Tea Time - 6 Beautiful Ways to Set the Scene for a Tea Party

High tea isn’t just for kids and grandmas. Anyone can enjoy an afternoon tea party, and with a little help from the suggestions below, you can throw a successful and fun event for your family and friends to enjoy. 

Tea Time - 6 Beautiful Ways to Set the Scene for a Tea Party
[image: pexels by jill wellington]

If you love nibbling on tiny sandwiches and sipping Earl Grey from a pretty teacup, you don’t need to head to your nearest expensive tea house to do it. Simply transform your kitchen into a parlor, gather some supplies, and invite your friends. Throwing a tea party in your own home is as easy as following the tips below. 

1. Set the Scene

No tea party is complete without the music, place settings, food, and ambiance. The idea is to create a calm, relaxing atmosphere that makes your guests feel special. Start by introducing a tea party fragrance into the room with fruity, floral notes. An electric aroma diffuser is the most unobtrusive way to introduce a gentle fragrance into the room. Next, choose background music suitable for the occasion, such as Baroque Beats or French Indie Pop.

2. Pour the Tea

You literally have millions of teas to choose from for your guests. It will be difficult to cater to everyone’s preferences, but having at least one black tea (Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast) will satisfy most tastes. Avoid serving any strongly flavored tea, and be sure to serve cream and sugar alongside the beverages. 

Whether you’re using tea bags or loose leaf tea, be sure to follow the directions on the packaging to ensure you treat your guests to a perfect cup. 

3. Serve the Scones

Everyone loves scones, and they go great with tea. Serving two different flavors of scones will give guests a choice, but make them small so those who want to try both can do so. Try add-ins like fresh lemon, orange zest, freeze-dried raspberries, or blueberries. Be sure to serve your scones with some whipped cream for dipping, and your guests will be sure to enjoy every bite!

4. Perfect the Sandwiches

No tea party is complete without finger sandwiches. A tea party favorite is the open-faced cucumber sandwich. Start by cutting the crust off the bread, then smear with cream cheese, sprinkle with dill, and top with thin slices of cucumber for a traditional tea party treat. 

Another winner at your tea party is chicken salad sandwiches, and for the vegans among your crew, a hummus-based sandwich topped with alfalfa sprouts is a must. 

5. Remember the Sweets

To complete your tea party, serve something sweet. Petit fours, or any small decadent treat, make great sweet treats for your guests. Something fruity and sweet will hit the spot with guests who are already hopped up on caffeine and stuffed with yummy sandwiches. It’s the perfect way to end the perfect tea party. 

6. Finish with Party Favors

If you’d like to send your guests home with a small token by which to remember the fun, consider a hand-crafted teabag picture frame complete with a group shot of all your guests. 

Make the picture frames out of pastel construction paper and embroidery floss before the party, and before the festivities wind down, gather everyone for some Polaroid group shots. Glue the photos to the picture frames and send everyone home with one. 

Tea parties aren’t just for kids and grandmas – anyone can enjoy the elegant and fun occasion. If you want to throw a successful tea party for your family and friends, just follow the tips listed above to set the scene.