Have you ever accidentally started a tradition? It’s a funny thing to do something one time, then again and suddenly you’ve created a pattern. Back in 2015, I didn’t intend to create an annual tea party but that’s exactly what happened. This year marks the fifth fall having hosted my Thanksgiving-inspired tea time with friends. (Last year I blogged about this event, too!) It’s grown significantly since hosting 3 friends to a cuppa, and it delights me to my core that it’s an event that my guests look forward to each year.
To celebrate 5 years (half a decade!) of hosting my autumn afternoon tea, I’m sharing 5 tips that I’ve learned to make a tea party great.
1. Make-ahead so you can bake fresh
I’m thankful for my freezer many times throughout the year, especially in the fall/winter when I’m baking up a storm. My favourite trick is to make everything and freeze it ahead of time in a single layer on a sheet pan. For most baked goods, once the scooped/cut recipe is frozen solid, you can toss all the items together into a container or freezer bag for and repeat the process with your next recipe. For this annual tea, my favourite make ahead items are:
- biscuits
- cookies
- cheesecake
- truffles
- puff pastry
- apple filling
- apple butter
- clotted cream
2. Mix vintage with new
If you’re hosting an afternoon tea for the first time, chances are you won’t have a full service set for each guest. I’m in my fifth year and I’m still working on moving over to formal plates, chargers and cutlery. While you could rent these items from an event rental or styling company, you can just as easily visit your local party store to pick up some deluxe disposable plates and cutlery. For this year’s tea, I mixed vintage china teacups with modern serving trays and disposable place settings. Elegance on a budget.
Tip: Serve tea in a silver teapot.
Besides being fancy, a silver teapot retains heat longer than a ceramic pot. What a hot tip!
3. Invest in high quality tea
Everyone loves the standard Tetley orange pekoe, but if you want to host everyone to an extra special treat, try a fine tea merchant from one of the many bougie grocery stores. A local favourite tea company of mine is Sloane. I’ve been a fan for years, especially their seasonal teas (peach tea in the summer, yes please). It’s something I don’t mind splurging a little on for this special occasion.
Other favourites are Lipton sachets, which are a budget-friendly pick. I like to have a mix of low and high end teas, served in different silver teapots so guests know which is which. Since tea will be flowing, things can add up quickly ($$$).
4. Make your menu special
All the food from my tea parties is homemade. If not by me then by another family member. But the extra special piece is that it’s always tied to the season.
In the fall, I emphasize pumpkin, spice, apple and other key flavours. Keeping things dainty, I can definitely pack an autumn punch into a scone. Each year I try new things, test new recipes and seem to make the menu a bit bigger. This year’s menu donned:
- Turkey and cucumber sandwiches (an annual favourite)
- Turkey salad sandwiches
- Stuffing phyllo pockets
- Camembert and apple tarts
- Sweet potato scones
- Maple bacon scones
- Three cheese scones
- Clotted cream
- Apple butter
- Glazed cheesecakes (with a pumpkin, orange centre)
- Apple pie bites (an annual favourite)
- Chocolate and chai cream puffs
5. Decorate and set the theme
It’s an afternoon of hosting, but don’t forget about decor and music. Plan ahead and get these things ready before you start baking.
To nod to the autumn theme, I borrowed some white pumpkin decorations from my living room to scatter around the table. Scored amazing laser-cut maple leaf placemats from Dollarama to place under my serving tiers. Used a few cinema-letter light boxes with on-theme phrases. And arranged the easiest rose bouquet ever. I simply stripped the greenery from a few dozen roses that I picked up the day before the party, cut about a foot off the stems and placed them in glass water goblets that masqueraded as vases for the day. Less than $100 for a fully (and frugally) decorated table for a dozen people!
6. (Bonus) Take a moment to enjoy the party
Hosting a tea can be exhausting. Brewing, pouring, mingling, plus all of the prep work. Then before you know it the afternoon has flown by and you didn’t get a chance to chat with everyone. Or worse, try that new scone recipe that everyone raved about.
Sit down and sip some tea even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time. Your feet will appreciate the break and you’ll get to experience your event from your guests perspective.
Happy tea party planning!
