Recently, at Ava Laurénne Bride we hosted an exclusive Christmas High Tea event for our brides! This was a free event where a select group of our brides with a plus one of their choosing got to enjoy a gorgeous Christmas Tea right in the center of our Virginia bridal boutique. The afternoon began with catered bites, tea, and conversation amongst guests. After the initial serving of tea everyone got to enjoy a mini-fashion show featuring some of our newest gowns! And lastly, before everyone left they were given biscotti from a local bakery and custom watercolor paintings from a celebrated local artist! Learn more about what it means to be an Ava Laurénne Bride and how you could receive invites to events such as this for the rest of your life!

Step 2: Pretty up the presentation

Search thrift, second hand, or vintage shops for tea pots, cups, and saucers! Don't stress your self about having sets match exactly, guests will enjoy the variety!

Step 3: Plan your bites!

Here is the exact menu we planned for our Christmas High Tea event!

• Orange cranberry bread and clotted cream from Wegmans
• Assortment of scones, macaroons, or small desserts from a local bakery
• Melon Prosciutto Skewers, Recipe Below
• English Tea Sandwiches, Recipe Below‍

Melon Prosciutto Skewers:

- Halve cantaloupe, then scoop out and discard seeds. Using a melon baller, scoop out 24 balls.

- Assemble skewers: Layer cantaloupe, basil, mozzarella, prosciutto, and a second piece of cantaloupe until you have 12 skewers.

- Drizzle skewers with balsamic glaze and serve immediately.

English Tea Sandwiches

Sandwiches include classic egg, smoked salmon, cucumber, and chicken with cranberry!

• Cucumber Dill Sandwich: ½ cucumber large, 4 oz cream cheese softened, lemon zest, 1 pinch salt, dill chopped, 6 slices potato bread
• Salmon Sandwich: 1 package smoked salmon, ½ cucumber, 2 oz cream cheese, dill chopped, 1 pinch salt, 6 slices pumpernickel bread
• Egg Sandwich: 4 eggs hard boiled, 2 tablespoons butter softened, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 pinch paprika, 6 mini croissants sliced open
• Cranberry Chicken Sandwich: 3 cooked chicken breasts (hand shred the meat), ¼ teaspoon thyme, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 oz cranberries, 1 sprig watercress, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons Dijon, 6 slices potato bread

Step 4: Plan Your Line Up Of Teas!

When hosting a tea party, it's essential to offer a selection of teas to cater to different tastes and preferences. Our favorite tea brand is Taylors of Harrogate.

Taylors of Harrogate is excellent quality and has a wonderful range in flavors: blackberry & raspberry, English breakfast, lemon & orange, early gray, organic peppermint, and green tea.

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