How to Create a Tea Party Bridal Shower in the Summer
A bridal shower tea party is a sweet and summery way to celebrate an upcoming wedding. The theme can be adapted for any budget; a kettle of hot water, a selection of tea bags, a vase of flowers and a plate of cookies makes a casual, budget-friendly tea party that lets the bride celebrate with her closest friends. For a more elaborate affair, consider renting crisp white table linens and china teacups for a cohesive look. Add a dash of style by asking guests to bring their own teacups and saucers for an eclectic tablescape.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Send invitations that establish the theme of the party. Many stationery and party-supply companies sell invitations in the shape of teapots and cups, but you can give any invitation a teatime twist by including a bag of your favorite tea in the invite. If you are holding your bridal shower in a park or garden, let guests know that they will want to wear clothing that is lightweight, and encourage them to bring hats and parasols to beat the heat and protect skin from the sun.
-
2
Serve foods that combine the elegance of a tea party with the ease of summer. Finger sandwiches are part of a traditional high tea menu; take inspiration from the Ritz Hotel in London's legendary tea menu and serve cucumber and dill sandwiches spread with cream cheese and chives, or sandwiches of red pepper and artichoke topped with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes as served at New York City's legendary Russian Tea Room. Instead of clotted cream and strawberry preserves with scones, serve a summery strawberry shortcake with homemade sweetened whipped cream and locally grown berries. For a refreshing palate cleanser, combine both the joys of summer and teatime with a green or mint tea sorbet. Make a variety of teas available to guests, and include a plate of lemon wedges, sugar cubes, honey and cream at each table.
-
-
3
Decorate your party with an abundance of flowers and tea-themed accents. Large blossoms such as camelias, magnolias and dahlias look sweet when arranged in vintage teacups. Tuck one large blossom in each cup, then group several cups and saucers in the center of the table. For a teatime touch, create bouquets using flowers and herbs found in many teas. Mint leaves, chamomile blossoms, lemon verbena, jasmine and hibiscus make fragrant tea-themed bouquets. Assign seats for guests by replacing the paper tag on a tea bag with a flower-shaped paper cutout that bears a guest's name. A dab of glue easily attaches the cutout to the tea bag's string. Glue delicate silk blossoms, such as sweet peas and rose petals, on to monofilament line or thin satin ribbons and string around the room as a garland.
-
4
Play games that celebrate love, weddings and tea in a classy, respectful way. Distribute 3-by-5 index cards to the guests and ask them to write their "recipe" for brewing a perfect cup of wedded bliss. Collect the cards when guests are finished and save them in a recipe box for the bride. Have a teaspoon relay race, dividing guests into teams and having them race across the room to fill up a teacup, one teaspoon of water at a time. The team with the most water in its cup when time runs out is the victor. In a twist on the classic bridal shower game in which guests must make a wedding dress out of toilet paper, separate guests into teams and have them decorate a bare straw hat with paper towels and toilet paper. The most impressive, tea-party worthy hat wins.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
For a summery twist on tea parties, serve iced versions of the hot tea you plan on pouring.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
