GreenHouse High Tea Engagement Party

December 13, 2023

Earlier this year, Rocky Mountain Bride USA asked Carlyanne and the White Table Catering team to direct a shoot for a spread about a high tea engagement party. High tea is the perfect way to celebrate any occasion, especially wedding events. From an engagement party to a bridal shower or even a morning after brunch for your wedding guests, you honestly can’t go wrong.

We were so excited to start planning! We knew we wanted to create a gorgeous display of petite treats in the most dreamy setting. So, we gathered a talented team of Vancouver wedding vendors and got to work at an adorable little venue in the Fraser Valley.

Venue: The Greenhouse

In the early stages of planning this high tea engagement party styled shoot, we knew we wanted to do it at The Greenhouse venue in Abbotsford, British Columbia. We thought this unique event space would be the perfect look for a cozy tea house aesthetic.

This intimate event space is located in the Fraser Valley, just over an hour away from Vancouver. The venue can host events for up to 24 people or smaller. It includes a rustic greenhouse on a whimsical property with beautiful flower gardens and a babbling brook. On the property is a secondary space called the Pavilion, an open-space timber frame structure that we did not use in this shoot.

The white iron structure of the greenhouse building inspired the design of this styled shoot. With a honeycomb-shaped glass ceiling and glass walls, we knew there’d be plenty of natural light. So, we brought in several timeless elements to complement this bright and unique space.

The Design

We decided to go with a his and hers style event to highlight the bride and groom. That said, we didn’t want to make the design feel too feminine, so we went for a more traditional design with blue as the complementary colour to a primary palette of black and white.

With the surrounding garden landscape in mind, we ensured that we played off the garden party aesthetic with all-white timeless florals. Niche Boutique Florals hung garlands of lush greenery that intertwined with the large industrial chandeliers which we hung above the table.

The table was set with a beautiful blue and white striped linen from Perspective Events that was a focal point in the design. Each rental item chosen helped elevate the design to give an elegant garden party feeling. Since this engagement party was an intimate celebration, we really wanted to focus on the small details, including the custom-designed stationery and elegant garden party elements.

High Tea Engagement Party Menu

The Tea

As it was a tea party, after all, tea had to be present. Therefore, we served tea two ways: iced and the traditional hot. Our team set petite jars of loose-leaf tea at each guest’s place setting, which were the perfect favours for this celebration.

Petite Treats

Like any good tea party, miniature food is at the forefront of the menu, and this high tea engagement party was no exception. Our culinary team crafted a variety of savoury and sweet options, which were presented on elegant platters and towers. We loved the mini scones, cute little mini jams, personal yogurts, small croissants and mini open-faced smoked salmon and asparagus tartines. Petite sweet treats included macarons, summer pavlovas, custom cookies, and an adorable mini buttercream naked cake.

Whether you are planning a morning-after brunch or a garden party-inspired celebration, you truly can’t go wrong with a high tea theme. When planning your high tea party, we recommend playing off the seasons and using this to your advantage in florals and building your menu. This elegant and intimate celebration was designed for spring and summer but can be customized to any season. For more information on our brunch menu items, check out our event menu or speak to one of our Event Specialists about your event.

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Rocky Mountain Bride National V7 or online at the Rocky Mountain Bride Blog