How to Plan a Fabulous Tea Party

Plan a fabulous tea party with friends and family.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Invitations
• Finger Foods
• Sweets
• Different Types of Tea
• Tea Kettles
• Tea Cups
• Floral Arrangements
• Dainty Napkins
• Flatware
• Sugar Cubes
• Cream
• Games
• Favors and Prizes
• Tablecloths
• Pastries and JamsTrays

1. 1. Compile a guest list. Unless this is a mother daughter tea party, leave the kids at home with dad or grandma. This is a time for mom to bond with girlfriends.

2. 2. Choose a theme for your tea party. Examples: Big hats, springtime, bridal, bon voyage, etc. Your décor, games, food, invitations and entire vibe of your party should be based on your choice of theme(s).

3. 3. Send out a formal invitation, or an evite, using www.evite.com

4. 4. Tea parties are your chance to be dainty and conservative for the day. Everything you do should be lady-like and poised.

5. 5. If there is more than one hostess, and no catering service, each hostess should take turns passing the trays, and keeping everyone with a fresh cup of tea.

6. 6. Use floral arrangements to decorate. Streamers and balloons are too cheesy for something like a tea party. Remember, we want this to be a feminine, classic event.

7. 7. Hire a photographer to capture all the great moments of the day. If your budget does not permit a photographer, pass a camera or 2 around for your guests to act as photographers and capture the moments.

8. 8. You will need a tea kettle for every 5 guests. Use different styled tea kettles. Be sure that there is a tea kettle in each room that you will be entertaining in. I.e. living room, dining room, den, etc

9. 9. Have a variety of teas for your guest; raspberry, lemon, chamomile, mint, etc.

10. 10. Use crystal or porcelain dishes for the tea cups and sugar/cream holders. These can be rented using your local linens rental company.

11. 11. Use linen napkins and tablecloths, in which you can also get through the linens company.

12. 12. Use a variety of traditional style trays to serve the food on.

13. 13. Use sugar cubes, instead of regular sugar.

14. 14. Your food should be bite sized. Serve small sandwiches, pasta salad, small shrimp, mini quiche, mini crab cakes, etc.

15. 15. Every tea party should have sweets. Have an entire area dedicated to your sweets. The types of sweets you want on your table are mini cupcakes, petit fours, cookies, scones, pastries, and tarts.

16. 16. Beverages should include warmed and iced tea, lemonade, and for alcoholic drinks, if needed, Mint Juleps.

17. 17. Play games that coincide with your theme, or step outside your theme and have all types of games. Great games to play are “I’d Rather”-this is a game where one girl asks another, “Would you rather do_______or do ________?” See who can create the best hat out of toilet paper. For bridal tea parties, you can play a game where your guests make bridal gowns out of toilet paper.

18. 18. Let prizes include dainty, feminine things like fragrances, candles, lip gloss, or hand lotions.

19. 19. Send your guests home with party favors. Great party favors for tea parties are a set of different teas, personalized tea cups, or sweets.

[YvonneRobert]

on 8/27/2009 Perfect idea for mothers who want to get together with other moms! *****