Remember this golden couple?

On the Autumnal Equinox they'll say "I do."

This past weekend I hosted a A Golden Afternoon Bridal Shower Tea for the stunning bride. She and flowers are forever linked in my memory and I wanted the shower to reflect this sentiment.

Alice in Wonderland's flowers served as primary inspiration for the decor. However, unlike Wonderland's snobbish variety, mine are kind and give such compliments as "you look beautiful today" and "where did you ever find such a lovely dress?" These flowers also focused the vision.

The invites quoted the Alice in Wonderland 1951 flower's ditty All in A Golden Afternoon:

"You can learn a lot of things from the flowers

for especially in the month of June

There's a wealth of happiness and romance

All in a golden afternoon"

Guests were welcome to accent their attire by crafting a tissue paper flower headband.

In the Victorian Era flowers were ascribed a coded language so that even the boldest sentiments might be proclaimed through the simple gift of bouquet or bloom. Included in their invites guests found a card with a flower's name and meaning. They were asked to compose a note on the card expressing how they've seen the essence of the flower's meaning in the life of the bride. Or, a prayer to see that quality in the marriage of the couple. We read them aloud to the bride at the shower and I will put together a little book as a gift for the couple on their wedding day.

A truly -golden- afternoon.

My little sister Deborah's name means "bee" andwe like to come up with clever ways of reminding our De-"bee" of this. She's been cheered on at games with a basketball-dunking bee sign, gifted with a bee-transformed pool ring floatie, and sewn a bee costume one year for Halloween. So, it is fitting that mini beehive cupcakes were baked for her graduation tea party (we've got a theme to keep up with!) All the dainty tea food was homemade by my mom and sisters and was amazingly delicious.

There was:

Toasted Coconut Gooey Goodies

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Cucumber Mint Coolers

Cream Cheese Cherry Tarts

Aunt Alice's Dill Chicken Salad on Croissants

Mary Poppin Fruit Kabobs

and more......

Which is your favorite prop?

The Photo Booth was also a hit! Thank you to all who gave suggestions on props. My sister Melody and I donned mustaches and accents and became photographers extraordinaire! It's amazing what a mustache can add to one's sense of humor - recommended for all. I played a slow speaking English chap and Melody an opinionated Frenchman, though her accent humorously slid unconsciously into a mish-mash of Spanish, Italian, English, and French....she must have had an interesting heritage.

Below are some of my favorites of family:

One thing's for sure, we love our Debbie

I made the "Hip Hip Hooray Debbie!" fabric banner with tips from this papernstitch post. Debbie kept the "Debbie" portion of the banner to hang in her dorm room at her new college and my Alma mater: Purdue!