You don't have to be aDownton Abbeydevotee to appreciate the charm and elegance of an English-style tea party, especially if you're planning a bridal shower. Whether your goal is a tasteful affair with a nod to yesteryear or you're simply trying to keep costs down, an intimate tea party is a delightful and relaxing counterpoint to the grand scale and overspending that pervade the 21st-century wedding industry. Ideally suited to a small gathering of friends or family, this pre-wedding party is easy to prepare in advance and gives guests the chance to celebrate the bride and socialize together over cocktails, tea, and snacks. Because of its simplicity, this party format may also appeal to a busy bride-to-be who'd like to host a thank-you tea for her bridesmaids.
A tea party lets the hostess be flexible with timing: If an afternoon or cocktail-hour celebration doesn't suit the bride's schedule, the menu can be modified for a midday or brunch celebration. To learn how to throw the best bridal tea party ever, we turned to London-based event plannerAngel Adoreefor her savviest planning and hosting tips.
Adoree, author ofThe Vintage Tea Party书系列,专门从事异想天开,高档茶parties known for their highly stylized retro vibe. Though her own events often feature elaborate touches such as meticulously crafted food and cocktails, period tie-ins like Charleston dance lessons, and even massages, she cautions the home cook against trying to take on too much. Focus on the essentials of the menu and mood-setting, she advises: "As the hostess, you need to set the tone with a relaxed energy, so if you're running out of time, cut something." And you don't need a huge budget to make a big impact, emphasizes Adoree. "These gatherings should not be expensive but rather full of charm and personality." To ensure your party has plenty of both, read on for her bridal shower tea party ideas, including picks fortea and cocktails,sweet and savory bites, andhosting tips.
Tea & Cockatils
Not a tea connoisseur? Not a problem. With a few carefully chosen purchases, you can serve your guests a selection worthy of a fancy tea salon. Adoree suggests offering at least three varieties:English breakfast,green tea, andmint tea. English breakfast tea is traditional and "pretty much loved by everyone" in England. (Adoree's personal favorite isTea Palace's Palace Breakfast“温柔、全面的味道”,但感觉free to use whatever brands you prefer for the teas you serve.) For your green tea selection, Adoree likes to use the flowering type, such asNumi OrganicorTeaposy. These large dried blossoms will unfurl dramatically as they steep in hot water, so use a glass teapot for the added visual treat. (Something fun to try: Add hot water to the flower three times during a party and notice how each variation tastes slightly different.) For a decaf option, Adoree likes mint tea because it pairs well with most foods. Served with plenty of sugar and a lemon wedge, she says it offers "the ideal balance of sweet and sharp."
For a cold beverage, offer guests iced jasmine tea (Republic of Teamakes a nice one), which you can serve sweetened (or not) with a few berries in each glass or mix with equal parts sparkling wine or seltzer for a distinctive cocktail. If stronger libations are in order, go with Adoree's potent interpretation of the tea-based cocktail,Pimm's Iced Tea, with its mixture of orange pekoe tea andPimm's No. 1.
When serving hot tea, Adoree likes to have guests make their own individual cups, except in the case of the flowering green tea, which is served from a pot. "Watching the steam and inhaling the aroma adds another layer to the sensory experience that's so much of what a tea party is about," she says. The most important rule when serving tea? Don't let it steep for too long, otherwise, you'll end up with a highly bitter aftertaste. Most teas only need to steep 1–4 minutes per serving, so be sure to check the instructions on the package. For a thoughtful touch, leave out some cutetea timersto guide your guests.
Sweets & Savories
Delicatefinger foodsset an elegant tone and are easy to maneuver while balancing hot cups of tea. "Small bits just feel more refined and special," notes Adoree. Sandwiches should be quartered, and if you're feeling really proper, go ahead and remove the crusts.
For the desserts, it's easy to measure out slightly smaller drops of dough when makingsugar cookiesor to halvebar cookiesinto bite-size servings. Serve fools—a classic British dessert of fruit and whipped cream in diminutive decorative glasses.
When it comes to preparation, "the key to enjoying yourself is to do as much ahead as possible," Adoree advises. The day before, you can make the sweets (with the exception of the fool's whipped cream), measure and prep your tea sandwich ingredients, and even roll the meat into flower shapes for theRose Beef Bites. The morning of the party will be all about assembly. If you're pressed for time, invite a fellow bridesmaid or family member to help. And don't shy away from shortcuts and substitutions, such as using prepackaged crostini for the toasted baguette in the beef bites. If berries and rhubarb aren't in season, any fleshy alternative like sliced plums, peaches, or figs will work for the fool's compote, says Adoree. She prefers these seasonal substitutes to using frozen berries, but if you do opt for frozen berries when making the compote, put them directly into the pan without defrosting first.
Set Up & Style
One of the most refreshing things about hosting a tea party is that you can make it as casual and low-key or asMad Hatter–outrageousas you'd like. No need to make everything match or follow English high tea protocol. Rather, Adoree encourages hostesses to embrace an eclectic style: "When my company does an event, all of our china is beautiful but mismatched, which is exactly the point." Borrow from friends, browse thrift shops, or go online for inexpensive teacups and charming serving pieces such as tiered trays. And take inspiration from Adoree, who likes to repurpose tabletop items creatively, such as using teacups for serving cocktails, sugar and creamer sets for setting out loose tea, and teapots for flower arrangements.
No matter how big your space, you'll want to centralize the food and plates on a buffet table to make it easy for guests to serve themselves. Tiered trays are ideal for sandwiches and sweets, and the beef bites should be neatly arranged on a pretty platter. You can either devote buffet space to drinks or, if you're planning to seat guests around your dining table, invite them to prepare their own cups of tea after they sit down.
If guests will be serving their drinks while seated, set the places with utensils, teacups and saucers, and glassware for chilled drinks. Then lay out the chilled drinks, teapots filled with hot water, a selection of loose or bagged teas, milk, sugar, and lemon wedges in the center of the dining table. (Put that lazy Susan to work if you've got one.) If you're serving loose tea, infusers make it easy for each person to steep her own. Don't forget to give each guest a little dish (like a small ceramic soy sauce dish) for resting an infuser or discarding a tea bag. Finally, plan to bring out the fool at the end of the meal, since you'll need to excuse yourself for a few minutes to whip the cream.
For favors, choose a parting gift that thematically reinforces the party's starring beverage: personalized packages of tea. Select a different floral tea for each guest—lavender for a spa lover or cornflower for a blue-eyed friend. Pack the tea (either loose or in tea bags) into a Mason jar or a pretty teacup wrapped in cellophane, along with a note explaining why you picked it. "This is a favor that's inexpensive but still fun, and guests always go wild for personal touches at parties—they're what they remember best," promises Adoree.
Brooklyn-based writer Lexi Dwyer is a frequent Epicurious contributor and a former travel editor forBRIDESmagazine. Her work has also appeared onGourmet Live, BonAppetit.com, iVillage, and NYMag.com.
