My sweet friend and co-worker Elizabeth is getting married in less than two weeks, so to honor her the ladies of the newsroom (and a few alumni) gathered at my house on Saturday morning for a Bridal Tea in her honor, since the bride is indeed a fan of teatime!
Here she is looking over the tea table.
Our mini-scones were two flavors, Cranberry with Vanilla Icing and then Chocolate Chip. My friend Holly, who came early and saved the day by helping with food prep, made clotted cream to go with our scones. Her recipe: 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 3 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, a pinch of salt. Yum!
Our savories included heart shaped Cucumber Sandwiches and ...
Salmon and Dill Cream Cheese Tarts. The
recipe is from caterer, friend and fellow blogger Teresa of Southern Touch Catering and appeared in Newnan-Coweta Magazine last year. It couldn't have been any easier to make, and although I'd never piped a savory filling before, this was easy as pie. Or tart.
We also had Egg Olive Salad Sandwiches and Waldorf Chicken Salad on Mini Croissants.
Holly made these beautiful, old-fashioned Teacakes in heart shapes just for the tea. And she shared the recipe with me!
We also had Lemon Madeleines (proudly served in the vintage glass compote I bought for 25 cents at a church yard sale a few weeks ago).
And also these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Balls. These were featured in an early issue of Tea Time Magazine and are sooooo delicious! And I'm afraid I got busy and failed to photograph the corner of the table featuring Holly's Sausage Balls (one of the bride's favorite savories), and also the Teapot and Teacup Design Shortbread and Chocolate Cherry Brownies. But that was the menu, and everyone really seemed to enjoy it!
This was our "tea station" where we served Emperor's Bride Tea (the favorite of many of us) and a caffeine-free Hot Apple Cider Tea, which was also a hit.
I decided to serve this tea "buffet style" since there were eight of us, too many to crowd around my small dining room table, and so it just made sense to use these tea-and-toast sets. These white ones in a moss rose design seemed perfect for a bridal tea.
Our friend Megan brought her daughter Neely, who will be a flower girl very soon. Isn't she adorable? Megan didn't tell Neely she was going to a tea party until the morning of the tea, and she said that as soon as she did Neely immediately turned off Sesame Street and was ready to go! I love that!
Many of you know I work at a magazine that is owned by our local daily newspaper. Well, our magazine's art director loaned me this "Wedding Cake" she once made to appear in a wedding-themed issue of the magazine. Isn't it amazing!
Here you can really tell that it's made from pages of the magazine and newspaper, and since Elizabeth writes for both that seemed like such an appropriate decoration!
And I forgot to get a picture of Liz opening it, but I thought you might like to see her gift from me, a filet crocheted piece bearing her new name. I love making these for special friends, and I was so happy she liked it. And now I can't wait for the wedding!
My sweet friend and co-worker Elizabeth is getting married in less than two weeks, so to honor her the ladies of the newsroom (and a few alumni) gathered at my house on Saturday morning for a Bridal Tea in her honor, since the bride is indeed a fan of teatime!
Here she is looking over the tea table.
Our mini-scones were two flavors, Cranberry with Vanilla Icing and then Chocolate Chip. My friend Holly, who came early and saved the day by helping with food prep, made clotted cream to go with our scones. Her recipe: 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 3 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon sugar, a pinch of salt. Yum!
Our savories included heart shaped Cucumber Sandwiches and ...
Salmon and Dill Cream Cheese Tarts. The recipe is from caterer, friend and fellow blogger Teresa of Southern Touch Catering and appeared in Newnan-Coweta Magazine last year. It couldn't have been any easier to make, and although I'd never piped a savory filling before, this was easy as pie. Or tart.
We also had Egg Olive Salad Sandwiches and Waldorf Chicken Salad on Mini Croissants.
Holly made these beautiful, old-fashioned Teacakes in heart shapes just for the tea. And she shared the recipe with me!
We also had Lemon Madeleines (proudly served in the vintage glass compote I bought for 25 cents at a church yard sale a few weeks ago).
And also these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Balls. These were featured in an early issue of Tea Time Magazine and are sooooo delicious! And I'm afraid I got busy and failed to photograph the corner of the table featuring Holly's Sausage Balls (one of the bride's favorite savories), and also the Teapot and Teacup Design Shortbread and Chocolate Cherry Brownies. But that was the menu, and everyone really seemed to enjoy it!
This was our "tea station" where we served Emperor's Bride Tea (the favorite of many of us) and a caffeine-free Hot Apple Cider Tea, which was also a hit.
I decided to serve this tea "buffet style" since there were eight of us, too many to crowd around my small dining room table, and so it just made sense to use these tea-and-toast sets. These white ones in a moss rose design seemed perfect for a bridal tea.
Our friend Megan brought her daughter Neely, who will be a flower girl very soon. Isn't she adorable? Megan didn't tell Neely she was going to a tea party until the morning of the tea, and she said that as soon as she did Neely immediately turned off Sesame Street and was ready to go! I love that!
Many of you know I work at a magazine that is owned by our local daily newspaper. Well, our magazine's art director loaned me this "Wedding Cake" she once made to appear in a wedding-themed issue of the magazine. Isn't it amazing!
Here you can really tell that it's made from pages of the magazine and newspaper, and since Elizabeth writes for both that seemed like such an appropriate decoration!
And I forgot to get a picture of Liz opening it, but I thought you might like to see her gift from me, a filet crocheted piece bearing her new name. I love making these for special friends, and I was so happy she liked it. And now I can't wait for the wedding!
Oh my goodness. Everything looks absolutely beautiful!!! Wish I had known you back when I got married! But seriously, that looks like a super special event.
ReplyDeleteCucumber sandwiches are my favorite
ReplyDeletefinger food!
Wow!! You did a fantastic job preparing this tea party. And a great way to honor your guest with the crochet scarf. I plan to check out the recipes you used.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
This looks like it was such a spectacular party. She's lucky to have you as a friend and coworker. Your gift is just amazing.
ReplyDelete- The Tablescaper
How absolutely lovely! Such creative dishes and you can tell so much thought went into this tea.
ReplyDeleteAnd the crocheted name piece, so thoughtful. The bride is a wonderful person, as is the host! Thanks for sharing the recipes and best wishes to one & all, Joanie
Absolutely Awesome. I am a Tea person and love going to Tea with my friends also hosting Teas several times a year. I love you blog. Thanks for sharing. Kathleen
ReplyDeleteJust wow!....great job Angela
ReplyDeleteHi! Visiting from Delights from the Heart, who I visited through Jeanie at Marmelade Gypsy! Isn't traveling the Blog Highway always fun! Anyhoo, love your blog and your tea. Looks like a delightful day.
ReplyDeleteOh Angela, what eye candy these pics are! I feel like I'm right there with you ladies! Absolutely beautiful Bride, delicious food, amazing tablescape and a loving gift! You ladies out did yourself today!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tea! I LOVED the filet crochet gift you made. That is truly a treasure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tea! And your gift is lovely too. I know it will be treasured.
ReplyDeleteWhat a very nice tea party. Loved the "wedding cake" decoration. I noticed it right away. And your gift was extra special. How could anybody not love it.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth's bridal shower was beautiful. You served a lot of my favorites. The salmon tarts came out great and those scones look yummy.
ReplyDeleteI bought that same glass compote at a yard sale too - the lemon madeleines are very pretty in it. The paper wedding cake center piece is perfect.
BTW your filet crocheted piece is beautiful and your needlework is exemplary.
ReplyDeleteAngela this is so pretty. And I am honored that you used one of my recipes for this special occassion. You did a great piping job, too. I know Elizabeth must have been so pleased by it all.
ReplyDeleteI was VERY pleased by all the hard work and love my friends/coworkers put into this very special tea before my very special day!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Somehow I missed this post when it originally appeared. Glad I found it this morning! Beautiful assortment of sweets and savories. The flower girl is too precious! The bride-to-be looks so beautiful and pleased with her bridal tea. Thanks for sharing Angela! I can see all the thought and work that was put into this very special event. Just perfect!
ReplyDeleteNancy
Oh what a beautiful tea! And of course, the filet crochet! My framed "Bohannon" is among my favorite things and hangs in the living room. I love the "cake" and I'm eying my poor chintz cake stand that has nothing on it.. perhaps tomorrow it will be adorned!
ReplyDeleteI sent your recent post about quitting your job and doing some writing to a dear friend who is an English major and has thought about similar lines. She enjoyed your post and perused your other posts and liked what you said about prisoners being allowed to make puzzles.
ReplyDeleteI have also perused your site and from today it will arrive in my mail box.
Love some of your descriptions of tea books and I have some of the ones you have and have always loved reading them for past history information and seeing what receipes the author chose to include in her book. I purchased the teashaped one in the Boston area and love it as you do because of its shape.
This recent post is just lovely and what an amazing work of art in the food and decor.
Years ago I also gave a bridal tea shower and the theme was a Victorian Tea. The bride enjoyed it but I do think my guests loved it even more. It is a good thing for ladies to do and to share tea with one another.
Having grown up in the South (Virginia) and moving to the West Coast of Canada where tea is/was a big thing. Love 'Tea Rooms' search them out wherever I travel. I have been to a wonderful one in Salt Lake City, in Florida, on Cape Cod, Victoria, B.C.,Ontario, and this is always the highlight of my trip. One other big item in my life is visiting anabellum homes and have loved the ones in New Orleans, the Rice Plantation in South Carolina, the homes along the James River in Virginia, and the Ashley River in S.C., in Georgia, etc.
I do not have a blog but am grateful to the beautiful blogs of graceful ladies.
With gratitude,
Sylvia Faye