Last week, spring officially sprung after a not-so-fierce winter. What a fabulous time of year to host a whimsical garden tea party for your bridal shower. I say, any excuse to wear a fancy hat is a good one. 

Here are some ideas if you're thinking afternoon tea with your closest gals to celebrate your upcoming wedding. 

An ideal setting for your tea party would be Toronto's own Botanical Gardens

With 17 gorgeous themed gardens, Toronto Botanical Gardens offers a unique event space that has private garden courtyards and serene water features. Located in mid-Toronto, they even have free parking (bonus!). http://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/

I found these invitations were adorable and quite fitting. At $2.65 a piece, the price is right too. Price includes printing, response card, and white envelopes with return address printed. Check out this and other great options www.stephita.com

For centerpieces, try seeking out mismatched vintage tea pots. A quick search on Ebay turned up a bunch of ornate and colourful ones. Use faux pearls or fresh flowers to fancy them up a bit more. These tea pots range from $10-$30. Isn't the yellow one completely amazing?! www.ebay.ca

Serve your guests their tea with the added touch of a personalized tea bag for under $1 from www.beau-coup.com. A great favour is this porcelain teacup and tea light packaged in a display box and wrapped with an organza ribbon. For orders over 50, the price is $2.85 also on www.beau-coup.com. 

I saw these photos on an inspiration board on WeddingBee and absolutely LOVED the decor ideas. Using mismatched fabric pieces in bright, funky colours you can create affordable and fun decor. How great are those ribbons of fabric used to spruce up a plain white chair? And the flower accent? Brilliant! 

As mentioned previously, ask your guests to wear classic dresses and fancy hats to really drive home the theme (oh, and wrist-length gloves). Super fun!

xoxo

Thrifty Bride