Meet my Guest:
Edie from Life in Grace
Edie and I met in Nashville this last year - briefly. We hope to do some more catching up with each other this next year! I love her flare for hospitality and the spirit of her blog, Life in Grace. She's a very gracious, beautiful person, and I won't even tell you how much she reminds me of my brunette friend, Robyn L., who could be Edie's twin!
Here's Edie's story on an elegant party she held in her home ...
Hello RE readers! This is the 2nd tea party birthday party I've hosted but the first one at my own house. My daughters' birthdays are close together and they turned 9 and 17 this year. I thought this was the perfect year to combine their parties into a multi-age tea party. I recruited my 19 year old son to be the escort/server.
It was definitely our best party ever! So, here's my advice on how to host the perfect tea party birthday:
1. Make sure your sister and her darling daughters are available to come (and help----thank you so much girls!)
2. Invite your daughter's friends, who just so happen to be beautiful and....
and well-mannered.
4. Assemble the finest vintage tea cups you can from places like Goodwill, antique stores, or T.J.Maxx.
5. Cut some beautiful flowers from your garden to dress up your tables.
6. Advise the bakery to make your cake look like a wedding cake---very formally decorated.
7. Make sure your handsome son (who is always such a good sport) is available to escort the ladies to their tables and serve food and drink---always with a smile of course. We made calling cards (with the girls' full names on them) and announced the arrival of each girl (thank you Abby) as she entered the foyer.
8. Start setting your tables 2-3 days before the party so that there are fewer last minute things to do. I placed Emme and her friends in the Duchess of Windsor Dining Room (because there were more of them), Caiti's friends in the breakfast room, and Elea's friends in the school room. We played a few parlor games and practiced our finest etiquette (after a few short 'tea' lessons). This site was very helpful in all things 'tea'.
9. Serve an eclectic mix of tea sandwiches, pasta salad, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate chip short bread cookies, and of course, a wide variety of teas, both cold and hot. Several of my dear friends and my mother stayed to help in serving and then washing the voluminous dishes that are generated at afternoon tea. And I mean LOTS of dishes.
Sing Happy Birthday.....
blow out candles and finish the day with a great game of Pictionary.
10. Most importantly, RELAX, make sure you take time to enjoy the birthday girls and their friends. I had a list of things that didn't get done. No one noticed.
We had oodles of fun and it was one of those very memorable parties that will become part of their story----a story I am so grateful to be part of.
Edie and I would love to hear about your tea party experiences?
(Visit my Life is a Cup post, here, about my special Aunties.)
17 comments:
What a wonderful idea! It looked like all the ladies enjoyed it so much. A great site to buy wonderfully delicious tea from is: www.teavana.com They also have stores where you can go in and buy tea and tea accessories. I go to the store in Easton, Ohio.
I love all the thoughtful details of this High Tea and it looks without a doubt to be a memorable day for all!
And what a great son you have! Loved this post.
j
Wow! What a party!! I have never done a tea party!!!
How fun! We had a fancy tea party for our daughter's fourth birthday-it was a really special time!
That was a beautiful tea party...never done one...but oh that inspired me to do one...someday.
What beautiful girls you have! And how gracious of your teenage son to help. :)
I LOVE tea parties.... and this one looks fab! What a wonderful way to celebrate.
Stopped by to support Edie. LOve your blog as well! ;)
Such a beautiful tea party. I am sure your girls were thrilled. Everything looks wonderful.
Ruth
Edie is genius! I would have loved a special moment like this as a little girl. What a cool thing.
Thanks for sharing these ideas. I may never use them, as the mom of 3 very boyish boys, but I sure do love looking at the photos.
*hugs* to you both.
My daughter and I love to have tea parties.
Every year around Christmas we invite her former ballet teacher to have tea with us around the Christmas Tree.
The past two summers she has held a book club and we have a tea party with all the girls.
We have had tea party birthdays for her doll and invited friends and their dolls too.
I even threw a tea party bridal shower.
The best tea parties are spur of the moment when her cousin is over and they decide to play dress up and have tea.
We like to serve tea sandwiches, fruit, veggies, and a yummy chocolate dessert. When we have the time we make scones too:)
This is why I wish I had girls somedays!! What a beautiful idea. That cake is stunning.
Also, I'm doing my first giveaway on my blog right now if you're interested:
http://www.mooreminutes.com/2009/09/pleated-poppy-giveaway.html
I held one on Valentine's Day when my daughter was nine and some of the little girls misbehaved and things got a little out of hand. I think that they'd all be a lot better at this age (14).
i love the way you did your party. All the girls looked lovely! :)
I had a tea party for my birthday when I was in junior high and it was one of my most favorite parties! So fun! We even ended up jumping on the trampoline in our dresses after the tea festivities ended. :)
Edie is a lovely person and since we both live in Knoxville, I always want to be invited to her home. Sandy, thanks for always having such great people. You and Edie are some of my all time favorites.
Tea parties must be in the air! Two of my daughters just threw a small soiree last Saturday. Check out the photos!
http://www.jeanierhoades.com/stuff-i-actually-think/the-amber-elixer
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