Wednesday, March 5, 2008

How to Phrase an Invitation

Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer is hosting backwards "Works for me Wednesday" today.

My question is this-

I'm hosting a wedding shower in May. I want it to be a little bit different and I'm hoping to make it a "tea party" themed shower. Encourage everyone to wear a hat, have cute little finger sandwiches, have various teas for guests to drink, that kind of thing...

How do I phrase the invitation? I don't want to just call it a "tea party" because I am afraid no one will bring a gift. I don't want to just call it a shower, because I want the guests to be encouraged to participate in the tea party atmosphere.

There will be guests attending that I don't know, so I can't just casually tell the guests what's going on , the invitation needs to give the guests all the information of a normal shower (time, date, place, etc), plus the tea party theme.

Advice?

Thanks so much!

6 comments:

Amy said...

What a fun idea! I think I'd make your invitation say just what you said here: something along the lines of " Sue's wedding shower will be a tea party. We'd love it if you'd dress up and wear a fancy hat to join in the fun!"

Anonymous said...

call it a bridal tea and add where she is registered at
blessings, Penny Raine
http://www.pennyraine.com/blog

Jendeis said...

My bridal shower was a tea! The invitation was a print of a big teapot with the writing on it and I think it said something like, "Please join us at Afternoon Tea to shower Jen with good wishes."

My now SIL made cookies shaped like teapots and my sister found a company that makes teabags with the couple's name on the packet. The packet reads "The Perfect Blend -- Jen & DH's name, Jen's Bridal Shower, April 2005."

Food ideas: cookies, cake cut up to be petit fours, various teas, little sandwiches.

For the sandwiches, you have your choice of easy or hard. Easy = white bread, crusts off, spread with strawberry or pinapple cream cheese, cut into quarters. Harder = Cucumber rounds spread with tuna salad and dill on top. Hardest = white bread, crusts off, horseradish mayo spread, sliver of roast beef on top

Martha Stewart usually has good ideas on this too.

GS said...

Oh! I'm visiting from WFMW, so I don't know you, but I love this idea.

You should make a cute poem/rhyme about "Sue's getting married/grab your finest hat and come celebrate with us/over afternoon tea"

Then include the basic info...if you add where she is registered everyone will know to bring a gift.

Sorry it doesn't rhyme or sound wonderful as I wrote it, but hopefully that will spark some ideas.

Little Piddles said...

I went to a baby shower with this theme and it was so cute. Everyone had a great time. I use verseit.com all the time for sayings. Here are two I ofudn and you could tweak it to fit best.

We would be delighted
if you could join us
for afternoon tea in honor
of our future sister-in-law
BRIDE
We will shower her with gifts
on DAY
at TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE

HOSTESS
R.S.V.P. PHONE

All dressed up in our finery and pearls
We remember the time as little girls
We giggled and curtsied and longed for the day
when our parties would be real and not just play
You are cordially invited to attend a (maybe add afternoon of tea or something)
Bridal Shower honoring
BRIDE
on DAY at TIME
LOCATION

HOSTESS

Waitingonyou2 said...

I was going to suggest something similar to Little Piddles.

I recently hosted a baby shower with a similar theme. I served all my food on various, mismatched sterling silver or silver-plated trays. Instead of mini-finger sandwiches on your average dinner roll I bought miniature croissants. They were delicious and everyone said how wonderful they were. All I did was change the bread! :- )