Tea Time & Missed Family

Brother & Sister

Brother & Sister The Early Years

What a glorious day for a Bridal Tea! Oh Ladies, the day was a beautiful day spent with wonderful women. We started out roughly when news of my Great Aunt Delia's passing reached us. She was a beautiful woman who had so much energy and love. She always had a smile on her face and a warm hug to share. She laughed and shared stories and could cook like no tomorrow! She shined with inner beauty. I am going to miss her terribly. That and her yummy Chile Verde! My Uncle Danny once got her recipe. He's going to have to share that with me. My Cousin Lynelle's Bridal Tea is something my Aunt Delia would have really enjoyed. And We felt her loving presence there for sure.

The hours before the tea were busy with activity. Months of planning culminated into a few hours of relaxed conversation with much loved family and friends. There are so many details to think of for a tea and how to do it on a budget. Sure! If I had unlimited funds or deep pockets that weren't empty I could have definitely gone all out. Sadly, no. I had to beg and borrow a lot of what we used in order to make this tea a success. I am so gratefully for my loving and supportive friends.

I ended up borrowing or purchasing what we needed. I traveled to friends houses to pick up card tables, linens, drink carafes  and the like. I found the 3 tier plate stands online on this site called Jaf Gifts. I purchased tea sets on ebay and wherever I could find them. I even borrowed sets from friends. Shabby Chic was the theme.

Little details throughout the house. For instance, I didn't want to buy baskets to put the tea's in for each table. So Elena and I made these cute little paper boxes out of a wedding theme stack I picked up at Michael's. That was a fun afternoon spent cutting and folding with my girl. Later we made flower pens for the games out of Gerbera Daisies (those instructions to follow a little later) and placed them in festive teacup planters filled with beans for pen stability. they looked so cute on the tables. I rolled the utensils in festive napkins and tied them with tole for each place setting. Stephanie put together cute little heart shaped cookie cutters and boxed up Hershey Kisses for favors and those were placed at each setting.

The day of the Tea with two cars loaded with food and necessaries Hubby and I drove the hoard to Fullerton for preparation. You see I bullied my Mother in Law Gayle into hosting it at her house. She gladly opened up her home and let me take over. But before she did she made her casa ready for the 30 or so women who were attending. She loves to garden and we were originally going to host outside but the weather was very indecisive. They spent many hours outside readying the yard for the woman invasion. It looked absolutely beautiful! Before you entered their front fence you were greeted by a heart shaped flower patch in honor of our special guest. Flower baskets and pots were loving placed all over. The kids tree house that is still under construction was put on hold so they could focus on the Bridal Tea. They just love me so!

Although we did have beautiful skies it was so cold and crisp it would have been very uncomfortably chilly outside. The men set up the tables outside before they escaped to the bowling alley then we made an 11th hour change and moved everything indoors. We are women, we do these things! It was a good thing though. Everyone was comfortable and if it got a little warm we cracked a window and the place cooled down right quick. We managed to get 7 tables inside with minimum furniture moving. There was plenty of room to move around too!

At 11am we began our prep and move. The seating set us back a little on time but we pulled it all off with a few minutes to spare. The stuff for sandwiches was prepared the night before but we waited to assemble the day of so they wouldn't get soggy and gross. My Girlfriend Gwen showed a little before 11am and went elbows deep in helping with a lot of the preliminary set up and last minute changes. Thinking through possible problems with me. 12pm pizza arrived and so did Gabriela & Little Rachel. After a quick lunch we jumped to work. Gabriela on sandwiches and Little Rachel helping me with tables and chairs. With 1pm approaching so did Andrea and she helped with table setting. Sarah was first guest in and promptly put to work with tier stacking for each table. Water was set to brew and cake and cupcakes placed and we were nearly ready for the Bride to Be to arrive.

Our Tea began at 2pm and women promptly arrived. We had informal seating in both rooms Grace was said and Tea was served. Tea Pots filled with hot water were delivered to each table and salad followed thanks to the help of Mary Ellen. A nice hum of conversation carried on throughout the tea. We played games, and ate those lovely little cupcakes Juli made while Lynelle opened her shower gifts. What a lovely afternoon!

Afterward before I knew it so many people helped with the tear down it happened almost in the blink of an eye. I am so blessed with so many helping hands! Dishes were done and all I have to do now is to get ready to go back and pack and pick everything up to return to its rightful owners. I just didn't have the energy to load the cars and unpack last night so we decided to put it off for today. Tomorrow I will start returning items.

Lynelle's Bridal Tea was a success! It felt so good to be able to do this for her. I even got a booking for one in the future! ;-) I had a great time planning but a better time spent in good company. I love my family and friends!

Bridal Tea Menu

Spring Salad with Strawberries
and a Raspberry Walnut Viniagrette

Open Faced Cucumber Sandwiches

Heart Shaped Egg Salad Sandwiches

Chicken Cranberry Sandwiches on Butter Croissant

Warm Scones with Devonshire Cream,
Lemon Curd & Strawberry Jam

Hand Dipped Oreo Truffels

Cream Puffs

Mini Yellow Cake Cupcakes topped with Strawberry Frosting

Various Teas

Lemon Water

Until Next Time, SoCal Marisa