Tea with a Tropical Flair

How do you keep your annual tea party from becoming predictable?  Give it a tropical twist! 



Here's the menu:  Chicken Potato Salad Cups, Cucumber Cilantro Sandwiches, Ham Bites, Beef-filled Puff Pastries, Flan Squares, Guava Pastries, Lime-Rum Cupcakes, China Oolong Tea . . .

The hibiscus gift boxes from The Container Store were perfect for the party favors (an assortment of single-serving packets of loose tea and a pair of sugar tongs).  Tea parties must have cubed sugar - how else would you be able to ask “One lump or two?”

I kept the table settings very simple to let the flowers take center stage.  Robert, my friend and florist, has been making arrangements for me since my wedding 27 years ago.  He's the most patient and creative man imaginable . . . I asked him for tropical and femenine . . . exotic and ethereal . . . Not too bad, huh?

The centerpieces were composed of oncidium orchids (yellow), dendrobium orchids (magenta), cymbidium orchids (chartreuse), gardenias and white hypericum berries.  Tea leaves were placed directly on the table to connect the three arrangements . . .

The oncidium orchids were tall, but wispy and did not block the view across the table . . .

Robert angled the oncidium on the two end pieces to make sure that they would not block the view.

And here are the lovely ladies that came to tea . . .

We didn't want the afternoon to end!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.  Please stop by and visit today to see some wonderfully creative and beautiful tables.