Wildflower teamed up with events specialist Bonnie May to create a sumptuous spread, packed with plenty of detail and a heap of ideas for you to be inspired by this Easter. Enjoy an afternoon tea – based on the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland – perfect for Easter Entertaining.
Giant eggs with dippy soldiers, tiny treats that tempt with an ‘eat me’ label, and an incredible cake overflowing with edible flowers. Our photo shoot took in all the details of Bonnie’s wonderful Easter Tea recipes. Bonnie suggests keeping everything individual – it looks pretty but means it’s easier to prepare in advance, and give guests the chance to try out lots of dishes! And says Bonnie, ‘Tiny individual dishes, such as mini-mac cheeses or dinky quiches are easier to manage as they don’t need dividing. It saves on time, and keeps the buffet looking good from start to finish’.
Bonnie recommends using a mish-mash of clashing crockery to create the eclectic ‘Alice’ tablescape. ‘You don’t have to have everything perfectly matching. You can have a totally eclectic mix of crockery, colours and culinary treats, with the thread of your theme pulling it all together – in this case, Alice in Wonderland’.
Be inventive, says Bonnie, who created this look by searching online for mini bottles and floral paper straws for pretty drinks, and ready made ‘Alice’ labels for ease. The look is surprisingly easy to re-create, and many items are easily sourced – for example, the Astroturf used as the table-covering was found in a local DIY store! Simple narcissi bring fresh spring colour to the table, and look charming displayed in small bunches in ordinary glass jam jars.
For the menu, Bonnie chose tea-time classics – smoked salmon on blinis, tiny cucumber sandwiches made with English butter, decorated hard-boiled eggs in pastel shades, flower-shaped ginger biscuits and piles of fresh fruit, easy for nibbling. Bonnie suggests adding a twist to the presentation of classic treats – here, we pinned cheese and pineapple to rosemary stalks, and topped individual fruit salads with pomegranate seeds for a jewel-like finish.
A highlight was the giant fried ostrich egg, complete with buttery toast soldiers – which resulted in squeals of delight from our small guests, who had never seen such a large yolk!
Finish the table with a show-stopping cake, topped with edible flowers, such as this tasty chocolate ‘hanging basket’ cake, made by Holly Morris of Lemonade Bakes.
One final recommendation from Bonnie. ‘Think about your timings and keep it simple – you want to make sure you are a guest at your own event!’
Check out our photo shoot partners:
bonniemayfoodandevents.com
lemonadebakes.com
biscuiteers.com
Images by Katie Spicer – katiespicerphotography.co.uk
