Bridgerton Inspired Tea Party for a Bridal Shower

Dearest gentle reader, I was asked to host a Bridgerton-inspired tea party for a bridal shower. I wanted to share with you my tips and photos welcoming my cousin's future bride into our family. The event called for a romantic, whimsical theme with a Regency era style as seen in the Bridgerton series. I hope this post inspires ideas as well as help you adapt the Bridgerton theme into special events you may have in the horizons.

Table Setting & Place Setting

Tablecloths/Table Linen

Before getting the tableware out, the tables were covered with white tablecloths. You can use nice linen tablecloths or buy inexpensive, tablecloths at Sam's Club. This depends on the budget you're working with. Then, I used Lenox Butterfly Meadow runners to add floral & butterfly designs to the center of tables.

If you're looking to create something special and have a sewing machine, you can customize both your tablecloths and runners. Go to your local fabric or craft store and buy long pieces of fabric. You're sure to find deals from craft stores such as Joann's or Michael's. Adding lace on your tablecloths can also create a fancier tea party look.

Tableware

Next step was to create place settings for our guests. Every tea party should have the following essential tableware: dessert plates, tea cups & saucers, tea pots, creamer, sugar bowls, cutlery, tea spoons, water goblets, napkins, wine or cocktail glassware. My Lenox Butterfly Meadow tea set, with its classic English design of flowers and butterflies added charm to the table setting. As an alternative, you can also go to your local thrift stores to look for vintage tea sets at a modest price. If you need more teacups for your guests, you can request guests to bring their own tea cups & saucer. This can add color and whimsical pizazz to your tea party. 

Glassware

Place settings are not complete without the glassware. We used water goblets in different colors, wine glasses and champagne flutes. The glassware was bought at Pottery Barn and the World market. Other stores like HomeGoods and Marshalls are also good places to find well priced glassware.

Three Tier Stand & Cake Stands

Every tea party is not complete without a cake stand and/or three tier stand. The three tier stand is what you most commonly see for tea parties. They nicely separate the sandwiches, scones/pastries and desserts. We found some nice three tier stands at Crate and Barrel as seen in the photos. I wanted to have 4 - 6 people be able to eat from each stand.

Fancy Touches

Once your place settings are complete, you can add finishing touches such as floral napkin rings, tea strainers, decorative butterflies. We also printed place cards with each guest's name and placed them in small gold frames. They added Bridgerton style vibes to the place settings. I encourage you to get creative!

Food

Sandwiches

Bridal showers are a big affair that combines both family and friends. Guests were encouraged to bring desserts and baked goods. We provided the sandwiches purchased at Stater Brothers, a Southern California Market chain. To our surprise, their deli had a catering service that included tea party trays. Sometimes, we don't have time to cook and this truly was a time saver. I recommend asking your local market or deli for similar services. 

Desserts

When it comes to desserts, personalized bridal shower cookies are always fun to add to the menu. Cupcakes and other sweets were purchased at our supermarket. A tea party is not a tea party without scones. You also can't forget the clotted cream and preserves. The World Market has a selection miniature clotted cream and preserves. You can find several recipes on how to make clotted cream on Pinterest. The delicious and colorful fruit tarts were from Porto’s Bakery.

Teas & Cocktails

Last but not least, the drinks were a mix of teas, Mimosas and non-alcoholic drinks. Some of the drinks were garnished with dried and fresh fruit. Trader Joe's was our go-to place for dried fruit which was added to the cocktails. The dried roses were added to some of the teas for some subtle rose flavor and decoration. We purchased a majority of our loose tea at Urth Caffe and Burke Williams Spa. Burke Williams is known for its spa services but they also sell specialty teas to customers. Sometimes, tea is not always a preferred drink for guests. We chose sweeter flavors like vanilla to appeal to a majority of people.

A tea party is a wonderful way to celebrate special events like a Bridal Shower. We had so much fun with the bride, family and friends. Hosting any special event can be overwhelming. Just remember to start with the basics and build from there. Most importantly, have fun and have a cup of tea.

Cheers!