How to Have a Tea Luncheon for 12

Sharing lunch and tea with friends is one of life's simple pleasures.

Entertaining a dozen people takes organization and preparation, but a tea luncheon for 12 can run with ease when using simple elements and planning. The key to a successful tea luncheon is to create a low fuss yet elegant affair where tea, easy-to-prepare foods and good conversation dominate the menu.

Things You'll Need

• Pastel card stock or floral paper for invitations
• Menu that includes tea luncheon staples, such as chicken salad or pot pie
• Variety of teacups and tea

Instructions

1. Invite your guests at least three weeks in advance; follow the elegant tone you are setting and mail an invitation. Prepare the invitations on your home computer using a script font, then print them on pastel card stock or a floral invitation paper. Fine stationary stores also sell invitations suitable for tea parties. When creating your own invitation, let the guests know they are invited to a tea luncheon and the occasion, if you are celebrating something special. "Please join us for a tea luncheon to celebrate Julie Jordan's birthday / May 4 at noon / Home of Margaret Lucas, 11 Main Way, Anytown / Please call with regrets to 555-555-5555 by April 30."

2. Prepare the menu and shop a few days ahead of time. Plan a buffet and make most items the day before or the morning of the luncheon. While tea rooms around the country might have extensive menu offerings, serve only a few items at your luncheon. The staples of a tea luncheon menu are a green salad, dressed up with grilled chicken or smoked salmon and honey mustard dressing, if desired; one or two varieties of quiche; chicken pot pie; chicken salad; and finger sandwiches served with deli meat such as turkey, ham or roast beef. If your guests do not eat meat, a vegetarian quiche with broccoli, mushrooms and onions is an option. Or, serve warm croissants with butter, honey and jam if your guests will not want a deli sandwich. Enjoy scones and tea cakes from a local bakery with your tea after lunch.

3. Set your table the day before, but think about your tableware much before that. You might not have dishware for 12; there's nothing wrong with scouring thrift or vintage shops for individual place settings. Mix-and-match tableware makes a great conversation piece and is readily accepted on tables. If you collect teacups, bring those out for the luncheon. Each one might have a story you can share with your guests, such as when you and your grandmother would sip afternoon tea and she would drink from that very cup.

4. Emphasize the tea. Go to gourmet shops or tea rooms in your town and select teas that your guests might not have sampled before. Learn about the teas so that you can describe them as you pour. Anyone can grab a box of tea off of a supermarket special. Look beyond the everyday tea.

References

• Queen Mary Tea Room: Lunch Menu
• Miss Martha's Tea Room: Lunch Menu
• Garden Gate Luncheon and Tea Room: Lunch Menu
• Diary of a Dishie: How to Mix and Match Dinnerware
• Tea Party Guide: Party Invitation Wording for All Occasions