How to Teach Table Setting for a Tea Party

Tea parties can be a fun way to enjoy friends and family.

When teaching someone how to set a table for a tea party, it is best to focus on the aesthetic appeal of the dishes, tea and food, as well as the smells that flow off the table. Overpowering candles or flowers can eliminate the subtle and sweet scents of the goodies and tea. A tea party can be a wonderful way to showcase your baking talents while enjoying a pleasant visit with friends and family. Does this Spark an idea?

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Candles
Flowers
Platters
Cutlery
Dishes
Place cards

Instructions

- 1
  
  Instruct the person you are teaching to only use non-scented candles when setting the table. Lay them away from any flammables and assemble them in one row for aesthetic appeal.
- 2
  
  Advise her to place sweet treats on platters along the table. Use high platters and low platters to vary the look of the assembly of treats. Place jams with little spoons beside scones.
- 3
  
  Note that she should place tea cups and tea at one end of the table. Put the spoons to the right of the cups. Lay out small containers for cream and sugar.
- 4
  
  Tell her to place lightly perfumed flowers on the table at the back of the treats and at the sides. Pull petals off some flowers and scatter them across the table.
- 5
  
  Tell your apprentice to use only the best dishes and cutlery and only use that which is necessary. The presentation should focus on the food and tea and the dishes should merely be there to facilitate their display. The plates and cutlery should be located beside the tea at the head of the table.
- 6
  
  Advise her to put place cards at the front of each goodie to let your guests know what they are eating. Note any dishes that contain any allergens that one or more of your guests may have.
- 7
  
  Place a special dessert high on a platter in the middle of the table. This could include a birthday cake, for example.