How to Host a Tea Party at Home

There’s been quite a revival in recent years of the female bonding tradition known as the tea party — as indicated by the number of bright young things who are flocking to swank hotel restaurants for a taste of nostalgia in taking high tea. So how do you plan a tea party with panache? Read on for tips on how to stylishly host this most genteel of all soirees.

Set the scene. A tea party can be a fun occasion for setting the table with porcelain and festooning it with colorful flowers. Assemble a table and chairs in a shady wooded spot or another scenic area of your garden. To create a more intimate feeling in the space, hang a piece of colorful fabric, a wall hanging with a floral motif or a paisley-patterned wallpaper piece from a tree branch. It’s a trick of the eye that is guaranteed to transport you way down the rabbit hole!


Decorate with love. A formal high tea requires elegant china cups, silver teapots and Victorian lace, but if chipped china is more your thing, opt for an informal country garden tea outdoors with highly patterned pastel tableware and linens. Mismatching is welcomed, and anything borrowed from Granny’s china cabinet and kitchen cupboards will look right in place. As for your own party garb, charm your guests with seriously eccentric attire or a colorful apron to set a buoyant mood.


Establish an elegant atmosphere. Imagine your table as a canvas on which you’ll create an ode to the bonhomie enjoyed by good friends everywhere. Add charming details such as a small knife, a dainty fork and a lovely teaspoon placed around each pretty plate. You can also include the following: china, utensils, silverware, napkins, serving platters, tea strainers, centerpieces, place cards, flowers and candles.


Bring out your china. A tea party provides an excellent opportunity to use, not just display, your finest porcelain and prettiest plates. If you don’t own any and are on a budget, scour thrift shops for colorful mismatched cups and saucers. Use crocheted tea cozies. Display antique sterling silver tea strainers or teaspoons, cake servers and dessert forks. And don’t worry if they are a little tarnished — it’s all about creating an atmosphere.


Serve savory treats. Traditionally a high-tea sandwich is a two-bite affair. Preparing these tasty treats requires minimal effort but must be done close to the time guests arrive so they don’t get soggy. Go for homemade sandwiches with smoked salmon and cream cheese or poached chicken and dill mayonnaise. Arrange them on silver or floral- or willow-patterned serving trays. Scrumptious.


Delight your guests with sweets. Place an array of elegant little cupcakes on a tiered cake stand and offer other sugary delights as well. At a traditional high tea, you would also find freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream as well as biscuits, petits fours and pastries.


Polish the silver. Bring back the refinement of a traditional Victorian afternoon tea soiree with a sterling silver tea set. Pots for tea, hot water, sugar and milk are included in complete sets, and there is usually a serving tray, too. Supply a variety of teas — peppermint, chamomile, orange pekoe, herbal and, of course, Earl Grey and English breakfast. Place fresh herbs and citrus slices on the table. A glass of champagne on arrival will usually be well-received, but you could also make up a refreshing ice tea with a splash of Pimm’s if the weather is especially warm.


Arrange some flowers. Choose flowers with heads in full bloom. Depending on the season, roses, peonies and camellias are all good choices for small vases grouped into a centerpiece. The aim is to make the floral displays a welcome focus, but they should not be so profuse or heavy that the petals drop onto food or into tea. Another cute idea is to take advantage of any unused dishware — for example, sugar bowls and milk jugs — and use them as vases. Colored glass bottles will also double as vases and are especially pretty in the afternoon sunlight.


Light your party. Once the table has been set, the decorating done and the treats prepared, make sure your table is placed in the right position for whatever season you are in. Move it under an arbor if it’s hot, out into the sun if cold, behind a natural windbreak if there’s a strong breeze. To light the scene, an overhead candelabra with candles is a pretty addition, but you could achieve a similar ambience with fairy lights or paper lanterns.


Tell a riddle. Make up your own or guess at an answer to the most famous, but unanswerable, fantasy riddle in literature:

Mad Hatter: “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
Alice: “I think you might do something better with the time than wasting it in asking riddles that have no answers.”

Tell us: Have you ever been to or hosted a tea party? We’d love to hear about your experience. Share your tips for a gorgeous table setting or tasty treats in the Comments.

More: Beautiful Ways to Style Your Table

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