Thinking of hosting a garden party? Not sure where to start? Follow this advice, and your party, and your garden will be the talk of the neighborhood!
You begin with invitations. Pretty hand made note blooming flower tea cards will do, or if time is an issue, you could purchase some ready made ones. Be sure to add: please wear Victorian dress” to the invitation, if you want your guests to dress for the party. Dressing up, will add a new dimension of fun to the party. People love to dress-up and pretend to be somebody their not.
Ladies would wear long dresses, big hats, boas, gloves, and lots of beads.
Men would simply wear formal clothes (suit) and old fashioned hat if he could. If your party is for children (example: little girls birthday) they would have the same attire as the ladies: dresses, hats, boas, gloves, and lots of beads.
Make the party very formal, with white linen table cloths, and a pretty flower centerpiece. Fine china is a must. Soft music, with an Olde time feel would be appropriate.
The menu would consist of little sandwiches, rose hip tea, scones, little tea cakes, nuts, candied fruit, and other pastries. It might be a good idea to also serve a cold drink, like punch, in a pretty punch bowl.
Each guest should receive a party favor. These can be something handmade, such as a tea cup/saucer with a couple bags of herbal, or special tea tucked inside, or a recipe book, containing recipes from all the treats you serve at the party.
Make sure your garden is at peak blooming, and looking its best. Do not mow the lawn the day before, (unless you have a bagger attachment.)
You could make up a nice gift basket (tea related) and put a sticker under one tea cup. The person who used that cup, would win the basket.
A game of croquet on the lawn would add some fun to the party.
A Victorian tea party is an especially nice idea for Mothers day, and Birthdays. Taking lots of pictures, and turning them into a special album for the guest of honor, is a treasured remembrance.