A tea party is the perfect theme for a wedding shower. Tea parties are relaxing, social and a nice way to celebrate all rolled into one. But skip the goofy games and fussy food. Here are some terrific touches that will keep your tea party wedding shower fresh and fun.

Start with the right invite. We like the ones from Pingg. You can go old school and have them printed or go the eco-friendly way and send them by email. In fact, if you want to send them, Pingg will print, stamp and mail your invitations for you. Talk about service! Either way they are classy and better than the online invites plastered with ads.

Here’s a nice idea for place cards that doubles as a gift. Placetile makes little ceramic erasable place cards that you write on with a felt tip pen. Use them again and again, at another party they can be used to identify food on the buffet table. About $35 per set of 6.

What makes a better party favor at a tea party, than tea? These adorable little tins are from the Republic of Tea and come in a variety of colors, designs and flavors and are under $5 each.

Just because it’s a tea party doesn’t mean no bubbly. We love the idea of fresh fruity champagne-style cocktails especially with pink sparkling wine. Chandon suggests pairing their sparkling rosé with strawberries, raspberries or watermelon. Even dunking fresh fruit in the glass would be pretty. The perfect tea party bubbly, Domain Chandon Rosé has strawberry, juicy watermelon, and fresh red cherry fruit aromas and flavors. It’s bold and refreshing and will complement whatever food you are serving. About $20 a bottle.

To keep your bubbly and iced tea chilled, a gorgeous monogrammed drink tub. Perfect for the party and it doubles as a fabulous wedding gift. Fill it with ice and then any canned or bottled beverages you like. It will keep your drinks cold for up to six hours. Made of heavy-gauge stainless steel with double-wall insulation, it won’t drip. Its handles facilitate transport, and the brushed finish guards against fingerprints. Best of all it can be personalized with a single or triple-initial monogram. About $170

——-Amy Sherman

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