Alice in Wonderland Teaparty Wedding
​
Imagine you have chosen your whimsical theme; to create an Alice in Wonderland style wedding. From picking your ethereal, elegant wedding dress, deciding the bridesmaids will wear Alice style, periwinkle blue dresses with wildflower hair embellishments to your groom and groomsmen wearing whimsical ties and buttonholes or perhaps full morning suits with top hats!
Having decided upon a garden or woodland wedding venue, or perhaps an indoor venue with a flower wall or arch, and centre pieces that provide a garden or woodland atmosphere, consider creating your own version of a wedding ‘teaparty’. This could consist of a full, wedding breakfast meal or a delicious, afternoon tea. Choose the colours for your theme; for example featuring the ‘crimson red’ of the Queen of Hearts or indeed, any colour of your choice would work well. White tablecloths with either plain, printed, gingham or even artificial grass table runners can help to set the garden, Alice in Wonderland theme.
At vintagecelebrationteaparty.co.uk we supply for hire beautiful, vintage crockery, gleaming glassware, vintage style cutlery and co-ordinated accessories including tablecloths, table runners and bunting suitable for weddings or any other events and celebrations. Our stunning, vintage collection lends itself perfectly to a garden or woodland style wedding. Also, we provide a delivery and collection service as well as a complimentary washing-up service.
Having sent out your Alice in Wonderland ‘save the day’ cards or wedding invitations, consider the finer details of the ‘Alice’ theme; vintage teapots or jugs make a stunning alternative to vases for your floral centrepieces or else decorated, jam jars look very pretty filled with smaller, delicate flowers. Or a gravity defying centrepiece using flowers and balanced playing cards in a co-ordinated top hat is another option. Consider vintage touches such as strings of pearls, a pocket watch, labels like ‘Eat me!’ and ‘Drink me! Also various heart shaped decorations which are all in keeping with this theme.
Playing cards could also be used as table numbers and as the bride and grooms place cards. Napkins could be tied with ribbon, decorated with hearts or fresh roses. Favours could be vintage style teaspoons with fruit flavoured teabags in heart shaped boxes. Or small, interesting looking bottles filled with a tipple of your choice and labelled with ‘drink me’. Your wedding cake could be a fashionable, flower decorated ‘naked cake’ with a pretty, colour co-ordinated, top hat cake topper filled with fresh flowers.
I hope some of these suggestions help you to create your own, perfect, Alice in Wonderland Teaparty style Wedding Day.
The History of Afternoon Tea
Considered as possibly the most quintessential of English customs, Afternoon Tea was introduced to British Society in 1840 by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. Desiring good company as well as afternoon sustenance between lunch and dinner, the Duchess would order tea, bread and butter and cake to be served at 4 o'clock in the afternoon; which became known as 'Teatime'. Anna made this into a social event, inviting her friends and acquaintances to join her in this informal, dining experience. It was not long before others in society heard of this new trend and followed the fashionable Duchess in the style of taking afternoon tea. Indeed, everyone who was anyone followed suit.
By the 1880's, upper class, society women would change into elegant gowns, hats or head pieces, full length gloves and jewels in order to take afternoon tea in their drawing rooms. This daily event evolved to include sandwiches with assorted fillings, savoury tarts, scones and fancy sweet treats. Thus the tradition of 'Afternoon Tea' began in England.
Anna, Seventh Duchess of Bedford