Rooted in Love: A Garden Tea Party Bridal Shower

Tea parties must be popular right now, or at least they're popular among my family!  Last month I helped my "bonus mom" (sounds so much nicer than step-mother, doesn't it?), Jane, throw a bridal shower for her daughter, Carmella.  

We had several family members helping to throw this party as it has been a super busy summer for all of us, so a big thanks to Sandy, Elizabeth, Sylvia and Caitlin for helping Jane and I out!

A vintage chalkboard with our welcome note.      

We had some cute decorations including a welcome sign chalkboard, A double-sided banner (one side has the bride-to-be's name and the other side has "From Miss to Mrs."), tons of flowers, photos of the happy couple and more.

Jenga blocks for guest to write marital advice on and little tags to put date night ideas on both in cute galvanized aluminum containers decorated with burlap, cork and flowers.  

Decorated mason jars and a vintage teapot filled with pretty flowers are a must for a garden tea party bridal shower!

A double-sided banner for the bride to be.  This side has the bride's name and the other side has "From Miss to Mrs."
(photo courtesy of Ginia Burdick)

The happy couple's first initials on the buffet table.
(photo courtesy of Ginia Burdick) 

The big focus was the food--I mean, what is a party without great food, right?  (I love food!!)  

The buffet table covered in a gold tablecloth, a rose gold table runner and lots of delicious foods, photos of the couple and pretty flowers.

No tea party is complete without vintage tea cups, lots of tea to chose from and scones!

Because it was a tea party, we of course had to have tea sandwiches.  I made lemony cucumber cream cheese sandwiches and mosaic tea sandwiches with lemon cream cheese, cucumber and smoked salmon.  

Tea sandwiches with lemon cream cheese cucumber & smoked salmon and lemon cream cheese cucumber.  A great tip for cutting down on day-of party prep:  You can make these tea sandwiches the day before by spreading a thin layer of high quality European butter on the bread before adding your toppings.  The butter keeps the bread from getting soggy and the European butter has even less water content than American made butter.  Kerri Gold is a good European butter brand to try.    

We also had terra cotta pots filled with hummus and veggies, fruit salad and lady bug caprese bites for other healthy options.

Dips made easy!  Little terra cotta pots lined with lotus cups and filled with hummus and veggies.  We really let love grow at this bridal shower!

Fruit salad served in a trifle bowl with plastic cups on the side to serve it in make for easier eating.  And ladybug capresse bites are perfect for any garden-themed party!

On to the sweets!  What garden tea party is complete without cupcakes decorated with pretty flowers?  I made Carmella's favorite--red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream and also vanilla cupcakes with chocolate orange buttercream.  

A cupcake tower of vanilla cupcakes with chocolate orange buttercream and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream all decorated with flowers makes the perfect statement for a garden tea party bridal shower!  Party Throwing Tip:  Use a European butter to make your buttercream frostings.  The low water content in the butter will keep your frosting from melting during the course of the party.  Remember, the more you beat your frosting, the more it breaks it down and softens it!

Or petit fours?  These were delicious!  Filled with raspberry preserves and pomegranate cream and covered in pomegranate fondant then decorated with non perils and edible rose gold hearts.  (Recipe adapted from A Spicy Perspective.)

Petit fours can actually be really easy to make with a little frozen pound cake from the store and a bit of patience.  Keeping the cake frozen as you work is key to smooth looking cakes.
(photo courtesy of Ginia Brudick.)

And of course Linzer Sandwich Cookies filled with raspberry preserves…

No one can resist these adorable cookies with the windowed shapes showing delicious raspberry preserves!

And I can't forget the apple rose tarts!  So easy to make too!

Tart apples and tart apricot preserves keep apple rose tarts from becoming too soft and sweet.  

And sweet little chocolate covered strawberries in tiny terra cotta pots filled with crushed Oreos on a wood slice stand.

Wood slices create a pretty display for chocolate covered strawberries in mini terra cotta pots filled with crushed Oreos.  

And for drinks we of course had tea with scones and earl grey shortbread cookies.

No tea party is complete without a fun selection of teas and Downton Abbey Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies.  

A champagne toast with rose flavored sugar cubes.

Rose petals and other flowers suspended in frozen ice cubes makes for a sweet display and chills the champagne for the bridal shower toast!  Add rose flavored sugar cubes to the glass of champagne and it becomes even sweeter!

A champagne punch, water with lemon and iced tea!

Floating raspberries and blackberries add a touch of whimsy to the punch bowl.

Water with lemon and iced tea are perfect non-alcoholic drinks at a summer bridal shower.

Last but not least, the party favors were packets of seeds and little linen bags of chocolates.

If you throw a summer garden tea party bridal shower make sure to plan ahead.  You will want to pick up your seed packets in early spring!

Here are a few more photos for you to enjoy!

Happy Crafting, Partying and Eating!
Adrienne