Kitchen Tea......

The lovely bride to be.

No, it's not a forgotten tradition, thank goodness!  We've been invited to a wedding at the end of September and this bride and groom are doing things the traditional way.  No sending out invitations months in advance for this couple, just six weeks before the big day.  This is the way it was when I was a bride.  It was never a thought to send a "Save the Date" because friends and family simply made time to attend a wedding.  Anway, I regress.  Because it is a traditional wedding the bridesmaids, all three of them, organised a Kitchen Tea with a 50's inspired theme.

Two of the lovely bridesmaids in readiness for games

We were encouraged to dress like a 50's housewife complete with aprons over our dresses and of course adorned with pearls!  This get together was so much nicer than the now typical "hens night".  No alcohol in sight, just tea or coffee which suited me very well as the party was held at Kuranda that is more than an hours drive for me.
The party began with some games.  The first was all about the bride with a series of questions relating to her and her fiancee.  I was hopeless.  The next was an adaption of "The Price is Right", once again....hopeless.  The last was "Name the five parcels".  Thank goodness I was a little better at that!

The Brides in their newspaper and toilet paper outfits!

We ended the games by forming groups of four and having to "Dress the Bride" using only newspaper, white toilet paper, pink crepe paper and sticky tape.  This was so much fun and our group won the best dressed bride.  As tradition goes, when you win a prize at a Kitchen Tea, you always give it to the bride.

Such a lovely old fashioned idea.

The Goodies!

When the games concluded we had afternoon tea.
 I have never seen such a wonderful array of sweet treats.  The centrepiece was a croquemboche that was not only spectacular but wonderfully decadent.  The afternoon was so much fun and it is lovely to see that some traditions are not forgotten.  After tea the bride-to-be opened up  all her presents with the help of her nieces (to-be)

Gift opening time!