightful British treats—crumpets, lemon curd, English tea, and buttery toffee—along with a formal invitation printed on the Union Jack. It set just the right tone for the celebration to come.

In an attempt to create another intimate atmosphere, I envision multiple 12″ red balloons (from Bargain Balloons) with wide ribbons holding a 5.5″ x 8″ Union Jack flag at the ends just fluttering above the heads of our guests.

In order to secure the helium-filled balloons over our table, we tie netting between the rafters overhead. I can see it in my head now, a gentle fluttering of the British flags while having our dinner. Here is the inspiration that I found on Instagram @joyfullygreen. Imagine British flags vs. the book pages.

Table Decor and Backdrop

Like the USA, the British flag colors are red, white and blue. Starting with simple white linens as a base, 3 Union Jacks are layered on top of the tablecloth. White dinner plates rimmed in gold* set upon a beaded charger (from Hobby Lobby), keeps the look elegant and upstanding.

The centerpiece is a combination of vintage teacups filled with fresh roses, daisies, alstroemeria and greens. Some are set right on the table, others are elevated on small pedestal cake stands.

My favorite cordless lamps provide just the right amount of light and ambiance to the table.

A large backdrop of a London scene is the perfect place for our guests’ photos.

Life size cutouts of the Queen and 2 Buckingham palace guards are fun and whimsical.

Tiaras and More

If you are in the market for a very attractive tiara, I am very impressed with the quality of this one I ordered for our female guests. It is not flimsy and as you can see, they look beautiful on…all for $8.99! It can be made larger or smaller by bending, but in retrospect, I would add small pads on the ends. After wearing it for awhile, it was pinching and causing a slight headache.

For a while, however, we all looked very royal!

Unexpected Setbacks

One of the biggest challenges with this event is that there’s no real opportunity for a dry run. We’re given only a few hours before the event to unload everything, set up tables and chairs, and complete the decorations—so everything has to work the first time.

After securing the balloon netting high in the rafters, my husband turns his attention to assembling the backdrop. It looks great—except for a noticeable sag right in the middle. Undeterred, he quickly comes up with a solution, attaching the top of the backdrop to the rafters for a much cleaner, polished look.

Meanwhile, I begin setting the table and inflating the red helium balloons, carefully cutting ribbons to just the right length and attaching the miniature Union Jack flags. One by one, the balloons rise and settle perfectly into the netting overhead. Everything is finally coming together—until someone opens the doors at both ends of the clubhouse.

It’s an unusually windy day, and within moments, the cross breeze sweeps through the room. The balloons, meant to hover gently above the table, are suddenly set loose, swirling and drifting all over the clubhouse.

Other tables were battling the same issue—decorations flying about in every direction. The doors were quickly shut, and for a brief moment, everything calmed. But then the battle began. An overheated employee reopened the doors. And then did it again. And again.

Each gust sent my carefully positioned balloons into chaos, and I found myself darting around the clubhouse, gathering runaway Union Jacks like a frantic British shepherd. In a last-ditch effort, I bundled the balloons together and anchored the ribbons beneath the floral centerpieces—definitely not what I had envisioned, but at least they weren’t airborne.

Frustration was setting in. My pièce de résistance—the gently floating flags that were supposed to dance above the table—was decidedly not working. Even the life-size cutouts kept toppling over, as if the wind had it out for the entire British Empire.

With time slipping away, I had no choice but to dash back to our cabin for a quick shower and to finish assembling and icing a cake for the dessert donation. All I could do at that point was hope the wind would die down before showtime—and send up a little prayer that my vision could still pull itself together in the final hour.

Our Guests Arrive in Full Fashion

We so appreciate when our guests arrive, in their British best, and are excited to participate.

I find a very affordable and comfortable British dress (with pockets!) and a polo shirt on Amazon, so Scott and I fit in with the theme.

When we finally sit down to dinner, it became clear that the balloon bunches—though festive—are completely blocking the view across the table. At that point, I thought, What the heck, and untied them. As expected, they immediately took off again, drifting gracefully (and not-so-gracefully) around the room. A few even made their way into the kitchen—yikes. We decided to embrace it and joked that we were simply spreading British cheer to every other table.

Then, as if that weren’t enough, the helium began to lose its lift—perhaps thanks to the elevation—leaving some balloons drooping onto the table and others hovering so low we had to gently swat them out of the way between bites. It may not have gone exactly to plan, but it certainly added an element of levity to the evening.

Best laid plans, but poor execution. When all else fails, one can only laugh.

It’s All for a Good Cause

At the end of the day—despite the setbacks, sagging balloons, and a few uncooperative cutouts—our guests had a wonderful time, and that’s what matters most. This dinner is, after all, for a meaningful cause. Thanks to Judith and her incredible team, the evening also featured a lively dessert and basket auction, and with the support of table sponsorships, significant funds were raised for educational scholarships.

What made the night truly special was the creativity on full display. From a high-energy Formula 1 table to a whimsical circus theme complete with guests in costume, the room was a vibrant, imaginative celebration of fun, community, and generosity.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into the details of the Fantasy Table charitable event—it’s truly a labor of love for a great cause. Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday and, as always, stay safe out there.

* I love these simple white dinner plates with a narrow, elegant gold rim. Purchased from Pottery Barn many years ago (no longer in stock), here is a good alternative at an excellent price.