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Throwing a Tea Party
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A tea party is a brilliant way to invite friends and family around and to enjoy their company in a calm and relaxing environment. With a little care and planning a tea party is a stress-free way to get to know each other.

Pouring

The best way to organize who will pour the tea at your party is by arranging it beforehand. Nominate a close friend to pour for everyone else, they should accept the invite unless they have a good excuse. Obviously it is not fair to expect one person to pour tea throughout the entire party, so the pourer is usually relieved from their duty after an hour or so. This pattern can be repeated for the duration of the party.

Serve the tea by pouring one cup at a time, then handing the tea cup and saucer to your guest. Take great care when passing the tea to them so that you do not spill any on them, or your table.

If there are visitors to your tea party who are not familiar with the pourer, they should not feel intimidated to simply ask for assistance. A visitor should be made most welcome when asking for a cup of tea. The pourer should reply politely by asking in return, "How would you like it poured? Do you like it strong or weak?" The pourer should also make sure to ask if they would like anything with their tea, such as sugar, milk, lemon or a sandwich.

Setting the Table

It is very important to make sure that your guests are seated comfortably at the table. Before your guests arrive, lay out a table for them. You should have a cup, saucer, tea spoon, side plate and napkins provided for each guest. Place your cakes, sandwiches and sweets on stands at the center of the guests' table, this makes it appealing to the eye and easy to access!

On a separate table, lay out your tea set. A full tea set is a necessity and should be complete with a tea pot, sugar bowl, creamer and a set of tongs for handing out sliced lemon. For a more informal tea party we recommend that you use a fine china tea set rather than a silver tea set, which is more suited to a formal tea party.

It is good practice to use a tablecloth to cover both tables. However, be prepared for a spillage. Only use a tablecloth that is easily washed and is not overly expensive.

Offer Choice and Be Considerate

A good host will give their guests choice. While some will love your apricot tea bread, others may not. Give them choice, why not serve some Irish tea bread mixed in with the traditional finger sandwiches and scones for a touch of class!

It may well be the case that not all your guests will be female, you can rest assured that men will not mind eating through your show of homemade cakes, cookies and scones. However, they will mind the small handles on most china tea cups. A good host will provide a choice of cups, including some mug-styles that are suitable for men.

Why not offer a variety of teas and let your guests experience the wonderful taste of Earl Grey Tea, Irish Breakfast Tea, regular black tea, Organic Camomile Tea, green tea, oolong or herbal infused tea? Considering the antioxidant qualities found in tea, you'll be doing their health a favour!

Tips For Outdoor Garden Tea Parties

Many tea parties are held during the hot summer months, so it is only polite to offer your thirsty guests a drink of refreshing iced tea. (Please consult our iced tea recipe for details on how to make iced tea.) Keep an ice bucket filled with ice cubes, a nice touch that will keep your guests cool.

If you are planning on throwing a tea party in your garden then it is a good idea to keep an eye on the weather forecast. If things start to look a little unsettled we recommend using / hiring a patio heater to keep things at a healthy temperature. If you have space in your garden, why not pitch a small marquee to house your tea accoutrements and also provide shelter from the sun or rain? Remember, a marquee will also help to keep your tea hot! Your guests will really appreciate it.

Further Reading

 -  Proper Tea Etiquette

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