There’s no better way to celebrate Mom than with a beautiful Mother’s Day tea party! Whether you’re planning an elegant afternoon tea or a cozy home tea party, we’ve got you covered with the best Mother’s Day tea party ideas. From what to serve at a tea party to classic English tea party desserts, you’ll find everything you need for a memorable gathering. Get inspired with simple high tea ideas and create the perfect mom and daughter (for anyone who is a daughter or a mom) tea party to cherish forever!
Table of Contents
Mother’s Day Tea Party Invitations
Customize the text as you wish and print these floral Mother’s Day floral tea party invitations. Purchase envelopes or send as postcards for a day-brightener to your party guests.
Mother’s Day Tea Party Decorations
Create a beautiful and elegant Mother’s Day tea party with these charming decoration ideas:
Pastel Color Palette
Use soft shades of pink, lavender, mint, and cream for table linens, napkins, and decorations to create a delicate and feminine atmosphere. Vintage jadeite (the cream and sugar containers are pictured above) is ideal for a light green color palette.
Floral Centerpieces
Fill vintage teapots, mason jars, or elegant vases with fresh flowers like roses, rhododendrons, peonies, or hydrangeas for a timeless touch.
Elegant Tea Sets
Use mismatched floral teacups and saucers for a vintage-inspired look. Gold-rimmed teapots and delicate porcelain add an extra touch of sophistication. A wonderful vintage spring pattern option is Blossom Time by Royal Albert, pictured above.
Lace, Decorative Napkin, or Doily Accents
Layer lace table runners or place decorative doilies under teacups and dessert plates for a classic tea party aesthetic.
Mother’s Day Banner
Hang a “Happy Mother’s Day” banner or “Tea Time with Mom” sign in a pretty script font to set the scene.
Hanging Paper Lanterns & Garlands
Soft, pastel paper lanterns or floral garlands hung above the table add a whimsical feel.
Personalized Place Cards
Write each guest’s name on a tea bag tag, small floral cards, or even pressed flower bookmarks as a keepsake.
Vintage-Inspired Candles
Scatter tea-light candles in teacups or use elegant candle holders for a cozy, romantic glow.
Dessert Display Stand
Use a tiered cake stand to showcase English tea party desserts like macarons, scones, and petit fours in a stunning arrangement. The one pictured below is a vintage tiered display stand in the American Beauty pattern.
Outdoor Garden Setup (If Weather Permits)
If hosting outside, set up bistro tables with floral centerpieces, string fairy lights, and use wicker picnic baskets to enhance the garden tea party vibe.
Mother’s Day Tea Party Food
Celebrate with a delicious Mother’s Day tea party menu featuring elegant and flavorful bites! Here are the best food ideas for a memorable afternoon tea.
Savory Bites
Cucumber & Dill Tea Sandwiches – A classic, refreshing tea party favorite. Spread a thin layer of butter on slices of bread, place thinly sliced cucumbers on top, of one side of the sandwich, sprinkle on some dill weed, put the slices of bread together, then slice the crusts off. You can also use a cookie cutter to cut the sandwiches into decorative shapes. As another option, you could leave the little sandwiches open-faced, as in the photo below..
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Canapés – Elegant and light, served on mini toast. Use the recipe for smoked salmon cheese ball for the spread, but omit rolling it in parsley and pecans.
Egg Salad Croissant Sliders – A delicate twist on the classic tea sandwich.
Herb & Cheese Scones – Savory scones with chives, cheddar, or feta. Use a basic scone recipe, but omit the sugar and add savory ingredients.
Mini Quiches (Spinach and Mushroom or Ham and Swiss) – Perfect bite-sized delights. Here’s a quick and easy mini spinach and mushroom quiche recipe.
Ingredients (Makes 12 mini quiches)
1 refrigerated pie crust (or use phyllo dough for a crispier texture)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
½ cup mushrooms, finely diced
½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Swiss, or feta)
3 large eggs
½ cup milk (or heavy cream for a richer taste)
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Preheat Oven: Set to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Prepare Crust: Roll out the pie crust and cut into 12 circles using a cookie cutter or glass. Press each into the muffin tin.
Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté mushrooms until soft, add garlic and spinach, and cook until wilted. Let cool slightly.
Mix Filling: In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the cheese and cooked vegetables.
Assemble and Bake: Spoon the mixture into the crusts, filling about ¾ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden and set.
Cool and Serve: Let them cool slightly before removing from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sweet Treats
Raspberry White Chocolate Scones – A sweet, fruity pastry treat.
Cinnamon Tea Cookies – Buttery shortbread infused with cinnamon.
Petite Pea Pickin’ Cake Squares – A spring classic topped with a light whipped topping frosting.
Lemon Cake Mix Cookies – Light, citrusy, and topped with cream cheese frosting.
Strawberry Shortcake Bites – Mini versions of the classic springtime dessert.
Tea & Beverages
Rose & Hibiscus Iced Tea – A floral and refreshing sip.
Friendship Tea – A warm, spiced option, perfect for younger guests.
Strawberry Mint Infused Water – A light and refreshing drink choice.
Peach Bellini Mocktails– A bubbly, fruity toast to Mom. Here’s an easy Peach Bellini Mocktail recipe—refreshing, fruity, and perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen peaches (or fresh, peeled, and sliced)
1 cup sparkling water (or club soda)
½ cup white grape juice (or apple juice)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Ice cubes (optional)
Fresh peach slices and mint for garnish
Instructions:
Blend the peaches, white grape juice, and lemon juice until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a glass, filling it halfway.
Top with sparkling water and stir gently.
Add ice if desired and garnish with peach slices and mint.
Serve and enjoy!
Mother’s Day Tea Party Games and Activities
A Mother’s Day tea party is a lovely way to celebrate! Here are some fun and engaging game ideas to make the event even more special:
Mother’s Day Trivia
Prepare a set of questions about famous moms, historical Mother’s Day facts, or personal trivia about the moms attending. Example: “What year was Mother’s Day officially recognized in the U.S.?”
Guess That Tea
Have different flavored teas brewed in small cups and let guests taste and guess the flavors. The one with the most correct answers wins!
Tea Bag Toss
Set up teacups or small bowls and have guests toss dry tea bags into them from a distance. Give points based on distance or accuracy.
Design a Tea Hat
Provide plain sun hats (Dollar Tree is a great source) and craft supplies (ribbons, flowers, lace) and let guests create their own tea party hat. The most creative design wins a prize! Get inspiration from these vintage tea party hat styles.
Match the Mom to the Baby Photo
Ask guests to bring a baby photo and display them randomly. Everyone guesses which baby photo belongs to which mom.
Motherly Advice Jar
Each guest writes a piece of motherly advice and puts it in a jar. Later, the host reads them out loud, and guests guess who wrote each one.
Floral Arrangement Contest
Provide small bouquets or individual flowers and let guests create their own mini floral arrangement. The most elegant or creative one wins!
The Nickname Game
Each guest writes down their childhood nickname and other guests try to match the nickname with the person.
Mother’s Day Tea Party Favors
Here are some fun and inexpensive Mother’s Day tea party favor ideas that guests will love:
Personalized Tea Bags
Buy individually wrapped tea bags and add a custom tag with a sweet message like “You’re Tea-rific, Mom!”
Small jars of honey make a cute and useful favor. Add a tiny wooden honey dipper for an extra touch!
DIY Sugar Scrub
Make a simple sugar scrub using sugar, coconut oil, and a drop of essential oil. Pack it in small jars with a pretty label.
Tea Party Cookies
Bake (or buy) shortbread or sugar cookies shaped like teapots, teacups, or flowers. Wrap them in clear bags with a ribbon.
Give guests small packets of flower seeds (lavender, chamomile, or daisies) with a tag that says, “Plant and Watch Love Grow.”
Handmade Bookmarks
Use cardstock or watercolor paper to create floral-themed bookmarks with a sweet quote about moms.
Scented Sachets
Fill small fabric pouches with dried lavender or rose petals for a lovely-smelling keepsake.
Buy inexpensive tea light candles and wrap them in decorative paper or place them in small tins.
Vintage Teacups (Thrifted)
Pick up assorted vintage teacups from thrift stores and fill them with wrapped chocolates or tea bags.
“You’re My Cup of Tea” Mason Jars
Fill small mason jars with loose-leaf tea, candies, or bath salts. Decorate the top with cellophane and tie a cute tag with twine or a ribbon.
Free Printable Party Planner
Organizing a party takes planning. Whether you are planning a sunflower-themed party, a lemon-themed party, an apple-themed party, dahlia-themed party, a chicken-themed party, an elephant-themed party, a butterfly-themed party, or a tea party, here’s a FREE monthly planner you can use to plan your sunflower-themed party or any other event. Use it throughout the year to keep daily, weekly, and monthly tasks organized. Since it’s undated, you can print out a new planner each year or anytime you need a fresh place to put your ideas. Get it here!
Get the sunflower planner!
Have fun planning a Mother’s Day tea party, and may all of your party-planning endeavors meet with great success!
Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to host parties. When the weather allows, she enjoys entertaining outdoors on the grounds of her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. To learn more about what this website has to offer, click on over to the Welcome page.
Terrific mother’s day tea party ideas. They sound fun and practical as well!
Thank you! I hope you get to try some of the Mother’s Day tea party ideas sometime.
You do amazing job with all these Mother’s Day tea party ideas. You go above and beyond explaining every detail of how to plan a memorable tea party at home. I really love the tip to feature some mismatched floral teacups and saucers for a vintage-inspired look at the party!
Great! Yes, finding mismatched cups and saucers at flea markets is fun. I’m so glad you like the Mother’s Day tea party ideas.
Thank you for these inspiring Mother’s Day tea party ideas, Lisa! I love your suggestions about food, decor, and all the rest. I am saving several recipes: the cheese scones and the raspberry white chocolate scones: they sound so delicious!
Nice! I hope you get to host a Mother’s Day tea party and use the recipes you saved.
Your Mother’s Day tea party ideas are absolutely wonderful! I especially love the favors—I can’t even pick a favorite!! Maybe the personalized tea bags. Or the vintage tea cups. Or…..
I’m so glad you like the ideas, and I hope you get to host a Mother’s Day tea party of your own.
Thank you for these fun and creative Mother’s Day tea party ideas! I love the way you have it organized with different sections for food, decorations, invitations, games, and party favors. I’ll use this post as a guide!
I’m so glad you like the ideas. Thanks for the kind words. Have fun hosting a Mother’s Day tea party!