Elegant Tea Party Ideas You’ll Love

Looking for a reason to celebrate?

Why not get some friends together for an elegant tea party? There’s no better way to bond with your gal pals than dressing up and sipping on tea. What’s better than an afternoon full of sweet desserts, delicate finger foods, and an endless supply of your favorite teas? It’s also the perfect excuse to whip out that sundress you’ve been wanting to wear and get dolled up with all of your favorite ladies.

To help you plan the perfect get-together, we’ve curated the most darling and inspiring tea party ideas available. Read on to discover creative ways to decorate your tea party, like using tea tins and teapots as vases to display floral arrangements. We’ve also included unique food and dessert ideas to include in your tea party menu like luxurious French macarons, floral cupcakes, and tea sandwiches. Of course, no tea party is complete without a generous supply of tea and coffee so we’ve rounded a few ideas on how to serve them, too.

We’ve curated all of these ideas into four handy visuals along with quick tips so that you can easily recreate the experience yourself. These ideas will help you realize that throwing a tea party is really a piece of cake! Happy planning!

Tea party centerpiece ideas

Top right Photo by: Kristyn Hogan, Florals & Styling: Cedarwood Weddings | Middle left Photo by: Tiny Tots Toy Hire | Middle right Photo by: Pinwheel Collective | Bottom left Photo by: Claire Macintyre Photography | Bottom right Photo by: Ken Kienow Photography

No tea party is complete without beautiful florals! Create a unique arrangement by upcycling old or vintage tea tins and using them as vases. Don’t worry if your tea tins are worn or rusting, it only adds to their nostalgic appeal. For the ultimate conversation piece, top your display with a lace parasol. To maintain the floral feel, consider dressing up your dessert display with fresh roses, peonies, and ranunculuses.

If you’re looking for a centerpiece with height and dimension, try stacking flower arrangements and props on top of books. Just like the teapots, older is better when it comes to your books. Flea markets and thrift stores are great places to find these gems. Choose classic novels or old dictionaries and encyclopedias. After the tea party, you can display them on your living room shelves or on your coffee table.

Tea party foods and desserts

Top left Photo by: Home is Where the Boat Is  | Middle bottom right Photo by: Enduring Impressions Photography for The Pear Events | Middle left Photo by: Enduring Impressions Photography | Bottom left Photo by: Brooklyn Farm Girl

The saying is true, we definitely eat with our eyes first. Therefore, the key to pulling off the perfect tea party is to serve treats that are as beautiful as they are delicious.

To start the party off right, you’ll want to serve savory foods first like tea sandwiches and toasts. Remember to keep everything finger food-sized so that your guests can enjoy each item in a few bites. Reinvent the classic tea sandwiches by serving them open-faced. Smear with cream cheese and layer on thin slices of cucumber, radishes or strawberries. For a more substantial treat, use thicker slices of hearty bread to create gourmet toasts topped with goat cheese, figs and honey.

Most would agree that desserts are the best part of any tea party. What’s better than pairing your favorite Earl Grey tea with a sweet French macaron? Get creative with your dessert offerings by serving cake pops, gourmet donuts, and cupcakes topped with real rose buds or rose petals.

To truly wow your party guests, place cake pops and other bite-sized treats in a glass vase or jar, or display larger treats like donuts in a decorative stand. Nestle cupcakes inside a teacup for a classy presentation.

Teas and other beverages

Middle left Photo by: Enduring Impressions Photography for The Pear Events | Bottom right Photo by: A Bubbly Life

Tea is definitely the star of the show at any tea party, so get creative with how you serve it to your guests. Stack vintage teacups and mismatched saucers on the table and allow your guests to choose their own combination.

Classic teas to serve at your tea party include Earl Grey, green tea, and English breakfast tea. For guests who might be sensitive to caffeine, be sure to serve non-caffeinated options like chamomile, white tea, or herbal tea.

Of course, tea isn’t the only type of beverage you can serve at the party. Coffees, lattes and hot cocoa are great additions. Serve fruity mimosas after tea to make things extra fun!

Do away with boring jars and containers by serving sugar creatively! Instead, offer crystal- sugared wands so that your guests can easily swirl in the sweetness. You can also create your own DIY sugar cubes by pressing loose sugar into molds and coloring them with a dash of food coloring, like the pink heart-shaped ones below.

Tea party tablescapes

Top left Photo by: Caitlin Colcolough Photography | Top right Photo by: KLK Photography, Design by: A Good Affair | Bottom right Photo by: Enduring Impressions Photography for The Pear Events

In addition to decorating your table with fresh flowers, there are plenty of ways to create the perfect tea party tablescape.

Think outside the box by hanging pretty lace parasols overhead to create the perfect tea party ambiance.

For the table, take pink or pastel-colored cloth napkins and fold them into fun shapes like hearts. Accessorize your place settings with classy gold silverware. You can also customize each setting with a decorative name card. For an extra touch of elegance, try hand lettering your guests’ names.

Welcome your guests by placing a menu on top of each place so that your guests can anticipate the delicious treats and desserts you’ll be serving all afternoon.

Now that you’ve got all the ideas you need to pull off the perfect tea party, the next step is to invite all of the women in your life that you cherish. Hosting a tea party is the perfect occasion to show all of your favorite ladies just how much you appreciate everything they’ve done for you.

If it’s a nice day, take advantage of the warm weather by taking the party outdoors. Set up the party underneath a patio to provide shade or decorate with cute umbrellas.

You can check out our best-selling bouquets to see what flowers are a good fit for an elegant tea party.

Sources:

www.homedit.com | www.pinterest.com