Many a childhood play date has revolved around tea parties between best friends and maybe a stuffed animal or two so how sweet would it be to get your girlfriends together for a grown up version with a girly, vintage flair. After Greia Marlow hosted an afternoon tea party for her own bridesmaids, she and Nicole Chan Photography were inspired to take the tea set and scones out of doors with gorgeous florals, lacy linens and pastel, mismatched vintage pieces. Put on your favorite party hat, grab a cup and set yourself down in the full gallery to see all the fabulous details!
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From Nicole Chan Photography…Event planner, Greia Marlow, had hosted an afternoon tea party for her bridesmaids at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel a few weeks before her wedding. A beautiful setting, scrumptious sweets, aromatic teas and wonderful company – it was simply sublime! So, when Nicole of Nicole Chan Photography asked Greia to collaborate with her on a styled shoot, inspiration hit! Greia wanted to take the tea party outdoors, set it against a lush garden and give it a vintage touch. The insanely gorgeous garden of local artist, Diane Carnevale, was the ideal location. It had the perfect blend of show stopping features like a sunken garden mixed with romantic undertones of the hidden nooks and crannies.
For this shoot, we envisioned a bride who loves the outdoors, has a playful personality and a fondness for vintage details. We wanted to incorporate these aspects of her life in the tea party in a charming and elegant way. The color inspiration was drawn from the collection of vintage china from New England Vintage Rentals; resulting in a palette of white, creams, pastels and vibrant pops of hot pink. We started by suspending mason jars with ivory votive candles over our tablescape to create a rustic chic chandelier. We then covered our tablescape in an array of ivory and cream lace. Our mis-matched vintage china and silverware brought feminine and whimsical details to the table and each place setting featured a hand calligraphy escort card by Ashley Osgood, Chantilly lace napkin and a teacup filled with an assortment of Japanese rosebud tea and herbal tea bags with a heart-shaped tag. Next, we layered the look with vintage books; silver teapots; sugar bowls filled with stylishly shaped sugar creations from The Gourmet Sugar Company; and serving trays filled with delectable homemade tea cakes and scones from 3LittleFigs. We topped off the table with ivory taper candles resting on silver candle holders and a romantic centerpiece by Fino Fresh Floral Design comprised of dreamy cream and pink English garden roses, spray roses, snap dragons, scabiosa pods, lisianthus, and hydrangeas.
Each detail elevated the level of sophistication while still keeping the look approachable. The fabulous Grace Mahoney and her team from Blushing Brides flawlessly executed hair and make-up and the beautiful gown and dresses worn by the bride and bridesmaids are from the Wrapture collection by ethical fashion designer, Harper-Della Piana of SEAMS. Designed with classic silhouettes, sumptuous natural fabrics, and vibrant, eye-popping color, the dresses were the perfect complement in maintaining the playful mood. The gorgeous bouquets incorporated the same colors as the centerpiece and hand tied in beautiful satin ribbon.
Photography: Nicole Chan Photography / Event Design + Event Planning: Greia Marlow + Jenny Wong / Fashion: SEAMS Couture / Rentals: New England Vintage Rentals / Hair + Make-up: Blushing Brides / Floral: Fino Fresh Floral Design / Calligraphy: Ashley Osgood + Naria Hamilton / Baked Goods: 3 Little Figs / Sugar: Gourmet Sugar Company / Location: Private Residence