Well, the tea party went off very well. The only hitch was it started to rain just after we got done eating, so then everyone scrambled to get everything inside. I would have liked everyone to have been able to stay and hang outside longer. Once we were inside it just got so cramped--and everyone was feeling it.
I had so many wonderful ladies help on the day. Really, everyone lent a hand in some way once they got there. Everyone brought some food or drink to share, so we had tons of yumminess. I had 2 friends, Bree and Laura, volunteer to come early and help finish setting out the decorations. Thank goodness they came. They finished setting up the table decorations and helped decorate the chain link fence. The wind was a big factor we had to fight with the decorating. Then they helped put food and cups out. I had another girlfriend, Joy, who came early to dish up and serve sorbet and shortbread to the ladies when they arrived. Just a fun touch (totally stolen from the tea room I've been to). Then everyone helped shuffle and plate things as they arrived. Then Sarah took all the following great pictures with her nice camera. Thank goodness she did b/c I had time to take only 1 or 2 pics. I had planned on getting the decorations on film at the end--but alas, it started to rain. So much of the cute decor was along the fence line, so we didn't get it photographed.
Everyone scrambled to get everything inside when the rain started. It started with a sprinkle. No sooner did the last thing get brought in that it started to pour. Everyone helped as much as they could putting things in their right places. Then people started to trickle out b/c of the cramped quarters. Four ladies, Bree, Lacey, Wendy, and Darci, stayed to help clean up. We had it all cleaned--dishes washed and put away and the decor organized. Everyone was such a huge help. I absolutely love that about my moms group here in town. Everyone is so kind and always willing to help pitch in.
On to the pictures.
one of my favorite details you can't really see. i'm going to try to find another pic when the straws were all going the same direction--i think i took one. we used mason jars as drink glasses (i completely stole this idea from the pleated poppy's post here). then i put a tag around the jar's neck w/everyone's name, and a green straw.
found it!
you can sort of see the fence decor here.
and you can sort of see the decor between the trees. i didn't get any photographs of the tea signs i had made. i might still take them since i haven't recycled them yet.
everyone looking for their spot
each person had a unique placemat and a unique cone filled with flowers from their chair
our little interloper. he came out to say he was going to take a nap. the look on his face at all the ladies was priceless.
sweet group of ladies
a little view of the back decor
donning our hats
Here's what we had to eat and drink:
Breads
strawberry-lime scones and orange-cranberry scones
crumpets
orange cranberry bread
variety of jams, marmalade, crème fraiche and Devonshire cream
Savouries
cucumber sandwiches
ham salad sandwiches
orange marmalade cheese sandwiches
chicken salad on Italian and rye sandwiches
cucumber salmon on pumpernickel sandwiches
radish, poppy seed, arugula on Italian sandwiches
bacon, scallion, and cheese mini-tartlets
pesto/puff pastry swirls
Salads
spinach salad with strawberries
Sweets:
chocolate-covered strawberries
cherry yogurt covered pretzels
mini-cherry cheesecakes
pink lemonade tarts
fruit
chai cupcakes
strawberry cake balls
blueberry, raspberry, or lemon curd tartlets
Drinks
hot tea—various flavors
pink lemonade (sparkling and still)
lime water
sweet tea
mint and raspberry infused tea
orange, passionfruit, and jasmine green tea with green apple
up close of some decor
up close of some decor
my mix of modern and vintage/floral papers to give it a shabby chic kind of feel with the placemats and cones. all the papers were different, so no two places were the same
this sign was on my gate, and it took a beating from the wind for sure--as well as my tissue paper flowers and tea pot/cup cut outs.
2 comments:
It was a fun afternoon - thanks so much for hosting, Gina. I love how you pay so much attention to detail. Such a nice time!! :)
Gina -- you are the perfect hostess. It was a beautiful and special day. The decorations were perfect. So pretty yet shabby chic in all the right ways. And the menu -- really -- it was wonderful. I love the sorbet touch at the beginning. All the Moms were wonderful. Sorry I left early… but I hosted the Lucky Penny play date the next day and had to make a boatload of "Penny" cookies. Thanks again, and you "put on a lovely tea".
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