Get ready to bring out the tea kettle and channel your inner Duchess. Whether you’re planning to host an afternoon tea party at home as a Mother’s Day activity, a fun get-to-gether, or a themed bridal shower with friends. Here, you’ll find creative ideas to elevate your event into a lovely afternoon tea.
At first glance, those elegant gatherings with dainty teacups and tiny sandwiches may seem like “high tea.” Yet, in British tradition, it is known as “afternoon tea.” Many people host tea parties in that same old back traditional ways, however, here we’ll show you how you can add a twist to your afternoon tea party at home!
5 Ways To Host A Wonderful Afternoon Tea Party At Home
Are you thinking of hosting an afternoon tea party but unsure about the details? This post covers everything you need to know to host a fun and memorable tea party at home. Make sure to add special touches that make your guests feel honored and appreciated.
- Setting The Mood: People’s tea table is usually set up in the living room by the fireplace. Also, choose a white lace tablecloth to display an English Rose or Vintage Tea Set! It creates a more sophisticated environment and maintains the English vibes.
- Basic Food Choices: Traditional afternoon tea usually includes sandwiches, scones, cakes, biscuits, pastries, or petits fours. However, if you want to add more variety, you can find a variety of options here at https://chummysbakery.co.uk/ to order online and get directly to your doorstep in the UK.
- Choosing A Basic Kit: A three-tiered cake stand is essential for a classic afternoon tea party. However, you can also go all out with exotic tea sets that you might accumulate while travelling.
- Add A Variety Of Tea (s): Try to add a variety of tea choices to your party. You can offer flavours like peppermint, fruit, camomile, herbal, and, of course, some sort of English tea!
- The Ultimate Choice Of Champagne: Tea time is usually served with champagne. We’ve seen a unique and elegant way of preparing an afternoon tea with sugar-coated rose petals in flutes, poured over with brut rosé. Many people chose to serve the tea at the beginning and ended the evening with a glass of royal champagne.
Why Host An Afternoon Tea Party?
Legend has it that afternoon tea dates back to the 1840s when the Dutchess of Bedford felt hungry between lunch and dinner. It evolved into a fashionable social gathering shared with friends.
Afternoon tea is traditionally served between 3 pm and 4 pm. These particular types of parties gained popularity among the English aristocracy. Afternoon tea allowed people to lounge in low-slung chairs, in contrast to high tea where people sat upright in dining chairs. That’s why it’s also known as “low tea.”
5 Different Types of Afternoon Tea
Did you know you can host an afternoon tea party in more than one way? You can choose any type of menu, but make sure to serve with a pot of tea. The following are 5 essential types of afternoon tea parties to host at home.
- Cream Tea: This is another simple form of afternoon tea that includes a combined menu of cream and scones.
- Light Tea: It is best for small gatherings or for the summer holiday days. Here, you can add more sweets and light category food to the table, like cookies and cookies.
- Strawberry Tea: Who doesn’t love strawberries? If you have people around you who love strawberries, host an afternoon strawberry tea party. Look out for the strawberry season and offer a grand tea party with strawberry tea.
- Royal Tea: If you’re looking to turn your tea party into more extravagant? There are many outdoor places that serve a version of Royal Tea with a glass of champagne.
- Full Tea: Full tea is one of the most complete meals of the bunch. The options you may find include sandwiches, followed by scones and sweets.
5 Rules To Follow When Hosting An Afternoon Tea Party
To drink tea like a true Brit, follow these steps for proper tea etiquette.
The basic etiquette for your first sip:
As sophisticated as it may seem to extend your pinkie while sipping tea, the correct way to hold a teacup is with your pinkie finger lowered.
Eat in more traditional ways:
Spread your scones with cream, add jam, and avoid dunking them in tea. Hosting an afternoon tea party at home brings many choices to add to the menu list. When you host a party indoor or at home, you can have more dishes to provide to your guests.
The ruling value of tea with milk:
Of course, it is a tea party; it must have lots of milk. In the UK, many people believe milk should come after the tea is poured into the cup. However, there has been a long debate about whether people want to add tea first or milk.
Get yourself dressed up according to the moment:
After all, it is an afternoon party, not a big celebration. Make sure you dress up accordingly without overdoing anything.
Stir your tea gently – in a more sophisticated way:
The delicate teacups require gentle stirring, which should be done in a back-and-forth motion rather than in circles.
Hosting an afternoon tea party at home always needs more concentration and focus. That’s why we’ve shown you some of the best ways that make you a great host. Make sure to follow the tips and ideas to set a classic environment for your guests!
