Mother's Day Tea Party featured on Draper James

It was such an honor to treat my daughter, mother, and grandmother to a very special tea party celebrating Mother’s Day and the unconditional love it means to be a mom. Dressing everyone in Draper James, a brand known for Southern grace and charm, made it extra special. It is amazing how a clothing brand can bridge the gap of generations so effortlessly. To have myself, my mom, and my grandmother all looking polished and current-yet-timeless in the same brand is truly amazing. It really speaks to the ageless versatility of the Draper James style!

Here’s a tiny taste of the festivities. For more pictures and details, head to draperjames.com.

Growing up, my grandmother would host tiny tea parties in her kitchen for me and my cousins. They were miniature versions of the grand scale elegance that was her dining room table—set with the finest china, silver and crystal. We’d dress up in her costume jewelry and snack on cookies and sandwiches pretending to be at the most elaborate of parties. So many of my childhood memories were made at that tiny table in her kitchen.

Now that I’m a mom, I want to pass along those sweet memories and traditions to my daughter. This Mother’s Day I invited four generations to a tea party to celebrate the strong women in my family. We gathered around a table set with my grandmother’s china and crystal (that has now been passed on to me) and traded old stories of those childhood tea parties. My 94-year-old grandmother and my mother were touched by the affair and we all loved watching my 1-year-old daughter enjoy her very first tea party.

You don't have to be a Downton Abbey devotee to appreciate the charm and elegance of an English-style tea party, especially here in the South. A tea party is a wonderfully feminine celebration where tiny elegant finger foods being passed around the table, tea poured from a silver service, and spring flowers bursting in their brightness all set the scene for conversation and laughter.

Yes, it’s all about the tea but it’s the food that will bring your guests the most delight. More is more when it comes to a tea party. Tiered stands of decadent desserts, tiny sandwiches, and pastries spark scenes from Marie Antoinette. Have it catered (like we did from Nashville’s Puffy Muffin) or make it yourself, but tea sandwiches, scones, macarons, shortbread, fruit tarts, petite fours, linzer cookies, and madeleines are a must!

Let the decor be a celebration of your family. I love using heirloom pieces that have been passed down through generations. I had Abigail T. Calligraphy hand calligraphy the napkins with Southern sayings that mothers always seem to say like, “Bless your heart,” and “Suck it up buttercup.” I monogramed hankies with everyone’s initials for favors as a lasting memory of the day. Butterflies perched on each water glass served as place cards and Draper James picture frames filled with old photos of mother and daughter were sent home with each mom as a Mother’s Day gift. Finally, I packed up left over tea sandwiches and sweets in bakery boxes for everyone to enjoy later.