However, while these thoughts that cross your mind are not entirely wrong, once you learn how to host a tea party with the help of this article, you will realize that it is not as ‘big’ as it sounds.
What Is A Tea Party?
As time went by, the custom of “afternoon” tea evolved into a luxurious event. However, “high” tea was an event held by many working-class people and referred to their evening supper too.
Consisting of a wide range of small sandwiches, savory and sweet scones, and other treats like cupcakes and sponge cakes, afternoon tea should not be considered a luxurious event but rather a way to meet and socialize while enjoying some tea, coffee, and snacks.
With time, tea parties started being held at the time their name actually suggests, and they became mid-afternoon or even late-afternoon occasions where people met to enjoy their in-between meals and snacks.
What makes a tea party, however, differ from a snacks party is that the sandwiches, scones, and cakes are served in tea party trays and platters, and always with a pot of tea or coffee.
Some people nowadays opt for a champagne glass instead of tea or coffee, especially at late afternoon tea parties, and even more so during festive periods.
What Occasions Is A Tea Party Suitable For?
A tea party is appropriate for a variety of occasions.
It has, for example, become a typical way of hosting business clientele or celebrating joyous occasions with friends, relatives, and even colleagues.
Moreover, it is a great way to organize a party that is not as complicated as a dinner party, where you’d have to stick to preparing different courses and choosing the right wine.
Other occasions like bridal showers and baby showers can be celebrated by gathering your friends for a tea party, whereas birthdays and Christmas day gatherings can also be ideal reasons to host a tea party(see also: 8 Tea Party Birthday Ideas To Raise Your Pinkie).
The snacks are prepared ahead of time and served buffet-style or on centerpiece trays in the middle of each table.
The only thing you have to serve is the beverage, which can be either some fresh tea or coffee, meaning you have more than enough time to spend with your guests.
Who Should I Invite To A Tea Party?
Depending on the occasion and the size of the room you are hosting the tea party in, you can invite as few or as many people as you want.
If you are planning to throw a formal tea party, then your guests are probably going to be people you want to impress, whereas informal parties can be intimate and for friends only.
So here’s what you need to do to host a tea party:
Choose The Date And Occasion, And Invite People
Tea parties, just like any other party, are hosted to celebrate or make a specific occasion more memorable.
Is it your birthday that you want to celebrate? Your wedding anniversary? It might as well be a post-thanksgiving gathering with the colleagues.
The reason for having the tea party will determine the mood and style of it, as well as how formal or informal it can be. So, once you’ve decided on that, make a list of the people you will invite and send out those invitations!
Choose The Appropriate Ware
After you have decided on the type of tea party you’ll be throwing, you can buy, rent, or borrow a tea party service.
Before you buy your teacups, trays, teaspoons, and other party supplies, you will need an idea of how many people will be attending.
Remember to bring a milk pitcher and a sugar bowl with tweezers for the sugar cubes or little spoons for granulated sugar.
It’s also a good idea to have vegan kinds of milk and other types of sweeteners like syrup and stevia tablets or sachets in hand to cater to the needs of every single guest of yours.
Get Some Tea
You obviously cannot host a tea party if you are not offering some tea or know how to prepare it. This one will necessitate some investigation, as well as a visit to a nearby tea shop.
The shop owners will be more than capable of assisting you with all aspects of hosting a tea party. Ask them what tea to serve, what the quantity you will need is for the number of people you have invited, as well as what temperature to offer it at.
And, since tea is the fundamental part of a tea party, make sure to emphasize quality rather than quantity.
Prepare The Snacks
From scones and savory sandwiches to cupcakes, muffins, and pastry goods, there’s nothing you can’t serve at a tea party so long as it’s small and delicious.
A combination of sweet and savory stuff will guarantee that every guest will be able to snack on something, but you can always go for a sweet or savory-only tea party if you know your guests’ preferences.
If you don’t want to prepare the food by yourself, you can always find a catering service and ask them to prepare finger foods of your choice.
Choose Your Décor
The decorations you choose will be influenced by whether you are hosting an outdoors afternoon tea party (see also: Best Tea Party Decorations)in your backyard or a randomly timed morning or evening one.
Either way, the space you will choose to host the party in does not have to be overly decorated. You can go with some light candles and some nice flowers on the tables.
However, those tables need to have a nice tablecloth on them, and a tea party centerpiece tray will make this look like a tea party without requiring any extra effort.
The Bottom Line
Now that you have your tea party set, (see also: How To Set A Table For A Tea Party)don’t forget to enjoy yourself as your and your guests’ mood are the ones that will make this party memorable!
