A Bridal Shower Tea Party Is Made Better With These Elegant Sips
Wedding season unleashes a host of activities that fill up your social calendar until it is overflowing with appointments. One such evening of wedding festivities would comprise the bridal shower, a celebration for the bride-to-be where she can come together with her girlfriends and close knit circle to revel in the joys of the impending nuptials. Friends and relatives who gather for this party literally ‘shower’ the bride with lots of goodies and presents that would help her to start this phase of life. And one of the most charming ways to host a bridal shower is to organise a tea party where women can chat over a finely brewed warm beverage and delicious finger foods.
Serving lots of varieties of tea at an elegant bridal shower party is the most classic route to take, yet, over time, lots of different trends and innovations have cropped up in our celebration of some traditional events that allow more room for creative ideas. One such offering could be a selection of gins and chilled fruit punches that liven up a tea party particularly during warm weather.
Seasonal Offerings
A spirit like gin, full of botanical and slightly herbaceous notes is known for its fresh flavours and a floral finish that is perfect during spring and summer season. The spirit is light and elegant, complete with citrusy aromas and just a hint of vanilla making it the perfect liquor to savour at high tea. It is also a good liquor to prepare cocktails with, because when the weather turns slightly warm during summer, gin’s rejuvenating flavours and its ability to blend well with lots of fresh, seasonal citrus fruits provides a much needed vitality to your palate.
When you are about to host a bridal shower at a time when fresh flowers are in bloom and the fragrance of these blossoms wafts through the spring air, you might also want to think of cocktails that can incorporate these floral elements. Gin combines well with elderflower or lavender liqueur so often used in the preparation of many cocktail concoctions. As well, it is a great accompaniment with freshly brewed chamomile or jasmine tea such that a 30 ml pour of Tanqueray No. Ten into your warm beverage would add another complex layer to the drink while introducing a light buzz.
If that’s not enough, gin also goes well with lots of different appetisers or canapés and classic high tea repasts like finger sandwiches, scones and warm pastries, so you can easily pair lots of different culinary flavours with this spirit. Egg and cucumber sandwiches, creamy bagels and a fresh fruit salad could be some of your go-to dishes to savour alongside a spot of gin and tea at an elegant gathering.
Non-Alcoholic Punches
Simultaneously, you can also devise a menu which allows you to accommodate non-alcoholic beverages into your tea party. These drinks would certainly add some more sophistication to the gathering without deviating too much from the overall theme of serving tea at the bridal shower. The non-alcoholic punch can be crafted using fresh fruits available during the season when you are hosting the shower to include pineapples, oranges and berries. If you are hosting a pre-wedding gathering during summers, mangoes have to feature prominently in your fruit punch which can be prepared using a mix of lots of different sweet and citrusy juices and even some teas.
The tart, sweet and sour notes that are exuded by the fruit punch give the drink a very complex and acidic quality even as you enjoy its vibrant flavours. Non-alcoholic fruity punches can then be excellent alternatives when you want to infuse some bright tastes into a traditional tea. Other non-alcoholic punches like a spice-forward drink akin to a non-boozy toddy or a floral punch comprising the essence of rose or lavender would also imbue your bridal shower with an elegant quality.
So, the next time you are planning on hosting a bridal shower tea party, you might want to consider these elegant boozy and non-boozy drinks that would elevate the super sophisticated charm of your pre-wedding gathering.
