Host an Elegant Afternoon Tea

Hosting an elegant afternoon tea is a delightful way to bring friends and family together for a memorable experience. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or simply enjoying a leisurely afternoon, the right setup and catering can elevate your event to something truly special. This guide will walk you through the essentials of planning a sophisticated tea party, focusing on expert tea party catering options that ensure your guests are treated to a perfect blend of taste and style.

Planning Your Elegant Tea Party: Key Considerations

Before diving into the details of catering, it’s important to plan the overall atmosphere and logistics of your tea party. Here are some essential points to consider:

• Guest List and Invitations: Decide on the number of guests and send out invitations well in advance. Choose elegant stationery or digital invites that match the theme. I love the ideas in ‘The Vintage Tea Party Treasury’ by Angel Adoree because of the antique and vintage vibe. I have also created a ‘Tea Party Ideas’ board on Pinterest. You can find lots of ideas here too.

• Venue and Seating: Whether it’s a cozy living room, a garden, or a rented venue, ensure there is enough comfortable seating arranged around tables suitable for tea service. Consider the time of year. For example, add cozy blankets and cushions to seating for this autumn and make sure you have shelter in case of rain if you’re eating outside. In spite of the rain, it is still warm enough for outdoor eating.

• Theme and Decor: Select a theme that reflects elegance - think floral patterns, pastel colors, fine china, and fresh flowers. At a recent tea party, the organisers reused flowers from a wedding rather than see them thrown away. You could also create small floral table decorations with flowers from the garden. Layer table linens and napkins next to and underneath plates to pick out complementary colours. Use vintage games and books as centrepieces for interesting talking points. Otherwise, use candles and wreaths for pretty centrepieces. Crisp white or floral vintage tablecloths are beautiful underneath vintage crockery.

• Timing: Afternoon tea traditionally takes place between 3 PM and 5 PM. Plan your event within this window to maintain authenticity and also to avoid confusion with lunchtime. Afternoon tea is not a large meal. It comprises of small bites so that appetites are not ruined for dinner; however, the reality is that afternoon tea is very filling even though the food is small. For this reason, I advise skipping lunch altogether and saving yourself for all the delicious treats!

  
  

By organizing these elements carefully, you set the stage for a seamless and enjoyable tea party experience.

Elegant tea table setup with fine china and flowers

Exploring Tea Party Catering Options for a Memorable Event

Choosing the right menu is crucial to delivering an authentic and elegant afternoon tea experience. You need to consider what seasonal food is available, any dietary needs such as dairy or gluten free and how your afternoon tea will be served. You could either have a buffet style experience or a full sit down service.

What to Expect from Mel’s Tea Party Catering

We specialise in tea parties and typically provide:

• A Selection of Teas: From classic English Breakfast, Earl Grey and Darjeeling to herbal and fruit infusions. We buy our loose leaf tea from Tealicious and love the flavour of their teas.

• Savory Bites: Finger sandwiches with traditional fillings like cucumber and cream cheese, smoked salmon, egg mayonnaise, and ham with mustard. Or more unusual fillings like coronation chickpea and three cheese and spring onion.

• Sweet Treats: Scones with clotted cream and jam, battenburg, lemon drizzle, macarons, and petit fours such as homemade chocolates.

• Elegant Presentation: save yourself some time and energy by hiring tiered cake stands, fine china, and coordinated teacups and saucers create a lovely surprise to impress your guests.

  

  Battenburg cake and Coronation chicken sandwiches on a tiered cake stand

Benefits of Hiring Mel’s Marvellous Cakes

• Time-Saving: No need to prepare food yourself, freeing you to focus on hosting.

• Professional Quality: High-quality ingredients and homemade personalised presentation

• Stress Reduction because Mel handles setup, service, and cleanup.

  
  

For those looking to impress with minimal effort, Mel’s afternoon tea catering is an excellent choice.

Tiered stand with assorted finger sandwiches and pastries