Monday, June 4, 2012

Soon To Be Tea-Themed Wedding

I am sure you can figure out from the title of this post where all my free time has gone.  I still love tea (a lot) and think about tea (a lot), but, after getting engaged in August of 2011, wedding planning has consumed my tea blogging time.

However, I hope I can make up the lost time to my wonderful readers by managing to spare a few moments from my wedding research to share some of the details about my tea-themed wedding.

Tea has been such an important part of my life over the past five years (almost the entire time I have been with my significant other) that I thought I should incorporate it into the ceremony and reception.  The fiancee loves tea, as well, so he doesn’t mind.

Because I love green tea most of all, my wedding colors are green, black, and white.  At the ceremony, the unity sand will be in these three colors.  Additionally, the bridesmaids’ dresses and the groomsmen’s vests and ties will be green.  At the reception, there will be green tulle bows on the backs of white covered chairs.  

I am making three custom blended teas to serve at the luncheon reception and to be given as favors; one to represent the bride (green tea base with raspberry, apricot, and spearmint), one to represent the groom (black tea base with peach, vanilla, and ginger), and a wedding blend that combines the two (oolong base with raspberry and vanilla).  Even though most of my guests are coffee drinkers, it is my party and I will have tea if I want to.*

Teapots and teacups are going to be used as centerpieces.  A glass teapot will be in the center of each table holding a small bouquet of flowers while two glass teacups, one sitting on either side of the teapot, hold green glass pebbles and a tea-light candle.

One can only take the tea theme so far meaning I had to stretch the concept by using generic leaves and vines in some places.  For example, the cake knife and server, the toasting flutes, and the tiered cake will all be decked out with leaves and vines.

I am hoping all of this detailed planning is time well spent and everything comes together during our celebration in the fall.  Still so much to do…

*Not to worry, guests, coffee will still be served, as well.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Happy New Year... Hello?

Is anyone there?


Oh wait... is six months a little too late to be fashionably late?

When I got engaged on August 31st, 2011, I didn't realize my life would be consumed by a gigantic wedding planning monster.  I have managed to get a lot of the wedding planning stuff done early, however.  Therefore, this very weekend I was able to come up for some air, only to realize I haven't posted on my beloved tea blog since... wow... last year.

Not only have I not posted on this blog, but I have neglected tea forums that I regularly lurk and post.  I tweet only every now and then.  And, I almost forgot I had a Facebook fan page for this blog.  Being buried under invitation samples, cake designs, and color swatches kind of does that.  Not to mention my poor tea ware hasn't been touched in months.

I am beginning to shake off the dust and get back into the hobby I love the most.

I have done some clean up to the blog.  I took away the affiliate links section... something I have been wanting to do for a while.  I always felt like that section made my reviews look dishonest.  I also took away the vendor links section.  It looked cluttered.   If you would really like to know my favorite vendors, just ask me... or ask around the tea forums.

Which brings me to tell you that I have added a section about my favorite tea-related links.  Several of them are forums filled with amazing tea lovers, aficionados, and connoisseurs.  Finally, I have changed the location of a few sections mainly for aesthetics. 

I still have some more editing to do before I am pleased with the layout of this blog.  For one thing, I need a logo.  I have wanted a logo since I made this site - 5 years ago - but have been unable to create or think of one I like.  So, the yellow gaiwan will remain in the header for now.

I already have a few blog posts written as well as a few ideas for other posts aside from tea reviews.  My next goal is to be more active with the Facebook fan page and Twitter.

Thanks to all of those readers and fans who stuck by me through my wedding planning coma and didn't pull the plug on this blog, yet.

See you soon...