By Betty Among
Weddings are becoming more costly day by day. Everyone wants to do more of what their friend did so that their wedding is the talk of the town. But this is not the case. You do not have to over stretch your resources and go on a begging spree for money to fund your wedding. There are cheaper options you can try out that can also be fun. Have you thought of having a tea party wedding reception? Oh yes, it can be dome. Imagine an alcohol free wedding reception! This will cut down costs tremendously. Here are tips on how to get started.
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| Tea Cup Cake |
Table SettingSet up the table in a way that your guests will not compete for space. Eunice Winyi, of Devine Touch confectionaries, advises that the table should not be cluttered. There should be adequate room for guests to take their tea comfortably,
To give your set up a classy look, scatter colorful rose petals on the table. Place the tea pot, sugar bowl, tea cups and milk jar on a tray on either side of the table. The milk will come in handy for guests who love cream their coffee.
Use salad-sized plates for the finger food. These might have to be found at the different service points when guests queue platters at the different service points when guests queue for the tea but enjoy the varied collection of bites at their tables any time they want.
Winyi explains that when choosing the napkins and crockery, these should blend these colours.
It is important to pay attention to detail on how to fold the napkins to sandwich garnishes. Give your event a friendly and dressy feel by using place cards so that guests know where to sit.
Choose a color combination that blends with colour theme of the wedding. Floral accents for the china ware are attractive and colourful.
Keep your decoration simple but classy. For instance, you can place roses in square glass flower vases. Such a floral arrangement leaves room for the table setting without crowding the table setting without crowding the table and yet gives it a special appeal.
Floral arrangements should not be too high to extent that the guests cannot see each other. Remember tea time should be time for people to talk. This is the advantage of a tea party – it brings people together.
Winyi advises against the use of scented candles because these will interfere with the aroma of tea. Since it is a tea party let the tea aroma fill the air.
Plan the menu
If you are expecting children as guests, plan something special for them, children are usually into sweet foods such as apple pies, cupcakes and ice cream.
The menu should include appetizers, savories and deserts. You might want to have wedding cake in the shape of tea cups to match the theme of the reception with tier at every table. This would make wonderful dessert for the guests.
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| Tea pot and cups cake |
The finger foods can be set separately on larger tables where guest can go over and choose what they want.
Include African tea for convenience on the menu so that your guests do not have to struggle with tea bags at the party.
If the tea party is at a hotel venue then the waiters and waitresses should be vigilant when waiting on guests. Otherwise a tea party can be held in an outdoor garden of a residence.
Number of guests.The fewer the guests the easier it is to plan for a tea party wedding reception. Ensure that the reception starts early and ends on time.
Since the guests are not going to have lunch or dinner, it is important to respect their time so that they can enjoy the wedding without feeling hungry for long hours. Do not make your guests endure your wedding.
If the tea party is at a hotel venue, it will make it easier to supervise since the hotel staff will wait on your guests to ensure that they are comfortable and their cups of tea are regularly refilled.
So, with a little organization the tea party wedding reception can be a success, enjoy your day by being debt free. What a way to start your marriage.
