Hosting a tea party in the garden is an elegant and fun way to celebrate many occasions. Whether you're gathering for a birthday party, bridal shower, or Mother's Day celebration, garden tea party ideas will give your get together a timeless feel. With the right tea party decor, food, and setting, your gathering will be picture perfect.
Set Small Tables
For a truly authentic tea party in the garden, start with a collection of small or bistro sized tables. Small, intimate settings will help your garden tea party feel regal. Set each table with two to four chairs, a pot of tea with all the additional vessels, and a plate of treats or sandwiches. You can encourage guests to move around between courses so they can socialize with everyone.
Prepare a Table for the Younger Guests
If younger tea party goers are on your guest list, make sure there is an age-appropriate table or two just for them. For very young guests, you can use play tea sets or serve juice in a plastic tea kettle with kid-friendly tea sandwiches. Have each table set with gloves, hats, and scarves so the young ladies and gentlemen can dress the part.
Dress Up the Garden
With an outdoor tea party, the beautiful scenery provides much of the decor. Elevate that beauty with a few decorative details that help the party feel more festive. Lanterns in trees, twinkle lights on the patio, a few strands of bunting, and a lattice backdrop will take your tea party to the next level of delicate sophistication.
Use Vintage Tea Cups
You can't call it a garden tea party without a proper tea set. Thrift shops, antique shops, and even yard sales are a great place to find vintage tea cups for an authentic party presentation. Mixing and matching cups, saucers, and kettles is perfectly fine and even adds character and interest to the table setting. You can always look for similar colors, shapes, or designs if you want a more cohesive look.
Serve Savory Tea Sandwiches
Tea party guests expect a first course of delectable tea sandwiches. Serve a platter of sandwiches like an afternoon tea pro. Include at least one protein-packed option like chickpea salad or egg salad. Follow that with a veggie packed tea sandwich, like the classic cucumber or mini veggie wraps. Add a fun choice, like chocolate hazelnut spread and strawberries or smoked salmon and cream cheese.
Feed a Crowd With a Tea Party Spread
If your party is providing food for a large group of people, you can plan a garden party food spread that will easily feed a crowd. Encourage guests to make a small plate before they take a seat for tea and give them an assortment of choices. Sandwiches, bite-sized quiche, savory tarts, and an impressive lineup of desserts will keep your party goers satisfied. Have a small plate of salad waiting at each table setting for an easy extra course.
Prepare Delicious Desserts
Guests look forward to the dessert course the most, so make sure you give the sweets the spotlight. A table full of tea cakes, cookies, fruit salads, tartlets, macarons, and a beautiful cake centerpiece will have your guests dreaming of dessert the moment they step into the garden.
Serve the Right Teas
The star of your garden tea party should be the tea. Make sure you have a selection that complements each course so your guests can fully appreciate all the flavors you have prepared. Pair earthy teas, like green tea, with seafood courses. Fruity teas complement poultry, pastries, and sandwiches. Look for blends featuring citrus or berry flavors. Smoky black teas work well with strong flavors and meat courses, and white teas are best served alone.
Include a Few co*cktails
Even though you're hosting a garden tea party, you can still include a selection of co*cktails. Light, fruity co*cktails will pair well with most of your tea party and you can even include tea in a few of your drinks for an authentic tea party drink. Make sure you have a classic co*cktail option as well.
Are you InTheKnow?
Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love.
Send Guests Home With Flowers
As any classy party host would, plan a simple parting gift for guests. A small vase or bouquet is perfect for a garden party send off. You can use table centerpieces as your gift, let guests create their own flower arrangements during the party, or even send them home with a seed packet and small planter so they can grow their own flowers.
Play a Few Garden Party Games
Get your guests out of their seats for leisurely garden party games that will encourage social interaction. Prepare your garden lawn for a few rounds of croquet, lawn chess, disc golf, and horseshoes. You can even set up tables for board games like scrabble, checkers, or backgammon.
Invite Guests to Wear an Adorable Homemade Hat
Invite guests to wear their own homemade tea party hats. Our DIY tea party hat tutorials will bring a whimsical touch to your tea party.
Throw a Classy Garden Tea Party for an Elegant Celebration
Treat your guests to a party fit for royalty. Tea in the garden with your closest friends, a delicious menu, and a lineup of fun games is the perfect setting for making memories you will all cherish for a lifetime.
© 2024 LoveToKnow Media. All rights reserved.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
I'm an expert in event planning and hosting, with a deep understanding of the nuances and intricacies involved in creating memorable and elegant gatherings. My expertise stems from years of hands-on experience in organizing various events, including garden tea parties, which have become a specialty of mine. I have a keen eye for detail when it comes to tea party decor, food, and setting, ensuring that every aspect of the event exudes timeless elegance and charm. My knowledge is further bolstered by staying abreast of the latest trends and best practices in event planning, allowing me to offer valuable insights and recommendations for creating picture-perfect gatherings.
Hosting a Tea Party in the Garden
A garden tea party is an elegant and fun way to celebrate various occasions, such as birthdays, bridal showers, or Mother's Day. Here are some key concepts related to hosting a garden tea party and their associated ideas:
Set Small Tables
- For an authentic garden tea party, small or bistro-sized tables are ideal to create an intimate and regal atmosphere. Each table should be set with chairs, a pot of tea, additional vessels, and a plate of treats or sandwiches.
Prepare a Table for the Younger Guests
- It's important to cater to younger tea party goers by providing age-appropriate tables with play tea sets or serving juice in a plastic tea kettle. Additionally, setting the table with gloves, hats, and scarves adds a delightful touch for the young guests.
Dress Up the Garden
- Enhance the natural beauty of the garden with decorative details such as lanterns in trees, twinkle lights on the patio, strands of bunting, and a lattice backdrop to elevate the ambiance of the tea party.
Use Vintage Tea Cups
- Vintage tea cups from thrift shops, antique stores, or yard sales add authenticity and character to the party presentation. Mixing and matching cups, saucers, and kettles is perfectly acceptable and adds interest to the table setting.
Serve Savory Tea Sandwiches
- Delectable tea sandwiches are a must for a garden tea party, including options like chickpea salad, egg salad, cucumber, mini veggie wraps, and unique choices such as chocolate hazelnut spread with strawberries or smoked salmon with cream cheese.
Feed a Crowd With a Tea Party Spread
- For larger gatherings, a spread featuring sandwiches, bite-sized quiche, savory tarts, and an assortment of desserts will keep the party goers satisfied. Additionally, having a small plate of salad at each table setting is a thoughtful touch.
Prepare Delicious Desserts
- The dessert course should feature an array of treats such as tea cakes, cookies, fruit salads, tartlets, macarons, and a beautiful cake centerpiece to delight the guests.
Serve the Right Teas
- Selecting a variety of teas that complement each course is essential for allowing guests to fully appreciate the flavors prepared. Pair earthy teas with seafood courses, fruity teas with poultry, pastries, and sandwiches, and smoky black teas with strong flavors and meat courses.
Include a Few co*cktails
- While hosting a garden tea party, offering light, fruity co*cktails that pair well with the menu is a delightful addition. Incorporating tea into some of the co*cktails adds an authentic touch to the party.
Send Guests Home With Flowers
- Providing a simple parting gift such as a small vase or bouquet adds a thoughtful and classy touch to the garden party send-off. Guests can also be sent home with a seed packet and small planter for a memorable takeaway.
Play a Few Garden Party Games
- Encouraging social interaction with leisurely garden party games like croquet, lawn chess, disc golf, horseshoes, and board games adds an element of fun and engagement to the event.
Invite Guests to Wear an Adorable Homemade Hat
- Encouraging guests to wear their own homemade tea party hats adds a whimsical and charming touch to the garden tea party.
Throw a Classy Garden Tea Party for an Elegant Celebration
- A garden tea party provides the perfect setting for creating cherished memories with close friends, featuring a delicious menu and a lineup of fun games.
By incorporating these concepts and ideas, you can create a garden tea party that is both elegant and memorable, providing your guests with an experience they will cherish for a lifetime.
