It’s hard to find anything that’s more quintessentially
British than a tea party. They’ve grown in popularity over recent years, and
Mary Berry has certainly gotten everyone trying out their own recipes at home.
A tea party is a great alternative event that can be used to celebrate birthdays,
a christening, or even as a fundraising event. There are a few things that you
need to consider when planning one, but once you’ve found the right venue and
decided who’s doing all of the baking, you’re already on the right track.
Step 1: Choose the Ideal Date and Time
The first thing that you need to do when
planning a tea party is to decide on when you want to have it. You will need to
choose a date far enough in advance that the majority of those invited will be
able to make it. You’ll also need to think about the season, as this can change
the type of food that you serve and the whole atmosphere of the event. Finally,
you’ll need to pick a suitable time. Tea is generally served at any time from
12noon to 4pm, but it can be later if necessary.
Step 2: Choose Your Venue
Choosing where to host your tea party is
the next step. While you can of course have it in your own home, you are then
dedicating yourself to doing all of the cooking and preparation yourself. If
you are inviting only a small group of people, then this will be absolutely achievable.
However, if you are hosting for a large group, be it a corporate day or a
charity event, it’s best to look for a suitable venue to hire. One option is a
country house for hire in London. There are lots of these houses, and some will
even bring with them the option to host your tea party outside, weather
permitting. Truly elegant, they definitely give off the tea party vibe that you’re
looking for.
Step 3: Choose Your Tea
It’s not enough to just put a teabag in a
pot. Tea should be taken seriously. One idea is to have a menu of teas given to
your guests, so that they can choose their favourites from the list. The tea
should all be loose leaf as well, with tea strainers either inside the pot or
on the table for use. This way, there will be sufficient variety to be had as
there are many people who much prefer caffeine-free herbal tea. It will also be
a chance for those attending to try something new and will add a bit of surprise,
not to mention sophistication, to proceedings.
Step 4: Choose Your Food
Next comes the food. The traditional high
tea is served on a three-tiered tray which consists of sandwiches, scones with
cream and jam, and a variety of sweet treats such as pastry tarts and buns.
While the sandwiches and scones are seen as musts, you can tweak the menu of
the sweet treats to suit what you think your guests will like. Variety here is
key. Normally there is far too much on a tray, even shared, to eat, so provide boxes
for your guests to be able to take any extras away with them. If you aren’t
catering yourself, you’ll have to discuss the menu very carefully with your
caterers. Make sure you sample all that is on offer before deciding. Above all,
listen to their advice on what to serve. They will have done this before and
know what goes down well.
Step 5: Choose Your Décor
One of the most important aspects of any
tea party is the décor. Tables should be set traditionally, and in the right
way. Luckily, if you have caterers, they’ll know exactly how it should be. You
should consider the pattern you are having on the teacups, whether they are all
going to match or if you are going for a more Alice in Wonderland feel. Other things to think about décor-wise is
the colour of the tablecloths and the napkins. Everything should come together
to produce an elegant feeling. For other decoration, you can have bunting up or
floral centrepieces. If it is autumn or winter pine cones or even Christmas trees
will work.
Step 6: Choose Your Dress Code
When you send your invites out, you need to
let people know what the dress code is. You can’t really have an elegant
outdoor tea party if people don’t know what’s expected of them. A lot of the
time, women wear a summer dress or equivalent. The dress code is generally seen
as smart casual, but guests should also dress for the weather. If it’s
happening outside and on grass, it’s best to warn against any high heels as
they will only sink!
Step 7: Choose Some Party Games
In order to keep the mood of the tea party
light and carefree, it’s a great idea to organise some easy party games for
people to play at their tables. Particularly if some of the groups don’t know
each other, this makes for the perfect icebreaker to introduce everyone. Keep
to your theme and keep all the games related to tea or the different cakes on
the menu. Your guests are sure to start to relax into the moment and enjoy
themselves before the main feature arrives – the tea itself.
Nothing is nicer than a tea party
surrounded by friends. It’s an excuse to stuff yourself with cake, and it makes
a difference form meeting up at in the pub. It’s a chance to get everyone together
and actually have a good old-fashioned chat. The only thing you need concern
yourself with, is running out of tea!
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