Tea Time

My church hosts an annual Spring Ladies' tea - last year was my first year attending and this year was my first time hosting a table.  Different ladies within the church can sign up to host a table - this includes decorating a table which is a major task because you have to have a full tea set, plates, glasses, decor, etc and inviting 6-8 ladies to sit with you.  It was a fun experience and I will definitely do it again!  I teamed up with my good friend, Kay, and we went with a whimsical, pastel theme.  I wish I would have taken more pictures of my table - but we had favors for each guest (nail polish) and got fresh flowers for the milk glass vases that circled the centerpiece which was a cluster of branches with flowers and bird cages.  (You can click on any image to make it larger!)

I used my wedding china which consists of white, platinum rimmed pieces.  Fun Fact: my thrifty mom found the FULL set at a yard sale when I was engaged, she bought the full set for around $45 and when we got home, we researched and found that its a Walbrzych Poland Platina Platinum Rimmed set - one tea cup is worth $35 and a dinner plate is on average $75.  The sugar bowl and lid is worth $89 - see here.  I have a full 8 pc set of tea cup, saucer, dessert plate, dinner plate, serving platter, serving bowl, creamer, and sugar bowl.  The only thing missing for the tea was a tea pot - so Kay found a white one at TJMaxx for $7.99!

The church ladies bring finger foods and the young men of the church serve the foods in courses to each table.  This year we had chicken salad sandwiches, danishes, pastries, tea biscuits, strawberry-cream cheese sandwiches, fruit, and more!  Each table is stocked with a variety of tea bags, cream, sugar, and iced water.

Starting last year, we created a bookmark that reflected the theme and poem that is read during the tea.  This year's them was "Spring Garden" and here is the bookmark.

We also played a game called LEMON, which is basically BINGO.  We had a hat contest and door prizes.  Then our pastor's wife, Melissa, shared a devotional.   It was lots of fun and of course I was recruited to take pictures.  Here are a few I took - of the tables, of some of the ladies who attended, and of my pastor's wife sharing the Word.

Click here for the LEMON game - all you have to do is print and its ready!  We used marshmallows as markers on the cards.