Raley's Parisian Tea Party

It’s hard to believe that my firstborn baby, the one that made me a mom, is TEN! Double digits! Where did the time go?

Raley and her best friend, Ann-Elise, were born just one week apart and they decided that they wanted to have a joint 10th birthday party. They share a love for all things Paris, so they decided to have a Parisian themed birthday party. We looked at a few different locations to have the party, but ultimately decided on the Lanier Tea House in downtown Madison. All the food and tea was provided and the decor is beautiful, so that made planning super easy.

We ordered matching cakes from Edgar’s in the girls’ favorite colors and topped them with an Eiffel Tower, their names, and some macarons.

We ordered macarons from Sifted Sweetness, a cottage baker located in South Huntsville, to give out as party favors. We put them in tiny domes and tied a cute little tag on the top.

In the front, we got a welcome sign printed at Staples and set that up on an easel. I had hoped to find an old blue bike to put in the front, and I just happened to find one a few days before the party at an antique store. I put a quick coat of aqua spray paint on it and ordered a basket to hang on the front. We filled the basket with flowers, and it turned out just as I had pictured it! Such a cute little Parisian touch.

Something I love about the Lanier House is their fixed menu. Each month they have a new menu that includes three different teas which complement each of the three tiers (savory, pastries, and sweets). All of the food I’ve had from there is delicious and the setting is just beautiful.

I think the girls enjoyed having tea with all their friends. It was cute to see them put the little hats on and prance around.

One of the rules of the tea house is that only children over 5 are able to eat there, due to the delicate nature of the china. Because of this, we decided to have a separate family party for Raley so that her younger cousins could celebrate with her. We had a taco bar and an ice cream sundae bar at our house, which we all enjoyed.

Raley is turning into a kind and gracious young lady before our eyes. She is thoughtful, creative, graceful, and gentle-natured. It’s so much fun watching her creativity blossom. She comes up with all kinds of ideas off the top of her head – songs, stories, inventions, crafts, etc. It’s quite impressive to watch. I can see in some ways that she is starting to enjoy “older” things, but she also still enjoys things like dolls and make believe. I am definitely not rushing those things away! She is one-of-a-kind and so special to us. I’m excited to continue to watch her grow into the person she is meant to be.

I hope you had the best birthday, Raleybug!