Party Prep...Day of the Party

So the day of the party finally arrived. I was right on schedule, but I still had tons to do. It's funny, have you ever noticed how fast time flies right before a party? It seems like there is plenty of time and then it's gone. Fortunately, I didn't fall too far behind this time.

Two of my friends arrived an hour before the party to help assemble the sandwiches. They did a great job. Don't the sandwiches look yummy?

One of my friends brought the egg salad. I have got to get the recipe, as it is the best egg salad I have ever eaten! We also had chicken salad and peanut butter and jelly. It's been a long time since I've had a PB&J on white bread and I was surprised at how tasty it was. I wasn't alone...we all gobbled them up.

Our other sandwich was a very good Strawberry Cucumber sandwich. Since tea parties are not complete without cucumber sandwiches, I knew I had to have them. However, I'm not really a fan, so I spent some time looking for a good recipe. This one includes red onion and basil, which goes really well with the cucumbers and strawberries. Not only does it taste good, but I think it also looks pretty.

The final menu item to prepare were the scones. I found a traditional English Cream Scone recipe that tastes like something you would get in England. I served clotted cream and strawberry jam with them and they were a big hit. My timing in baking them was spot-on, as they were still warm when we sat down to eat.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I inherited vintage linens and china. They really made the party look authentic. My good friend made the beautiful flower arrangements and also provided flowers for each table setting.

Here are a few of the beautiful teacups I inherited from my grandma. It was so cool to actually use them. I allowed my friends to pick their favorite one to use and it was fun to see which one they picked. It was interesting that they all picked my favorites.

We had three kinds of tea: Earl Gray (of course), Glengettie (a Welsh tea), and a creamy chai.

The party was a huge success. We ate, talked, ate, played a game, and ate some more. My friends stayed for five hours, so I guess they had fun. At the end of the party, I had boxes for everyone to pack up whatever food they wanted to take home.

Although I was exhausted by the time my friends left, I had a wonderful time. I enjoyed every aspect from planning to implementing the party. I can't wait to do it again!