ladies’ tea

Each year, our church hosts a Ladies’ Tea.  It is a fun event where ladies decorate tea tables, and we invite women to come and share a meal and some inspiration and fellowship with us.  There are always many friends of friends and friends’ family members to meet, as it brings in lots of new faces from all around. 

This year was the third time I have decorated a table.

My friend Sarah and I teamed up and did a “vintage country” themed table.  That picture is kind of misleading.  It makes it look like I put a lot of time and effort into this event.  In the interest of full disclosure, my life became especially crazy just before the tea, and I scraped it together at the last minute.  All I did is write guests’ names on tags, bring a bunch of dishes and linens and make a little bunting.

Anyway, without further ado…  here’s our table!  We used Sarah’s vintage Corelle dishes for each place setting…

We used mason jars for drinking glasses, with paper straws, and it was basically my favorite part of the table!  And I would like to report; I was concerned that the straws would get wet / soggy / slimy / weird… they did not!  The straws were totally fine for the whole tea!

Here are some shots of our centerpiece…

     

I had asked my hubby for the wood slabs months ago, and forgot to remind him as it got close to the tea.  I reminded him the night before while we were setting up, thinking there was no way… and he was able to make them and showed up with them just as Sarah and I were finishing up.  They worked out well!  Thanks honey!

    

Sarah made the bookmarks as favors, and brought the paper flowers and the sweet floral sifter.

    

    

The table cloth was from farm chicks.  The wire tiered server and the ceramic baskets were from Target the night before (hehe).  The footed milk glass bowls, jars, water pitcher with red design and most other random pieces were thrifted.  Sarah decorated the sugar cubes with her frosting creations – lovely!

Once everyone arrives, we get to eat and visit for a while.

After devouring fruit, scones with cream, lemon and jam, drinking lemon ginger tea, cream puffs, tarts, cucumber, chicken salad and divine ham sandwiches and other fancy treats, it is time for some talent and inspiration…

This little dear was not even nervous for her big singing gig…

It was precious!

There was also a gal who sang funny songs for us, one about growing older called “the gown that opens down the back” which had us all laughing.  There was also a women’s quartet and a lovely speaker, who also sang for us.  I took pictures of all this, but forgot to ask if I could post them, so I’m leaving them off.

Here are some detail shots from other tables around the room…

    

That little cake was so delicious!  Someone didn’t show up at that table and I kissed up enough that the lovely hostess was so sweet and gave me one.  I believe I can safely say that a lovely time was had by all!  What a special savior we have who delights in us as much as we delight in gathering in a special time of fellowship surrounded by pretty things.  I wonder, will there be tea tables in heaven?  …