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Dainty cupcakes can be one of the options on the menu, Photo / Thinkstock

With that particular day of the year (December 25) looming I'm always on the lookout for easy ideas for entertaining that don't involve me being stuck in the kitchen for the entire event, I'm a self confessed collect-a-holic, and love nothing more than scouring second hand and junk shops and the internet for interesting vintage buys, so it's no wonder I have been keen on the idea of using my pretty china and glass cake stands to entertain my lovely friends - and what better time than to do it than for pre-Christmas festivities,

I recently road tested a Vintage High Tea plus size summer dresses sale plus size summer dresses sale, with a little help from Amanda from The Vintage Table, who hires out everything you could possibly need for this type of event, and Karla from Bluebells Cakery, an expert in all treats tiny and delectable.

Often reserved for special occasions, the English tradition of taking tea has recently become particularly fashionable cheap white summer dresses cheap white summer dresses, While the 7th Duchess of Bedford who was fond of having her butler deliver tea with sweet and savoury morsels to her sitting room around 4pm would possibly roll over in her grave if faced with our modern version, many of the traditions and much of the etiquette are still in play men's accessories , Here are some tips from me to host a successful tea party just in time for Christmas.

Plan ahead, As with all social events, good planning is absolutely essential, cheap bridal dress cheap bridal dress An afternoon tea party is the perfect event for the hostess who may not be sufficiently confident or skilled in the kitchen to prepare a more complex menu, i.e, me, Get your invitations out early, and do not invite more guests than you can comfortably cope with - and I suggested my guests wear a pretty dress, Consider some assistance from professional caterers; don't be afraid to buy in a selection of fine treats from your local supplier - enter Karla.

Time management is critical for the perfect afternoon tea party, Do as much preparation ahead of time as possible but don't be tempted to make sandwiches more than an hour before serving, and ensure they stay fresh with a damp tea towel over the top, Ensure you have a plentiful supply of boiling water, bridal dress and adequate stocks of good quality china, serving platters, cheap plus size wedding gown cheap plus size wedding gown teapots, cutlery, furniture and tablecloths, I have stocks, but not enough to cater for my 26 guests - enter Amanda, If you are planning an outdoor event, always be prepared for a change in weather and have a back-up plan.

The menu typically consists of a selection of dainty, bite-size sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, and a selection of traditional cakes and sweet treats served buffet style, Karla recommends 3-4 savoury items and 3 sweets per person, to ensure your guests have plenty to eat without appearing like they are over indulging, You can tailor the food to suit your event, think mini Christmas mince pies, Christmas pudding truffles, and Christmas cupcakes with brandy butter-cream.

Making tea, wedding party dresses Choose two or perhaps three varieties; it is wise to stick with popular choices Cocktail Dresses and Short Dresses at Dresses For Us are fashionable.hot bridesmaid dresses 2012 Browse our selection today and enjoy free shipping!, and I chose bags over leaf tea for easy clean up, Use a china teapot in preference to metal as the latter can adversely affect the taste, Bring a kettle of fresh cold water almost to the boil, pour a little of the water to warm the teapot, and then discard, Add one bag per cup, plus one extra bag for the pot, Pour the near boiling water, and leave the tea to brew for three to five minutes depending on how strong you like it, Don't overfill the cup, and offer fresh milk or lemon, and sugar cubes for sweetening, Empty the teapot after about 15 minutes to avoid the tea becoming stewed.

You may also like to serve a jug of homemade iced tea as a refreshing alternative; my alternative was bubbly served in vintage cream bottles with a cute straw.

The table is the wow factor, beach dresses for wedding so this was my department, My update on a tablecloth was to roll some pretty vintage style wallpaper down the centre of the table, Then I casually arranged towering tiers of pretty plates and cake stands in the centre, An easy idea is to layer plates getting smaller in diameter with small upside down bowls in-between to create your own tiered stand, I then laid out china trios supplied by The Vintage Table ensuring there was one for every guest, mixing up the patterns for a more modern, eclectic look, Fresh flowers are essential, and a very easy way to dress any event, I chose pretty roses, tulips and peonies, and mixed them up in jars and bottles on the table and around the room.

Proper etiquette is essential, Using both hands, always lift the teacup and the saucer at the same time and, contrary to popular belief, it really is not necessary to position your pinky finger out at an angle, Take small sips of tea and do not blow the top to cool it or slurp loudly, Use the tea plates provided for the placement of sandwiches and sweet treats; do not overfill your plate, Bite-size morsels are preferred, as they can be eaten without cutlery.

When leaving the party, always thank the hostess and remember to send a thank you note shortly afterwards.

Essential address book

* Vintage china and accessory hire from thevintagetable.co.nz or antiquealley.co.nz

* Delectable treats from Bluebellscakery.co.nz

* To hunt out your own vintage cakestands visit flotsamandjetsam.co.nz

* Flowers from rosesflorist.co.nz

* For fine tea see harneyteas.co.nz

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WALK DOWN THE AISLE LOOKING LIKE A PRINCESS IN THIS UNIQUE AND GORGEOUS VINTAGE GOWN!

This is my mother's amazingly gorgeous and unique Priscilla of Boston wedding gown and veil from 1953. My mother kept such good care of the dress that it is in MINT condition, like new, with one exception on the hem described below. 

The style is classic as evidenced by the dress worn by Princess Kate at the recent Royal Wedding.  This dress is very similar to Kate and Grace Kelly's wedding dresses wedding dresses . 

Candlelight/ivory formal gown formal gown, thick satin  spring evening dresses with Alsatian bodice, sleeves, and lace panels over the satin down the back of the train and two panels in front (see pictures). The gown has a scoop neckline, slightly off the shoulders with hand-sewn seed pearls on the lace of the bodice. The long sleeves have REAL buttons up the forearm, as well as buttons down the back of the dress. The hemline is lined with real horsehair so as to give body to the hemline.  new cocktail dresses new cocktail dresses; (Please note that picture of my mother includes a hoop skirt that she wore underneath, but is NOT included in this auction.) 

The VEIL is simple and elegant, tulle -- fingertip style (length from headband to fingertips).  The headband measures 14" across and is made of the Alsatian lace with the hand-sewn pearls on top.

The dress was originally about a size 8-10 and altered for my sister who also got married in this dress, and it is now a size 4-6 -- please see measurements below.   red bridesmaid dresses under 100 red bridesmaid dresses under 100;

The dress has been  pink and black flower girl dresses pink and black flower girl dressesprofessionally cleaned and I have NOT taken the it out of the neatly arranged bag that the cleaners returned it to me in.  There are, however amazing cocktail dresses , a couple of marks to make mention of.  The only flaws the cleaner could not fix are at the hemline where there are two slight dirt marks.  I have included a picture of the marks on the hemline, which I don't believe are very noticeable, especially since the rest of the dress is impeccable, however, please be aware of this fact before bidding.

 To keep  unique cocktail dresses 2011 ;the dress protected and in great condition, I could only get approximate measurements which are:

Bust: 34"; flower girl dresses on sale Waist: European style salon with imported gowns from Milan,cheap short prom dresses Paris and Rome. 26"; sleeves: 22"; and measurement from waist to floor is 58".   I was not able to measure the length of the train, but you can look at the picture of my mother and get a good idea.  Please look closely at pictures and ask me any questions before bidding.

FYI: Priscilla of Boston was and is still a leading designer in wedding/formal gowns. This is a unique and stunning one-of-a-kind wedding dress .

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have or any further pictures you may want.  Thanks for your interest!