My twenty-three year old niece is marrying in October of this year. I decided to give her a bridal shower and thought a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party as in Alive in Wonderland would be a great theme for the party.
I gave the party on a Sunday afternoon, and sent the invitations out about three weeks in advance. As well as stating the usual party information, each invitation asked the invitee to wear a fanciful hat, decorated along the lines of Alice in Wonderland. Suggestions for gifts included anything needed for a tea party!
The refreshments for the party included little sandwiches in the shape of hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades. There were also cookies in these same shapes and well as cookies shaped like rabbits, top hats, big floppy red hats, toad stools, and tea cups. Hot tea was served in gaily decorated china cups. Cool drinks were also served in tall glasses with colored umbrellas and straws. Linen napkins were used as well as china plates and silver forks. The table was beautifully laid with a linen cloth, and the centerpiece was a large garden basket filled with Gerbera daisies, stargazer lilies, and greenery. The gifts were placed in a resin garden basket that the bride could take home and use in her garden.
My niece received many clever gifts. Some of the ones I liked best were:
Big basket of tea preparation items including a tea infuser, water kettle, and set of mugs,
Several darling cookie cutters along with kitchen dish towels,
Tea chest filled with different varieties of tea bags,
Set of beautiful tea cups with saucers,
Set of linen napkins,
Several teaspoons in her chosen pattern,
Several iced tea spoons in her chosen pattern,
Jim Shore statue featuring a tea pot, and
A beautiful birdhouse for the bride’s garden.
Party favors included resin statues of “chocolate” rabbits, and tea cups filled with potpourri for each guest. The hats were judged for originality, prettiest, wildest, biggest, and smallest. Prizes consisting of a tea mug filled with an assortment of tea bags were given to each winner. Each guest modeled her hat, and everyone enjoyed the hat style show.
If you are looking for a fun idea for a bridal shower, this one could be just the ticket. I think that the cost could be kept down if several ladies went in together on the shower. Also disposable products could have been used with no problem. I just enjoy so much an occasional really dress-up affair. This one was a dandy.
