10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea and Dinner

Friday - The 10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea Candlelight Dinner

This weekend was the 10th anniversary of my annual Regency Pumpkin Tea, a private Regency event that I host. As this was the 10th year I have hosted this, I wanted to do something special, and so I planned a Regency candlelight dinner on Friday night, and the Regency Pumpkin Tea on Saturday lunch. It was great fun!

I cooked all the dinner food Friday, with a bit of help from a friend on the vegetables and pear desert (thanks Ali!). We had punch, port, champagne, and more, eating, drinking and laughing, and some games of cards with betting "diamonds" and entire collections of tiaras (LOL).

Friday's dinner repast of Regency fare

Friends making new friends!

The Regency dinner table and candles

The table lit by candlelight

Ali and I having a great time!

Lovely Regency ladies enjoying the evening!

My new gown - orange silk sari Regency

This was my first time hosting a Regency dinner (not a sit down 13 course meal I'm afraid, lol), but I did try to choose all period appropriate fare, and had fun pulling it all together. I have some tweaks and improvements in mind for next year (the cream sherry was too sweet, the port great, the vegetables yummy (but will cook fewer and longer next time), the pear/orange/raisin/brown sugar desert YUM, the Cornish hens came out great, but the brisket I can improve upon, and Trader Joe's, as always, came through with some wonderful delights! :).

I picked up candles from World Market, and they burned great, so more of those for next time. And the two 5-candle candlelabra's plus another 7 few single candles around provided lots of great light, so that was great. We also had a fire in our fireplace in the front room for the first ever since we bought the house, and that added to the ambiance.

Saturday - The 10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea

10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea (photo courtesy Gloria)

Saturday's food was catered from a local catering company (plus some extra scones I baked and some leftovers from Friday) and was definitely worth the catering expense (I hope I can budget it again in future) because we had a leisurely morning on Saturday, prepared the tables/room (thank you ladies for all your help!) and then everyone arrived and the tea began!

About ready to begin the tea!

A bit of sun on some lovely ladies!

Ali and the meandering after the tea

Fire pit shoe shot!!

Vanessa's lovely blue gown!

My friend Judy helping me with my tiny spencer buttons

Regency group wedgie shot! (photo courtesy Gloria)

My friend Ali and I at the tea

My autumn ensemble - my 'strawberry picking'
gown, Regency apron, black sash, mustard
silk fichu, brown velvet spencer, and stovepipe
bonnet from Amanda's etsy shop

A bit of shenanigans

Tree climbing shenanigans!

Judy in my favorite maple tree

Kat, Judy and myself - what a fun weekend!

Saturday included tea, then meanderings around the yard, photos, an impromptu and delightful repast outdoors sipping champagne, then fabric exchange, more tea and food, before a large fire in the fire pit out back (just because, and yes, Guy Fawkes day), more drinking and a viewing of 'Austenland'...a long and glorious day! Some of my favorite pictures:

Toasting the company with champagne

We planted the Fabulousity Club flag and I christened my land with champagne!

We planted the Fabulousity Club flag in the yard!

My friend Ali (whom I met at work many years ago), came to her first ever costume events this weekend in borrowed wear, and looked great! :)

We did a fire pit that evening -
Guy Fawkes day appropriate ;)

Planting the flag! (Photo courtesy Gloria)

10th Annual Regency Pumpkin Tea group shot (courtesy Gloria)

Friends came from near and far, and it was so lovely to have all my closest friends together to have a fun costuming weekend together! Those of you who couldn't come were missed, but many shenanigans took place and lots of fun was had! Some ladies stayed over Friday night and a few more on Saturday: the weekend went by so fast, but I think I can safely say it was a success! THANK YOU so much to everyone for coming and being lovely guests, I had a wonderful time!!

I didn't get a lot of pictures of the dinner, but all of my pictures are here (Friday) and here (Saturday) ;).

And I can hardly believe that 10 years have gone by!