There are dozens of reasons to host a tea party. Many of the ideas you will find on the Internet revolve around themes celebrating big life changes – having a baby, getting married, turning another year older. All are great reasons to celebrate, but tea parties need not await such grand events. For those of us who just love a good cup of tea, a little conversation, sweet and savory treats and a little bit of fun, read on! As we are in the midst of National Hot Tea Month, we thought it the perfect time to share a few tips on how to make a gathering of friends both simple and elegant.
Themes and Things
Choosing a theme for your gathering is not necessary, but it is certainly fun. Pinterest is loaded with themed settings and ideas from decorations and tea party games to dessert ideas. To start with, print out invitations from your computer or use stationary. Ask guests to come in “fancy dresses” or hats to make this a more special occasion.
Choose your special set of dishes to serve your guests, or mix and match from dishes you have. You can even ask your guests to bring their favorite teacup. To make your tea party even more memorable, consider having your guests decorate a cup as part of the event. Plain colored or neutral-toned cups, in addition to paints and brushes, can be found at craft stores.
Sweet and Savory Treats
Serving a variety of treats will make sure all of your guests, no matter their preferences or dietary restrictions, find something they like. Choose a few of your favorite dessert recipes and capitalize on what you know you can make well. However, if you just don’t have time to bake, you can buy treats and serve them on your own plates.
You can spruce up your plating with cuts of flowers or herbs. Add fresh fruits like berries, cucumbers, slices of lemon or oranges to add to tea (or enjoy separately, if your prefer). Check out a few more party planning ideas here.
Now for the tea! We recommend you choose 2-4 different varieties. Choose something familiar and well-loved such as a Lady Grey or English Breakfast, and also choose a variety of green, black or herbal teas. Dragon Well or Sweet Pomegranate are excellent choices for green teas.
Finally, choose something a little more exotic to allow your guests an opportunity to try something new. Look for an Oolong, or even a Darjeeling, that they may have never tried before. Come prepared to give them a little explanation of what each tea is and where it comes from so you can that you can impress them with your smarts. We can certainly help you with that part.
Pinkies up! Enjoy your party planning. And feel free to share your best ideas for tea parties below.
