My Nana’s china is my favorite thing she owns. My grandparents are English, and tea is their love language. Plus, my Nana’s china is vintage and from England, which makes it even more a part of her story and mine. With that in mind, I decided to honor her and design a bridal shower shoot primarily inspired by her china.
Welcome, to my version of a vintage tea party shower in my backyard!
Guests were welcomed with garlands hanging from my backyard fence, and I love the sweet monogramed garland hanging on the bride’s chair. Naturally, I had to pull together a few pieces from my shop. Plus, the monogram you see? It belongs to my photographer, Amanda Young. Surprising her with it was one of my favorite moments from the shoot. :)
I imagined guests visiting the table first where they would find a teacup with the help of a handmade spoon place card. Because warmer months beckon for cooler drinks, I love the idea of planning an ice tea bar instead of traditional hot tea. Having raspberry, peach, and black ice tea will do the trick! The lunch menu included my Nana’s famous scones, traditional tea sandwiches, and classic vanilla and chocolate cupcakes complete with berries and a DIY rose topper. Amanda and I can both attest to the fact that the cupcakes were SO GOOD. I also hand painted all of the stationery (invitations, menus, and ice tea bar sign) and made sure to include tea cups and flowers to continue to carry my theme throughout each area.
Finally, I adored each and every one of the floral arrangements I designed. Fifty Flowers graciously sent me flowers (I opted for this box), and I cut peonies the night before from the bushes in my backyard. I filled tea cups, teapots, creamers, milk glass vases, and mason jars with flowers (I had a TON of flowers). I wanted to make each space, from the welcome table and ice tea bar to the table and railing on my deck, feel like a warm area with a dash of pretty where the bride and her guests could catch up.
In addition to honoring my Nana, my goal was to create an approachable design that felt like me but that could also be recreated by a bride’s mom or bridesmaids for a bride’s shower. I’m thrilled that my photo shoot is featured on Every Last Detail, but I’m also offering up my best tips and tricks for planning a shower! Make sure to hop over to ELD and take a peek!
PS: The most memorable moment from this photo shoot? Offering flowers to friends, neighbors, and coworkers to brighten their day. Please never throw away your flowers. Give them away and make someone smile!
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Beautiful shoot, beautiful blog! I love the cupcake toppers – the flowers inside the straws and the straws inside the cupcakes are adorable!
Colorful and sweet