teaparty – Sapphires in Paradise

My idea of an ideal Sunday afternoon is getting my closest friends together for an English inspired afternoon tea session.

Conversations and the aroma of baked goodies filling the air. It wouldn’t be tea time without an elegant selection of tea cups and fresh cut flowers from the garden!

Here is whats on the Menu:

Daarjeling, Masala Chai | My grandmother brought loose leaf Daarjeling tea from a tea plantation in Daarjeling, India. This tea was so fragrant and infused with spices such as whole cinnamon and cardamom for an added warmth.
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches | thinly sliced cucumbers, pepper jack cheese, lemon-dill mayo
Chicken Cranberry Sandwiches |oven roasted chicken, cranberries, smoked chipotle gouda, sourdough bread , dijon mustard
Personal Chicken Pot Pies | Chicken, carrots, peas in a creamy Alfredo sauce, topped with crust
Cinnamon Streusal Muffins | These are from a boxed mix, but are delicious!
Sparkling White Grape Cider | Passionfruit Italian Soda

This is from another tea that I hosted with Zaina. We switched things up a bit and added homeade vanilla bean cupcakes with chocolate frosting to the menu. Strawberries and nutella, meringue cookies from a local bakery, added more sweetness to the table.

The understated yet elegant runner is from Crate and Barrel. Crate and Barrel has fantastic dining decor items.

We added a string of Christmas tree lights for some fun.

This comforting and light pumpkin spiced cake is an amazing fall addition to an Afternoon tea. I added some color to the platter with some fresh sprigs of rosemary from the garden.

Scones are traditionally the heart of an English Afternoon Tea. The Tea parties depicted above did not have them. But, I do love make lemon blueberry scones. I use Tiffani Thiessan’s recipe – https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/blueberry-lemon-scones

They are super easy to make and always come out spectacular. I serve them with raspberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream from Whole Foods. Clotted cream can be difficult to find in the States; the one I buy is the real deal and imported from England.

XOXO,

Shiza

My bestfriend (co-founder of the blog) Zaina and me decided to throw a tea party last winter break. Today, I am going to share with you guys how to throw a tea party and some tips & tricks that will make it fun.

1) Select a theme. We did Alice in the Wonderland so that it would be more whimsical. Also, choose a dress code. We decided upon a dress & heels code to make it classy. I would recommend throwing the party with your bestfriend. Trust me it makes the experience waaaaay more fun and easy!
2) Make a guest list, do not invite too many people. It should be a small, intimate gathering with just your closest friends. I would recommend inviting from 6-8 people. Send out invitations about 2-3 weeks before the party. I found a cute invitation printout online and thats what we used!

3) Plan out a menu and decide upon a location. We did it in the backyard. Have your bestfriend sleepover the night before the party so that you guys can purchase all of the ingredients and bake all of the baked goods the night before. This way you have more time to get ready and set up the next day.

4) Make little whimsical tiered serving dishes using mismatched plates. I stacked different floral plates with a tea cup in between. For the cutlery we did small white appetizer plates and mismatched tea cups and clear wine glasses. Also we used a cheetah printed satin table cloth to add a more wonderland vibe to the table.For an added touch, we placed a white runner and placed rainbow christmas lights alongside. Here are pictures of how it all came together💓.

Overall, the party was a success. We drank many cups of tea and my friends and I had an amazing evening. Afterwards, we did a photoshoot and played ping pong. Hope you guys are inspired and host your own tea parties. If you do, leave us a comment about how it went. Goodluck💓
XOXO
-Shiza

Sapphires in Paradise

the little things in life

Tag: teaparty

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