25th Birthday: Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel

For my 25th birthday this year, my friends helped me knock an item off my bucket list: afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC! I've had high tea at most places in the lower mainland already (Little White House and Neverland Tea Salon among my favourites), with a few still on my list to try, but the Empress Hotel has always been on the top of my list.

We took the ferry across from Vancouver to Vancouver Island, and made our way to the capital city of BC, Victoria, where the Fairmont Empress Hotel is located (right across from the Parliament Buildings). The tea room is a truly historic spot, serving afternoon tea since 1908 to famed royalty, celebrities and dignitaries. The décor is beyond beautiful; antique tapestries and rugs, vintage furnishings and hand-carved tables- and of course, a gorgeous view of the gardens and harbour outside. The William Edwards china used to serve our afternoon tea we were told was the same china pattern served by the Empress to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth upon their Royal visit in 1939!

The service was wonderful, and the sound of live piano music (playing favourites of mine including Edith Piaf's La Vie en Rose and Billie Holiday's They Can't Take that Away from Me) was such a perfect finishing touch. We started off with a fresh blueberries and crème fraiche, then sipped our prosecco and tea (I chose a classic earl grey), while nibbling on the delectable treats you'll see below. My favourite layer of afternoon tea is always the scones, and I was even more impressed by the Empress' Wilkin & Sons pure strawberry jam, which our server told us is shipped in from England and served in the most adorable little 19 ml jars. I brought one home with me to add to my tea display! The whole experience was lovely and everything I had hoped it would be!

But, our adventure didn't end there. We spent the rest of the day wandering the historic streets of Victoria, after which we headed by the bus to the ferry- which we missed. The last one of the day. So our day trip to Victoria actually turned into a sleepover in Victoria, and we were very, very lucky to find a room that wasn't already booked up (every hotel in town was booked). Our trip may have been a little longer than expected, but hey, you live and learn...to always double check the ferry times!

Crop top & skirt set - Ever New Top & Ever New Skirt | Necklace - Nobis & Grey | Earrings - c/o Nobis & Grey | Bracelets - c/o Nobis & Grey | Ring - c/o Nobis & Grey | Heels - Vince Camuto

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta