Tea parties in many forms have been all the rage for a while now; afternoon teas, high teas, shabby chic teas, tea dances, Downton Abbey inspired teas, and steampunk styled teas. I am now quite sure that we have come full circle on this style of wedding reception, but I also believe there is always room for improvement! Here are my five simple tips to ensure that your vintage tea party wedding is perfect.
Vintage Tea Parties Need a Vintage Menu
If you want to create the perfect vintage tea party wedding, make sure that the food matches the style you have chosen. Avoid including cupcakes — they are the scene-stealers of the traditional tea table. Large doorsteps of cake might sound like a good idea but they will intimidate your well-dressed guests who will (trust me) always opt to fill up on the smaller, more elegant bites. Here are my choices:
Pretty, herb-edged sandwiches containing:
- Cream cheese, walnut and watercress
- Chicken and tarragon
- Molasses ham with heirloom tomatoes
Savoury bites:
- Herb scones with smoked trout
- Parmesan and anchovy straws
- Bite size herb sausage rolls — always serve these fresh from the oven, outstanding!
- Stuffed eggs — trust me, they are delicious; we trialled them recently and they went down a storm
Stands full of small cakes in lots of traditional flavours:
- Honey cakes
- Shortbread
- Lavender and lemon cakes
- Cherry cakes
- Coffee and walnut
A soupcon of patisserie:
- Savoury choux puffs
- Cream horns
Think Drink
It’s not just about the tea — serve elegant soft drinks and mocktails as well, especially at the height of summer.
- Homemade raspberry lemonade
- Fresh elderflower, apple and ginger ale cocktails
- A variety of tea blends to try — just remember the tea strainers
Look at the Location
Think about your venue before you choose your vintage tea party wedding menu; not just the style but also the logistics. Bunting looks very out of place in a palace!
Cap the Cost
Ironically, shabby chic styles of wedding are rarely a cheap option. To do this style well you need to budget for a lot of vintage hire items (tea cups, tea pots, antiques to dot about the place etc). If you are one of the crafty set or an antique collector, you can create this look without too much hassle. Otherwise, you might find yourself going over budget looking for the perfect pieces.
Keep Timings Short and Sweet
Unless you intend having a very short reception (two hours or less), ensure you plan on feeding people another meal to fuel the party.
Guest post by Julie Gray of Bovingdons
Image from 50’s Style Vintage Wedding Shoot by Claire Penn Photography
