Learn how to host a fun tea party celebration with these simple tea party theme ideas. Get tips about tea party theme food, tea party theme names, tea party theme decor, and tea party theme outfits. You’ll also find ideas about types of flowers for tea party themes and tea party theme activities. Whether you are hosting a bridal shower tea party, baby shower tea party, children’s tea party, engagement tea party, retirement tea party, Mother’s Day tea party to pamper moms, birthday tea party, church tea party, Christmas tea party, Valentine’s Day tea party, Galentine’s Day tea party, or any other type of tea party, you’re in the right place.
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These tea parties can be for adults, kids, or both together. While many of these tea party themes are generally for ladies, gentlemen may certainly attend as well. As a veteran member of school and church social committees, I have planned and attended a plethora of fun tea party functions. So don your favorite tea party hat, brew a cup of your favorite tea blend, and enjoy browsing through this comprehensive guide to tea parties and a variety of tea party themes, including tea party themes for ladies, tea party themes for church, or tea party themes for any occasion.
Table of Contents
My Tea Party Backstory
I grew up drinking tea with my dear, late Canadian grandmother. She had a lovely collection of teacups and saucers she had accumulated over the years. Many of the finest in her collection were purchased during her years of work in a china shop. Even though the teacups were fragile, my grandmother was not afraid to let my sister and I choose our favorite in which to enjoy a serving of our sweet friendship tea blend. We felt so elegant, sitting around the kitchen table, taking tea together. Sometimes, we would dress up in our grandmother’s old fancy dresses. What fun memories!
As an adult, I enjoy taking tea with friends in tea rooms, having tea with the ladies in my vintage car club, or hosting tea parties for bridal showers at work. Inspiration for tea party themes can be found in many places. I like to look to my garden for tea party themes, and since I’m a school librarian, books often provide inspiration as well. With the right theme, planning a tea party can be fun and easy. It doesn’t have to break the bank either. Let’s get started!
Elements of a Tea Party
How do you host a ladies tea party, or a tea party for anyone? To host a tea party, you will need to consider a few key elements:
Invitations: Decide on the guest list and send out formal invitations. Get some free printable tea party invitations.
Venue: Choose a location that is comfortable and appropriate for a tea party. This could be your home or a rented event space.
Decorations: Decorate the space with items such as flowers, tablecloths, and tea sets to create a festive atmosphere.
Food and drink: Plan a menu of tea, sandwiches, scones, and desserts. You can also provide a variety of teas to choose from.
Entertainment: Consider having background music or plan a fun activity such as a tea tasting or hat making.
Dress code: You can decide on a dress code like elegant casual, or suggest your guest to wear a hat or a specific color if you want
Timing: Plan the party for a time when your guests will be available, such as a weekend afternoon.
Cleaning and preparation: Clean your house, and prepare the food, drinks, and table setting before the guests arrive.
Be a gracious hostess: Be welcoming and attentive to your guests, and make sure they have everything they need to enjoy their tea party experience.
For the purpose of this list of tea party themes, each theme idea includes some basic tea party elements. Those elements include:
- Tea party decor
- Tea party table settings
- Tea party beverages
- Tea party food
- Tea party games and activities
- Tea party prizes or party favors
- Tea party attire (when appropriate for the theme)
With these basic elements, you can plan a successful tea party around any theme. Some of the themes have been given more details, and others just have the theme listed, perhaps with one or two ideas to get those creative tea party planning thoughts flowing.
What Are the Different Types of Tea Parties?
There are several different types of tea parties, each with its own unique characteristics and traditions:
Traditional afternoon tea: This is the most common type of tea party, typically held in the afternoon and featuring a selection of sandwiches, scones, and pastries.
High tea: This type of tea party is typically held later in the day and is a more substantial meal, featuring hot dishes in addition to sandwiches and pastries. See more details about high tea in a paragraph further on down.
Formal tea party: This type of tea party is more formal and upscale, often featuring fine china, linens, and silverware.
Children’s tea party: This type of tea party is specifically designed for children and features kid-friendly foods and activities.
Bridal or baby shower tea party: This type of tea party is used as an occasion to celebrate a special event such as a bride-to-be or a new mother and feature special decorations, invitations and favors.
Tea ceremony: This type of tea party is based on traditional Japanese tea ceremonies and features a specific set of rituals and protocols.
What Are the 6 Main Types of Tea?
What kind of tea do you serve at a tea party? There are six main types of tea: white, green, oolong, black, yellow, and dark (also known as puerh or pu-erh).
White tea: This is the least processed of all teas, and is made from the buds and young leaves of the tea plant. It has a delicate, light flavor and is low in caffeine.
Green tea: This is made from leaves that have been steamed or pan-fried to prevent oxidation, and then rolled and dried. It has a fresh, grassy flavor and is also low in caffeine.
Oolong tea: This is made from leaves that are partially fermented before they are dried. It has a more complex flavor than green tea and is considered to be between green and black tea in terms of caffeine content.
Black tea: This is made from leaves that have been fully fermented before they are dried. It has a strong, robust flavor and is higher in caffeine than the other types of tea.
Yellow tea: This is a rare and expensive type of tea, it is made from leaves that are harvested and then left to dry in the sun. Then they are steamed and rolled, it has a smooth and mellow flavor and is considered to be between green and oolong tea in terms of caffeine content.
Dark tea (puerh or pu-erh): This type of tea is made from fermented and aged leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. It has a unique and complex flavor, with a mellow and earthy taste, it is also higher in caffeine than white and green tea.
It’s worth noting that there are many subtypes and variations within each of these main categories, and the flavor and caffeine content can vary greatly depending on the specific type and how it’s processed and brewed.
Why is herbal tea not on the list? Herbal tea is technically a tisane. A tisane is made by infusing dried herbs, fruits, flowers, or other plant-based ingredients in hot water. Unlike traditional tea, which is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, tisanes are made from a wide variety of other plants. Some examples of plants that can be used to make tisanes include chamomile, mint, lemon balm, hibiscus, and rooibos. They are known for having a wide range of flavors and benefits such as soothing, relaxing, and medicinal properties. They can be consumed hot or cold, and can be enjoyed plain or with honey, lemon or milk. They are also caffeine-free which makes them a great alternative for those who are sensitive to caffeine or are looking for a relaxing, calming drink.
What Are the 3 Main Foods Served at an Afternoon Tea?
The three main foods typically served at an afternoon tea are sandwiches, scones, and pastries.
Sandwiches: These are usually small, bite-sized sandwiches filled with traditional fillings such as cucumber, egg salad, smoked salmon and ham.
Scones: Scones are a type of small, round bread that are often served with clotted cream and jam.
Pastries: These can include a variety of sweet treats such as cakes, tarts, macarons and mousse. They are meant to be a light and sweet finish to the meal.
Tea Party Activities
What do you do at a ladies tea party? At a ladies tea party, there are several activities that can be done to entertain guests and create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. These ideas can be adapted to fit many age groups and would be appropriate tea party games for church ladies as well. Some ideas include:
Tea Tasting: Offer a selection of teas for guests to sample and discuss the different flavors and aromas.
Food and drinks: Guests can enjoy traditional tea party fare such as sandwiches, scones, and pastries while sipping on their tea.
Games and activities: Plan a variety of games and activities such as hat making or decorating.
Conversation and networking: Encourage guests to mingle and make new connections.
Music: Play background music or invite a musician to perform to entertain guests.
Fashion Show: For an era-themed tea party, you can organize a fashion show of vintage clothes, or show off your own collection of tea-related objects, like cups, teapot, etc.
Book Club: If you are hosting a literary-themed tea party or your guests are avid readers, you can organize a book club where everyone brings a book and discuss it over tea.
Crafts: Plan a craft activity such as creating a floral arrangement or making a piece of jewelry.
Guest Speakers: Invite a guest speaker to discuss a topic of interest, such as tea history or the art of hosting a tea party.
Overall, the main goal of a tea party is to provide a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere where guests can socialize, network, and have a good time.
The games you play at your tea party will depend largely upon the age of your crowd. If most of your guests are older, then your games will most likely be played at the tea table or tables. If your crowd is younger, you may choose to play more active games. Here are some game ideas that work well for any tea party theme.
The Nickname Game
One of my favorite tea party games, first played when I attended a tea party for ladies at church years ago, is the Nickname Game. It’s very simple, and all you need are pencils and pieces of paper. Have each person write down a childhood nickname on a small slip of paper. Collect the slips of paper in a jar. The tea party hostess or game coordinator draws each slip of paper out, gives it a number, and reads the nickname. As each slip is read, the tea party guests write down their numbered guesses, listing the real name of the person the nickname might match to. This game works best with tea party guests who already know each other a bit. It’s a great way to learn some surprising information about people.
Pass the Object (Something Related to Your Tea Party Theme)
This game may also be played at a table. The hostess or tea party game coordinator hands out a small object, like a scented candle, soap, or something else related to your tea party theme. The game coordinator starts playing music as the object is passed. People continue to pass the object around the table until the music stops. The person holding the object when the music stops gets the object as a prize. This game may be played repeatedly for multiple winners.
Tea Tray Memory Game
This game lends itself well to any tea party theme. Bring out a tea tray with various objects on it. Have theme-related objects on the tray. Reveal the contents of the tray for a brief time, maybe 15 seconds. Cover the tray with a tea towel or other cloth so that the objects are hidden. Have tea party guests write down as many objects as they can remember.
Tea Bag Toss
Have a teacup on a table. Have a line on the floor or grass where the contestant is to stand. Give each tea party guest a dry tea bag to try to toss into the cup. You can adjust the number of tries each person gets as needed, depending on your crowd.
Themed Walk
This game is more suited to those who want to move around and be active. Similar to a cake walk, this activity requires sticking numbered flat objects that go with your theme, such as these lemon vinyl decals, for example, onto a floor (removable, of course) or a patio, if you are outside. Write a number on each decal, play some music, when it stops, choose a winning number. Give a themed gift as a prize to the winner.
Spring Tea Party Themes
Spring is the perfect time for a tea party celebration. Get inspiration from whatever you have blooming in your yard. Here are some spring tea party theme ideas, many of them ideal church tea party themes:
Daffodil Tea Party Theme
Decor: Decorate a daffodil themed tea party with yellow hanging paper fans and strings of dots. Table settings: Arrange vases of real or artificial daffodils in vases. Place yellow tablecloths on tables. Use white or yellow plates, and set out daffodil napkins. Make it fancy: Find some vintage Royal Albert Daffodil teacups, saucers and serveware. Beverages: Tea, lemonade, and friendship tea would work well for this tea party. Food: Buttery cinnamon shortbread cookies, deviled eggs, or dainty chicken salad sandwiches would be tasty teatime fare. Activities: Any of the basic tea party games would work. Get some daffodil themed prizes and use yellow paper with daffodil decals for the daffodil walk. Prizes or party favors: This Welsh daffodil set of mugs and a tea bag holder would make excellent prizes.
Easter Tea Party Theme
Decor: Decorate an Easter themed tea party with pastel colors. Table settings: Use baskets of artificial pastel-colored Easter eggs as centerpieces. Place pastel tablecloths on tables. Use pastel plates with pastel napkins. Set a mini Easter basket at each place. Make it fancy: Find some vintage pastel china teacups, saucers and serveware. You could also look for vintage Royal Doulton Bunnykins dishes, especially appropriate if you have young tea party attendees. Beverages: Tea, hot cocoa, and pink lemonade would work well for this tea party. Food: Egg-shaped decorated sugar cookies, white chocolate raspberry scones, deviled eggs, or dainty mini quiches would be tasty teatime fare. Activities: Any of the basic tea party games would work. Get some Easter themed prizes and use Easter egg shapes for the Easter egg walk. Prizes or party favors: Fill Easter baskets with assorted tea, soaps, candles, or fancy chocolates. Tea party attire: Encourage attendees to wear their favorite Easter bonnet (hat). You could even decorate Easter bonnets as a tea party craft.
Hyacinth Tea Party Theme
Decor: Decorate a hyacinth themed tea party with periwinkle or purple and white colors. Table settings: Use hyacinth plants as centerpieces. Place purple tablecloths on tables. Use purple plates with hyacinth napkins. Make it fancy: Find some vintage hyacinth china or serve treats on Noritake Hyacinth stoneware. Beverages: Tea and pink lemonade would work well for this tea party. Food: round sugar cookies decorated with periwinkle frosting, periwinkle mints, egg salad crustless mini sandwiches, or mini sausage rolls would be tasty teatime fare. Activities: Any of the basic tea party games would work. Get some hyacinth themed prizes and use periwinkle-colored paper for a hyacinth walk. Prizes or party favors: Give away the hyacinth centerpieces or packages of hyacinth bulbs. Locate some fragrant hyacinth soap to delight your guests.
Other Spring Tea Party Themes
Now that you have gotten a few specific ideas of what to look for when hosting a spring tea party, here are some other spring tea party themes:
Mother’s Day Tea Party Theme
This is one of the best church tea party themes ideas. It’s also a great excuse to wear fancy tea party attire, including hats. Choose from a variety of fresh spring flowers for decor.
Iris Tea Party Theme
Pansy Tea Party Theme
For pansy-themed decor, locate a vintage pansy ring to display fresh blooms. If you aren’t familiar with pansy rings, they are shallow troughs that can hold water to display pansy blossoms. You can also create customized floral pansy invitations with this easy-to-use template.
Tulip Tea Party Theme
Violet Tea Party Theme
Summer Tea Party Themes
Ah, the sweet summer outdoor tea party offers many fun theme options. Take advantage of seasonal produce as you plan your summer tea party. Here are some inviting summer tea party themes to consider:
Beach Tea Party Theme
Decor: Decorate a beach themed tea party with bright colors. Have colorful beach towels draped over chairs and arranged around the gathering location. Table settings: Use baskets of seashells as centerpieces. Place striped tablecloths on tables. Use nautical or seashell plates napkins. Make it fancy: Use some seashell china. Beverages: Tea, lemonade, and sparkling, flavored water would work well for this tea party. Food: Seashell-shaped decorated sugar cookies, seashell-shaped scones, deviled eggs garnished with shrimp, and dainty mini seafood salad or salmon sandwiches would be tasty teatime fare. Activities: Any of the basic tea party games would work. Get some beach-themed prizes and use seashell shapes for the seashell walk. Prizes or party favors: Fill small beach bags with sunglasses, mini bottles of sunscreen, seashell candles, and other beach-themed gifts. Tea party attire: Encourage attendees to wear their favorite sun hat and favorite beach clothes if you are in a casual, relaxed setting.
Blueberry Tea Party Theme
Decor: Decorate a blueberry-themed tea party with blue and white. Table settings: Use bowls or baskets of blueberries as centerpieces. Place blue tablecloths on tables. Use blue and white plates with blue napkins. Set a mini bowl of blueberries at each place. Make it fancy: Find some vintage blue and white china teacups, saucers and serveware. Mixing and matching patterns is perfectly fine. Beverages: Tea, blueberry lemonade, and blueberry soda would work well for this tea party. Food: Blue round decorated sugar cookies, glazed lemon blueberry scones served with blueberry lime jam, mini blueberry tartlets, or dainty mini goat cheese sandwiches topped with blueberries would be tasty teatime fare.
Activities: Any of the basic tea party games would work. Get some blueberry themed prizes and use blue paper shapes for the blueberry walk. Prizes or party favors: Fill small baskets with assorted blueberry tea, soaps, candles, or chocolate covered blueberries. Tea party attire: Encourage attendees to wear different shades of blue along with blue accessories.
Lemon Tea Party Theme
Decor: Decorate a lemon-themed tea party with yellow and white. Get a summery lemon burlap banner. It could be used indoors or out. Table settings: Use bowls or baskets of lemons as centerpieces. Place yellow tablecloths on tables. Set the table with decorative lemon-themed disposable partyware with yellow napkins. Place a lemon tissue paper wrapped party favor gift on each plate. Make it fancy: Serve your tea and treats on lemon-themed fine china, like this set from Mikasa.
Beverages: Lemon Zinger tea, a variety of flavors of lemonade, and citrusy friendship tea would work well for this tea party. Food: Lemon-shaped round decorated sugar cookies, glazed lemon mini cakes, mini lemon tartlets, glazed lemon scones, and lemon chicken salad sandwiches topped would be tasty teatime fare. Activities: Any of the basic tea party games would work. You could also have guests guess the number of lemon drops in a jar. Fill a jar with lemon drops and have guests fill out their guesses on cute lemon-themed cards. As a variation, do the same thing with candy kisses. Get some lemon themed prizes and use lemon vinyl decals for the lemon walk. Prizes or party favors: You could surprise guests with small jars of lemon curd or lemon-flavored olive oil spray. A small container of lemon pepper seasoning would be another creative prize idea. When guests depart, send them with some lemon themed gift bags. The bags can be filled with lemon treats, like small bags of lemon cookies (easy to make with this simple cookie recipe). You could also add little KitKat lemon wafer bars and a box of lemon herbal tea.There are many lemon-flavored options out there. Tea party attire: Encourage attendees to wear their favorite summer finery.
Lemon Party Pack Bundle: Invitations, Games, and More
Get an editable, customizable lemon party bundle with lemon party invitations, lemon party games, lemon party place cards and more. This lemon party pack is perfect for a lemon themed baby shower, lemon themed bridal shower, lemon themed birthday party, or a lemon themed tea party. Save time and money by easily customizing these lemon theme party templates using Google Slides. There is even a bonus lemon party budget sheet included, preformatted with formulas that do all of the calculating for you.
Other Summer Tea Party Themes
Now that you have gotten a few specific ideas of what to look for when hosting a summer tea party, here are some other summer tea party themes with a few tips here and there:
Bee Tea Party Theme
This theme would make a great bridal shower, baby shower, or children’s tea party theme. Serve some honey-sweet recipes and decorate with yellow along with black accents. Have some honey bee books on hand to read to party guests as one of the activities.
Butterfly Tea Party Theme
This theme makes a great theme for a children’s tea party as well. Read some butterfly books and make some butterfly crafts. Serve butterfly-shaped cookies with your tea.
Dahlia Tea Party Theme
Daisy Tea Party Theme
Dragonfly Tea Party Theme
Floral Theme
Offer a selection of china cups and saucers for guests to choose from for their tea. When guests are departing, send the cup and saucer home with them.
Hollyhock Tea Party Theme
Honey Bee Tea Party Theme
Hydrangea Tea Party Theme
Hydrangea blooms make lovely party decorations and the delicate blossoms make an elegant party invitation motif as well. The color scheme lends itself to attractive cupcake toppings and other fun food ideas. Here are some colorful hydrangea-themed cupcakes on a tiered tray that were served at a bridal shower at one of the schools where I work.
Lavender Tea Party Theme
Peach Tea Party Theme
Patriotic Tea Party Theme
Raspberry Tea Party Theme
Serve a host of raspberry treats, including raspberry blueberry jam, seedless raspberry jam, raspberry syrup, raspberry scones, plus white and dark chocolate raspberry truffles.
Rose Tea Party Theme
There are many different rose-themed china patterns. One popular pattern is Royal Albert’s American Beauty. Here is a collection of American Beauty tennis sets, sometimes called snack sets. It is said that the spectators at Wimbledon needed to have a way to take tea while watching the game, thus leading to the combination of a snack tray and teacup being called a tennis set.
Strawberry Tea Party Theme
Sunflower Tea Party Theme
Fall Tea Party Themes
Fall is a fabulous time to cozy up with a cup of tea and some teatime treats. Let yourself get inspired by the crisp fall breezes and harvest bounty. Here are some creative fall tea party themes to get your planning started:
Apple Tea Party Theme
Chrysanthemum Tea Party Theme
Costume Tea Party Theme
Cranberry Tea Party Theme
Fall Leaves Tea Party Theme
Pumpkin Tea Party Theme
Thanksgiving Tea Party Theme
Winter Tea Party Themes
Holiday cheer is in the air as you plan a winter tea party. Use seasonal greenery and flavors to guide your menu and decor. Have fun planning a winter tea party with these tea party theme ideas:
Christmas Tea Party Theme
Cookie Exchange Tea Party Theme
Holly Tea Party Theme
Icicle Tea Party Theme
New Year’s Tea Party Theme
Reindeer Tea Party Theme
Snow Tea Party Theme
Vintage Era Tea Party Themes
One of the best things about hosting a vintage tea party from a particular era in time is the tea party attire options. Raid your closet, your attic, your basement, and local second hand stores for period vintage finds. Have a great time planning a tea party with one of these time periods as your tea party theme:
Pioneer Tea Party Theme
Tea party attire for this theme may include sun bonnets, aprons, calico skirts, and half boots for a country-style tea party gathering. Use mason jars for wildflower bouquets, along with some red and white checked table cloths for a frontier flair.
1920s Tea Party Theme
Dress in period tea party attire, such as the outfit shown above. Strappy shoes and jeweled headbands were widely worn during this Art Deco period. Stuffed mushrooms, crab cakes, and mini finger sandwiches were all popular tea party fare.
1930s Tea Party Theme
Cloche style hats or wide-brimmed hats were both popular styes during the 1930s. For additional 1930s tea party attire, source a vintage 1930s tea party dress online, or check out a local vintage clothing store. Petit fours, simple cookies, and crustless cucumber sandwiches were popular food options during this time.
1940s Tea Party Theme
Due to rationing during the war, material for dresses was scarce. Dresses in the 1940s generally did not have big, swingy skirts. For your 1940s theme tea party attire, choose an authentic vintage find or locate something in the period style. Serve a classic 1940s recipe such as War Cake, found in the resources section of this excellent book.
1950s Tea Party Theme
Dress up in some fun, big-skirted vintage 1950s dresses. Serve mini crustless ham sandwiches, savory cheese scones, and a variety of mini tarts. Polka dots were a common motif, so you could decorate with polka dot table cloths, napkins, and dishes. China tennis sets (sometimes called snack sets) were popular during this time period, and are still available in vintage shops today.
Children’s Tea Party Themes
Children’s tea party sets abound. If you don’t have a children’s tea party set of dishes, you could source some demitasse cups in porcelain and use paper goods for the dishes and napkins. Here are some fun ideas for children’s tea party themes that would be appealing to a variety of ages.
Dragon Tea Party Theme
Dragon masks and dragon decor could make any setting a brightly-colored a dragon-friendly tea party. Offer guests dragon party favors and play dragon-themed games. Guests could pass around the bag of dragon gold (chocolate coins) like a hot potato with fun music playing in the background. Serve red hots on cookies and call them dragon biscuits.
Other Children’s Tea Party Theme Ideas
Farm Tea Party Theme
Use rustic farmhouse decor and read books about tractors or farm animals. Have farm stuffed animals as party guests. Encourage guests to wear straw hats or cowboy hats. You could even decorate straw hats at your party.
Frog Tea Party Theme
Combine this with the princess tea party theme or have a frog tea party all on its own. There are plenty of great frog books you could incorporate into this. Have green be the color of the day with green tablecloths, plates, and napkins.
Ladybug Tea Party Theme
Mermaid Tea Party Theme
Polar Bear Tea Party Theme
Gather some cuddly, plush polar bears and set up an all white table for a fun polar bear themed tea party. Choose some cute polar bear books to enjoy while you sip your sweet friendship tea and eat white chocolate truffles.
Princess Tea Party Theme
Have a royal tea with tiaras and other sparkly bling.
Teddy Bear or Doll Tea Party Theme
Have tea party guests bring their favorite stuffed bear or doll with them. Set places for the teddy bears and dolls as well as the children.
Alice in Wonderland Tea Party Theme
Create a whimsical atmosphere inspired by the classic story “Alice in Wonderland”. Decorate with items such as playing cards, oversized teacups and teapots.
Unicorn Tea Party Theme
In addition to having some unicorn tea party dishes, you could encourage guests to wear sparkly clothing. Fancy ponytails in hair, glitter on the tables, the unicorn tea party theme is a fun one. Serve sparkling unicorn punch and white chocolate mini tea cakes (baked in a mini muffin pan) and decorated with edible glitter. As an added treat, put together some easy, colorful cake pops. Use a cake mix, your choice of frosting, and decorate the outside of the cake pop to go with the unicorn theme. Here is the easy recipe.
Literary Tea Party Themes
Spread the tables with copies of your favorite literary classics and dress up as characters in the books. From Regency dresses to Harry Potter robes, literature lends itself well to many tea party themes. You can make favorite recipes from the books and decorate with favorite book quotes.
Anne of Green Gables Tea Party Theme
For this fun tea party theme, you could try to recreate the ill-fated event when Diana drank too much of what she thought was raspberry cordial. To make the cordial, just follow this easy raspberry syrup recipe. There is need to can the syrup if you are going to use it for your Anne of Green Gables tea party. When you are ready to serve the cordial, mix 1 part raspberry syrup to 1 part seltzer water or regular water. It would be a very refreshing beverage option in addition to tea for your party.
Jane Austen Tea Party Theme
Wear your favorite Regency tea party attire. Shop online for Regency style dresses and accessories. Get out the fancy tea service and be sure to bring along your reticule. You could even don a pelisse or spencer if the weather is chilly.
Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency Tea Party Theme
Serve both traditional black tea and of course, Mma Ramotswe’s favorite red bush tea (rooibos).
Harry Potter Tea Party Theme
Create an atmosphere inspired by the Harry Potter series, with decorations such as owls, Hogwarts House banners and serve foods that are mentioned in the books. Have guests dress up as their favorite character.
TV Show or Movie Tea Party Themes
Just as with literary-themed tea parties, tea party themes that are based upon a movie or TV show offer a number of creative and entertaining options. Dress up in tea party attire as a favorite movie or TV character from the show. Here are a couple of ideas along this line.
Downton Abbey Tea Party Theme
Wear 1920s or 1930s vintage style dresses. Consider having someone dress up as one of the servants (maybe Daisy) to serve the tea. Dress up as a member of the Crawley family or other character from the show. This theme lends itself well to a fun bridal shower tea party theme. Serve up some buttery shortbread biscuits and have fun!
Keeping Up Appearances Tea Party Theme
Hyacinth Bucket’s favorite fine tea party dishes were the blue floral Braganza pattern. Decorate with an array of floral arrangements in vases and lace table cloths. Encourage everyone to wear their favorite tea party attire, including hats. For those unfamiliar with the show, perhaps provide a little background or watch an episode as tea party entertainment.
Tea Party Themes for Church
Many of these tea party themes would lend themselves well as themes for a church tea party, especially the garden-inspired themes. Sometimes small churches have a limited budget, so a little creativity can come in handy when sourcing tea party supplies for themes for a church tea party. At my church, when the ladies wanted to have a tea party, a request was sent out for volunteers to host a table. Each table hostess was in charge of providing teacups, saucers, and plates for 10 people. The hostess at each table was also in charge of the decorations for the table. The church provided the tea and tea party food, but saved on the expense of fancy dishes and party decor. It was fun to see the different themes for a church tea party that each table hostess had created. There were over 20 different church tea party ideas all in one large room, and it was very inspiring. The table I hosted had a floral pumpkin-inspired theme.
Common Tea Party Questions
Hosting a tea party can be as simple or elegant as you wish. Before embarking upon tea party hosting tasks, here are some additional facts you may be interested in. Become a tea party expert!
What is a cream tea?
A cream tea is a traditional afternoon tea that is typically served in England and some parts of the United Kingdom. It typically consists of a pot of tea, scones, and clotted cream and jam.
The scones are usually served warm and are made from a mixture of flour, butter, milk, and eggs. They can be plain or flavored with ingredients such as raisins, currants, or sultanas. Clotted cream is a type of thick, buttery cream that is traditionally made in Devon and Cornwall in England. It is made by heating unpasteurized milk to a high temperature and allowing it to cool, which causes the cream to rise to the top and “clot.” It is spread on top of the scones, and is typically served with jam, usually strawberry or raspberry.
The traditional way to eat a cream tea is to split the scone in half, and to spread a thin layer of clotted cream on the bottom half, then top it with jam before putting the top half of the scone back on.
It’s important to note that there is also another variation of cream tea called “Devonshire cream tea” or “Devon cream tea” which is served with clotted cream and strawberry jam and is exclusive to Devon.
What is a fancy tea party called?
A fancy or formal tea party is often called a “high tea.” High tea is a British tradition that originated in the early 19th century, and it was originally a meal that was served to working-class families in the evening, usually around 6pm. High tea typically includes a variety of savory dishes such as sandwiches, scones, pastries, and cakes, in addition to tea.
Nowadays, the term “high tea” is also used to refer to a more formal, upscale tea party, which is typically held in the afternoon, similar to a traditional afternoon tea. The main difference is that high tea is more elaborate and often includes more sophisticated food and drinks. They are also more formal and can be held in a more luxurious setting, such as a grand hotel or a stately home.
It’s worth noting that in America, the term “high tea” is often used interchangeably with afternoon tea, but in British English, afternoon tea is a lighter, more casual affair than high tea.
What should you not do at a tea party?
Here are some basic tea party etiquette tips you may or may not have thought of. The following things are generally considered to be bad manners at a tea party:
Arriving late: It is considered impolite to arrive late to a tea party, as it can disrupt the flow of the event.
Not using utensils properly: It is important to use utensils properly and in the right order, starting with the outermost utensils and working your way inward.
Dipping the whole biscuit or scone in the tea: It is considered impolite to dip the whole biscuit or scone in the tea, instead it’s better to break off a small piece and dip it.
Not making eye contact: It is considered impolite to not make eye contact when speaking with others at a tea party.
Talking loudly: It is important to speak in a moderate tone, as a tea party is a more formal and relaxed setting.
Not trying everything: If you are offered a variety of foods, it is considered impolite to not try everything, even if you don’t like some of the items.
Not using a napkin: It is considered impolite to not use a napkin, and should be placed on your lap and used to wipe your mouth and hands when needed.
Holding your cup with your pinky finger out: It’s not a must but it’s considered impolite to hold your cup with your pinky finger out, as it can be seen as pretentious or arrogant.
It’s also important to be mindful of allergies, dietary restrictions, and cultural customs. For other tea party tips about tea party attire, decor, and more, check out this tea party dress guide.
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If you love the lemon theme, check out this lemony undated monthly planner. Since it’s undated, you can download and print it again and again, year after year. Get lemon-themed inspiration every day when you organize and plan in this eye-catching printable.
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More Party Planning Inspiration
It’s always nice to have a plan when it comes to meals and parties. If you’re looking for a way to get more organized with your lemon themed party planning efforts, I’ve got something for you. Free, editable meal planners! The templates can be used over and over, as often as you need them. You can make as many duplicates as you like, and you’ll be able to save old party food plans for future reference. I hope it simplifies things for you.
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Have fun planning a themed tea party. May all of your tea party planning endeavors meet with great success!
I absolutely love hosting or going to tea parties, they are so much fun and a great way to slow down, relax and have some time with ourselves or friends. The ideas you’ve shared are fantastic and I will have to give some of them a go!
Great! I’m glad you liked the ideas, and I hope each of your tea party endeavors is a tremendous success.
This is such an interesting read! I was thrilled to learn about the 6 types of tea and the food served at tea parties. Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful tea party themes!
Oh, you are very welcome. This was super fun to write. Watch for more tea party recipes coming soon!
I love this post. With 50+ tea party themes creative and fun ideas – there’s a theme for every event. Around my town there’s a restaurant dedicated to formal tea parties – dress up area and all. My mom, niece, sister, and I enjoyed many delightful afternoons together enjoying a tea party. This post reminds me – my family needs to plan a tea party soon.
I wish my local tea room was still in business. You are very lucky to have a place nearby to have a formal tea party. Fun!
I am dreaming of a fine China with a link pattern but my husband doesn’t allow me 😂
My husband rolls his eyes when he thinks of all of the space the boxes of china take up. The good news is, you can have a tea party with regular dishes or even some very fancy paper products.