A Summer garden tea party!

09.07

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TEA IN THE GARDEN.

A few months ago when Jo first put her Maid of Honour, hen-weekend-organiser-in-chief hat on, she asked me if there was anything specific I’d love to do as part of the celebrations- and if you’ve been reading here for a little while, I’m sure you can guess what my reply was. Afternoon tea, of course! Sitting down to a feast of tiny sandwiches, and towers of cakes and sweet treats and pastries is up there amongst my all-time favourite activities, and is a pretty unbeatable way to spend a sunny summer afternoon if you ask me!

Over the past year or so, I’ve been lucky enough to have some pretty special afternoon teas. We’ve gone fashion-themed at The Berkeley, sampled a modern take on the classics at Selfridges, and delighted in Laduree’s classic French offering. But a rose-themed tea put together by my Mum and my Mother in Law, hosted in one of my favourite places in all the world? Well that’s truly something special. My Mum and Julia had been in cahoots for a couple of weeks putting together the tea party, and they did the most beautiful job on it! I mean, would you look at that table? Roses everywhere, even on the chinaware!

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^^ We each had a floral mug to take away with us as a party favour- the sweetest idea, right? ^^

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Between them our Mums had made my favourite treats from both sides of our families- Julia’s famous carrot cakes and miniature sticky toffee puddings (baked in individual cases to hold a sea of toffee sauce!), Grandma’s rice crispy cakes (recipe handed down to my Mum, who’s got them down to a fine art now!), as well as a veritable feast of other desserts and sandwiches cooked up by them both!

My Mum did her usual trick and overcatered spectactularly (I mean, she made three cheesecakes to serve 11 people, and quadrupled every single recipe she worked from ;), which, since it meant we all got to take away boxes stuffed with the leftovers, turned out to be quite the happy accident! The leftover slices of raspberry and honeycomb chocolate tiffin I’d demolished by early afternoon the following day, and Jason and I polished off the last of the crispy cakes whilst marathoning OITNB two nights ago. It’s been a great few days, really it has!

Oh, and don’t worry, I’m going to ask my Mum for that tiffin recipe to share with you here. It’s *killer*. Like, ‘make pointless visits to the kitchen just for the excuse of snaffling another bite from the fridge’ kind of killer’. I had to eat the lot in one day just to get it over and done with, really…
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^^ Sticky toffee pudding for one! Seriously the tastiest ever. Julia’s got the recipe nailed! ^^

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Our niece (and baby bridesmaid!) Sienna spent the afternoon pottering around the garden hunting for snails, and then terrorising my sister with them! I like to think of it as retribution for all the years Cesca spent driving me to distraction when she was a tot, and our 8 year age gap seemed oh so very insurmountable! ;) And now look, I have to stand up a step from Cesca in photos just to get a little help in the height department! Where on earth have the years gone?
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And with a whole lot of photos and a happy frolic in the garden later- we’re done with the telling of the hen weekend tales!

I can’t even begin to say how touched I was by how much effort my nearest and dearest went to to make the weekend so very special.

It was the greatest ‘send off’ into married life I could’ve wished for.

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20 Comments
Posted in afternoon tea, FAMILY, WEDDING
  • http://www.sarahelizabethlahoud.com Sarah Elizabeth Lahoud

    This is so sweet x Looks lovely

  • http://www.mascaraandmud.com/ Cerys {mascara & mud}

    It all looks so perfect. X

  • emily couture

    This sounds perfect for you :)

    emily xxx

    emilycouture95.blogspot.co.uk

  • http://www.silverspoonlondon.co.uk Angie SilverSpoon

    So lovely seeing you look so happy in your natural habitat!

    Lots of love,
    Angie
    SilverSpoon London

  • Anna

    this is so cute!! and looks like so much fun :D

    https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/

  • http://www.thatadventurer.co.uk Hannah | That Adventurer

    This is such a lovely idea for a hen do – and such nice weather for it recently too!

  • http://www.allthingsbeautiful-x.blogpsot.com/ Jessie Lewis

    I absolutely love this idea – so cute : ) The food looks gorgeous too. Yum! xx

    Jessie | allthingsbeautiful-x

  • https://rhymeandribbons.com Amanda @ Rhyme & Ribbons

    You look so relaxed and happy! :D Beautiful! x

  • Leila Gunn

    Three cheesecakes… Sounds amazing! Fab pictures too.

    http://shootingfromaclick.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

  • http://www.brittonloves.co.uk Lauren S

    Oh this sounds wonderful, what a beautiful way to celebrate your hen and journey to the wedding – I would love afternoon tea with my nearest and dearest, and I hope you’re feeling nice and relaxed coming up to the big day!

    Lauren x

    Britton Loves | Lifestyle Food Beauty

  • Cathryn Daws

    This is such a perfect idea. I’m hoping for something simillar with my hen celebrations. Beautiful photographs as always!

  • http://mutedmornings.blogspot.com Mimmi

    Afternoon tea is just the best, and one that is made by people you love, with beloved recipes, must be extra special! This looks simply wonderful. Such a lovely way to end your hen weekend!

    xx Mimmi, Muted Mornings

  • http://lizziedailyblog.blogspot.co.uk/ Elizabeth Rebecca

    I love the rose theme – falling even more in love with this hen party each day you tell us more.

    Lizzie Dripping

  • ninegrandstudent

    Such a gorgeous hen party – virtually exactly what I’d want! x

    NINEGRANDSTUDENT: A Student Lifestyle Blog

  • http://www.leggitea.it Giulia

    Lovely photos! This afternoon tea is so perfect, I like very much the printed roses on the cup, they are so classic :)

    Giulia
    http://www.leggiteablog.com

  • Suze

    I think most Mums overcater! Looking forward to seeing her tiffin recipe

    Suze | LuxuryColumnist

  • http://www.in-x-clouds.blogspot.com Bethany Dale

    This is like my perfect day! You are so lucky to have such wonderful people around you x

  • https://swanlake1701.wordpress.com/ NGOC LAN

    You seem to have a lot of fun at this garden tea party. The decoration of this party is very impressive. I like the design of tea pots, cups and little heart-shaped decoration. You must be proud when your mum baked the delicious cakes.

  • Alfredo Ciano

    I Love the Summer & the Garden Party…

  • http://anenglishrosie94.blogspot.co.uk/ Rosie McKay

    I love that you basically sent everyone home with the best party bags ever, cakes and sandwiches galore!

    Rosie

    x

    http://www.anenglishrosie.blogspot.co.uk

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