Tea Parties: Everything You Need to Know to Throw a Proper Event
Whether you're hosting a baby or bridal shower, birthday party, engagement party, or another milestone celebration, a tea party is just the ticket to celebrate in style!
Tea parties are our most prevalent events and guests always gush about the experience. We love seeing all the creative tea party themes - Bridgerton, Harry Potter, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland - and bringing the visions to life with beautiful heirloom quality vintage china.
The tea party possibilities are endless - so endless, it can be overwhelming. Whether you're a professional event planner, a hobbyist planner, or never planned an event before, these tips will make planning your next tea party easy as cake!
Tea Party Tips
Start With a Theme
The theme can be as complicated or simple as you like, but having a theme is a solid starting point. We've seen a wide range, from an elegant vintage tea party theme, to elaborate fairytale soirees. There's no wrong theme, and your imagination is the only limits. We're certain we could even make a nontraditional tea party theme come together - who's up for a Star Wars or Avengers Tea Time?!
Pick the Right Dishes, Glassware & Flatware
You'll need something to serve your guests with - teacups, saucers and teapots, of course, but what about all the other dishes? We get late requests frequently because the host or hostess forgot the teaspoons for stirring the honey into the tea, or overlooked the cream and sugar dish sets, or didn't think to include forks for the bites.
Picture the event in your head as though you're sitting at the table in the middle of it:
What are you drinking and how - champagne, cocktails, wine, water? You'll want appropriate glassware for each of the beverages.
What are you eating and how - tea sandwiches, petite fours, finger foods? How big of plates do you need? Appetizer plates are the same size as bread & butter plates (~5" in diameter), salad plates are a little larger (~7" in diameter), and luncheon plates give guests the most room (~8-9" in diameter).
Are there desserts or ice cream/sorbet/sherbet on the menu? Dessert plates, bowls or footed dessert cups may be just the ticket.
What are the food items served on? Tiered servers are popular, as are china platters and crystal serving dishes - a variety of types of serving pieces adds visual interest.
How are you doctoring up your tea? You'll need utensils for scooping/picking and stirring, and vessels for cream, sugar, honey, lemons, etc.
What happens to the tea bags? You might elect to include a vintage china tea bag coaster or a small dish for your guests to place their used tea bags.
What about napkins? Tea napkins with embroidered corners are a popular option, but not always the greatest choice if the menu includes messy finger foods - gooey chocolate, sticky caramel.
Highlight with Details
The details are always key, but especially at tea parties! Little things like place cards, menus, pretty flatware and serving utensils, centerpieces, pretty table linens, and decor make the china dishes really pop. Use the details to accentuate your theme.
About the Vintage Dish
The Vintage Dish offers an heirloom quality collection of vintage mismatched china, flatware, and glassware. Established in 2017, our collection dates back to the 1890s and includes a wide variety of colors, textures, patterns, and styles. From showers to wedding receptions, birthday parties to milestone celebrations, we'd love to do the dishes!
