Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Silver at Tea Time

At the 2007 World Tea Expo, I took Alda Ellis' seminar, Presentation is Everything.   I've never forgotten one statement that she made: "Silver is the jewelry of the table."   To me, nothing is more elegant on the tea table than silver.

Recently [Dec. 19th], I wrote about the Christmas Tea I attended in the Christopher Wren Dining Room at Meadow Brook Hall.   Today's post is about the "Tea on Tuesdays" [on the third Tuesday of every month] they used to host.  I attended one of the teas in 2002 where Matilda Dodge Wilson's beautiful sterling silver tea services were on display.   


The portrait of the lady in the flowing red gown in the background is Matilda Dodge Wilson.



I was a senior in high school when my parents had their 25th Wedding Anniversary, and I had a party for them.   In the photo below I'm pinning a boutonniere on my dad's lapel.


Jerry and me with my parents.  Look at those skinny 60's neckties! ;-)


Some of my parent's friends got them a silver-plated tea set.  I only remember my mom using it one time at my high school graduation open house.  The rest of the time it just sat displayed on the dining room buffet.

When I became smitten with tea parties some thirty years later, I asked to borrow the tea set on several occasions.  Finally my mom told me to just keep it at my house and if she needed it she'd let me know.  ;-)   I use it at all of our church teas now.


It's not as valuable and exquisite as Matilda Dodge Wilson's sterling silver pieces, but I like it just fine!


The photo below is an "Appreciation Tea" that I hosted in my home for the ladies who helped with my monthly dinners at church.   My mom's silver service is on the table, and see how the "jewelry" sparkles and adds beauty to the table?


Below are photos of a tea I coordinated for friend who was welcoming new members into a hospital auxiliary.  It was a buffet tea which gave me the opportunity to use many silver serving pieces.



When I was still working as a church secretary, the first event I coordinated in the new Ministry Center was a tea.  I wanted it to be "over the top," so I rented silver tea urns, and had silver candelabras and teapots on every table.  




In the photo below I'm giving the ladies a brief "Tea 101" talk! 


It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun too, and the ladies in attendance enjoyed themselves which is always the objective.



7 comments:

  1. What a very special tea set...with all the memories attached. Love the tea cart as well!
    Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  2. How pretty! And the perfect tea cart to display it, too. My grandmother had one of those and I hadn't thought of it in years until this week. I must say, you looked older than a high school senior in those 25th anniversary pictures! I got married 4 days before my parents' 25th, so we waited and had a party for them a couple of months later.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Indeed, silver is the jewelry on the table! I love your tea set! You set up some very lovely teas, Phyllis. Glad you had the thought to capture them on camera even before you were a blogger.
    Hugs, Beth

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a beautiful silver tea set. Isn't nice that you have it to use and love?

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a beautiful silver tea set! It sounds like you have organized some really beautiful tea events... gosh I wish I lived near you so I could come. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your mom's tea set is gorgeous--lucky you to have it, and I'm happy (and not a bit surprised) that you cherish it! I do love to see silver on a tea table, and yes, it truly is the jewelry of the table, isn't it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow! That's just amazing and wonderful collection of sterling silver tea set, Sterling Silver Tea Pot. I have never seen these gorgeous collections of silver tea sets. Thanks for sharing such great blog.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you would like to leave a comment, I'd love to hear from you!