How to Organise an Afternoon Tea Party for Your Family
As if we needed another reason to celebrate a proper cuppa, 10 August heralds the start of National Afternoon Tea Week, a commemoration of everything great about tea and the sweet and savoury nibbles we scoff alongside our chai.
However often you partake of one of the nation's favourite pastimes, a perfectly made brew in the company of your friends and family is truly something to savour. And since doing it at a fancy 5-star hotel may not be feasible right now – and is often too costly to make a regular occurrence anyway – it's possible to throw an afternoon tea party with real panache from your own home.
So, pinkies at the ready, because we're here to help you organise an afternoon tea party just in time for National Afternoon Tea Week, including table decoration inspiration, ways you can theme your finger food, and tips on how to cater to different dietary requirements too.
Deciding on a theme
You may want to keep things classic and have your family dress up to the nines for your tea party, but if not, there are all sorts of different ways to theme things. Alice in Wonderland always proves popular with the young at heart, while tea parties based around particular colours or floral decorations are a good idea.
You may even be holding it to mark a special occasion, such as a baby shower or for Mothers' Day. The options are endless – the only limit is your imagination.
Setting a date and sending invites
Next, you'll need to mark a time in the calendar that works for everyone you plan on being there, before sending out invitations to your guest list. Your budget may dictate the number of people you plan on inviting, so be sure to keep that in mind before sending them out. Besides, we find that the smaller, more intimate gatherings are often the best anyway.
Planning and preparation
Depending on the theme of your tea party – and how traditional you want to make it – there's a few things you'll need to plan and prepare for in advance.
For that classic tearoom vibe, then a tiered cake stand as the centrepiece is a must-have; if you don't have one then charity shops are usually well-stocked with retro crockery at decent prices. Perfect for recreating the tea party look of yore. Otherwise, your best crockery spruced up with lacy doilies and folded napkins always works a treat.
Be sure to dress your table with a tablecloth too; fabric shops sell affordable spotted, floral and striped material by the metre, which is great if you don't have one at home. Don't forget, you'll also need extra teaspoons for stirring, saucers, and a milk and sugar set – even if you don't take these yourself, it's always good to give your guests the option.
And, for that personalised touch, creating place settings and name cards for each of your guests is always a thoughtful extra that will be much appreciated.
What to serve at your tea party
Of course, there'll be lashings of tea and plenty of nibbles, so you need to know what you're going to serve, and which items need preparing in advance too. You don't want to be too ambitious and have more on your plate than you can handle; the beauty of a tea party is its simplicity, and old favourites always go down a treat. Earl Grey and English Breakfast always prove popular, but it may be worth introducing your guests to your personal favourites as well.
When it comes to food, the standard afternoon tea usually comprises a tier of sandwiches, a tier of cakes, and another tier of scones or teacakes. Sandwich fillings can easily be made a few hours in advance, and then spread on bread before your guests arrived. Opt for light, easy fillings such as egg and cress, classic cucumber and smoked salmon, so that you're not overstretched when prepping.
Scones are essential and don't take long to whip up, but you could always make a batch a day in advance, freeze them and then defrost them the morning of the tea party. Serve them warm, and for a special touch, decant homemade jam or preserve, along with clotted cream, into pretty, ornate bowls so guests can help themselves.
Catering to dietary requirements
If anyone in your family is vegetarian or vegan, then you'll have to cater to their needs – in fact, you could easily theme the tea party around such things too. If they're vegan, in particular, then you have to be particularly mindful, as many of the things you'd typically serve here such as milk, cakes and sandwich fillings, all contain animal products, and so will be off-limits.
However, with the abundance of plant-based alternatives available now, it's certainly do-able, so you won't have to resort to serving them cucumber sandwiches. Cakes, scones and sandwiches can all be made vegan with things like soy milk and vegetable spreads. Oat milk, in particular, pairs well with tea, so it's well worth picking up for your party, while these egg-less sandwiches, which use tofu instead, are a delicious alternative!
We hope this article has inspired you to get creative in the kitchen! Looking for more? You’ll find the full range of Breville products, whatever you’re in need of, on our homepage.