What do I need for an Afternoon tea at home: Part 2

There has been a surge of afternoon tea deliveries in recent weeks and I am so thrilled to see many people enjoying afternoon tea at home. While it is a lovely treat to have it delivered, the experience of having it in a hotel isn’t quite the same. That doesn’t necessarily have to be the case, so I’m going to show you how easy it is to add some extra detail. I have organised 100s of events of every variety, and I will tell you a little secret. No matter what kind of event it is one of the most popular questions is always “What am I eating?” Everyone wants to know what they are being served, not only for dietary reasons but because people are very fussy. (I could do a long posts about unusual requests - trust me!) As a host, without doing proper planning, you will be rushed off your feet when guests arrive. It doesn’t matter if they are your closest family and friends, as host everyone will look at you to help them for your needs.

In this article, I’m going to tell you about the importance of planning the fine details of an afternoon tea. Having these items will not only help you as a host to make things run smoothly, but it will also massively elevate the experience and impress your guests. I can just see my guest’s faces light up when they see a personalised menu and place card waiting for them. Trust me on this one.

Place card for Eileen, the Afternoon Tea Expert

Name cards

Name cards mean a table plan which you may not want to do but I really do think it helps with the smooth overall running of the day. Of course, it has to be well thought out to avoid any politics but done properly, can really add to a successful event. Think about where you need to sit first as host, do you need to be near the door to the kitchen for the example? If you know you will be shuttling back and forth for fresh tea then it makes sense for you to be in an easily accessible place rather than having to walk around your guests or sit in a spot that means other people have to move to let you out. Next, I think about dietary requirements. At afternoon tea, because you will be serving two maybe three people using the one tier, it makes sense to group any dietaries close to each other as you can. For example, if you have two vegetarians, then it would be much easier to have them seated together before they arrive. Thinking about all this detail in advance and simply asking guests to sit following the name cards helps with the smooth running of the event and makes you look like the host with the most!

The Menu

One of the best ways to make afternoon tea feel more special when at home is by adding a menu. A bit excessive I hear you say? Nonsense. Let me explain how adding a menu will not only elevate your guest’s afternoon tea experience but will make your life as a host so much easier. Picture the scene, your guests arrive and are seated at the table. You need to leave to make the tea and before anyone can even ask what they’re having they can look at the menu. Not only is this an added extra touch which immediately sets the scene as they sit down but it means your guests are suitably entertained while you arrange the tea and bring in the food. ️ They can also see what the sandwiches are so if you’re not in the room, say you go to fetch extra tea, they will know exactly which sandwich is which. Plus they can take it home as an added memory of the lovely time that they had in your house. This beautiful menu was created especially for my own afternoon tea party by Lovely in Letters. The menu is made by hand and is personalised for my occasion as I wanted it to match the tea set I was using. I definitely recommend checking out her page if you are planning a special afternoon tea in the future. She also ships outside of the U.K Next time you go for afternoon tea I highly recommend planning on having your own menu. If you don’t believe me try it and tell me what your guests think of it - I’m sure they will say it’s a lovely touch!

Table cloth and napkins

Alongside the menu and place cards, there are two other items which I think finish off your afternoon tea table beautifully. They are the napkin and the tablecloth. A lot of people would consider the tablecloth to be outdated but I think it adds an extra special touch to your table. There are also so many different styles and patterns that you can really add to the wow factor of your afternoon tea display. I mean after all, if you are going to spend all that time in the kitchen baking you want the decor to be just as good as the food! I have seen some beautiful displays of coloured table cloths peeking out under a white one to compliment your colour scheme. The second item is a napkin. Preferably linen, not only because it’s nicer but better for the environment, or a paper napkin. One of the first things I talk to people about at my events is the importance of putting the napkin on your lap. It keeps your clothes clean in case of any spillages

Having this extra planning will really help your afternoon tea be tea-riffic! (Sorry couldn’t help myself) If you want more ideas of what you need for an afternoon tea at home, make sure you check out my utensils guide or sign up to the newsletter for future ideas.