How To: Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea is one of those rituals that everyone wants to have a go at hosting at some point in their lives. It's a polite way to stuff your face with sandwiches and cake and not feel guilty about it because you weren't sat at home on the sofa surrounded with empty packets and crying over a soppy film. 

This post will show you how you can host a vintage afternoon tea, and not spend too much either!

Center Piece

Every table must have a center piece. Some people choose to use the cake stand as the center piece but you can always be a bit original, due to it being winter, my family decided to use a winter themed wooden plaque with little candle pots and holly to make the tables look cosy. 

You can collect pots from charity shops or keep empty jars to put candles in to add that extra bit of attention to the table. With the empty jars, you can cover them in PVA glue and stick scrap pieces of tissue paper on at a very low cost which will add different colours to coordinate the rest of the table with. Obviously the holly is very seasonal for this time of year, so be inventive! Decorate with flowers or ornaments!

Crockery 

I find that the best looking afternoon tea displays are the ones where nothing matches, everything down to tea cups, saucers, milk jugs and tea pots! It adds that Alice In Wonderland twist to it, which nearly everyone thinks of when 'Afternoon Tea!' is mentioned!

Again, charity shops are your best bet at finding cheap and cheerful crockery, and even better, none of it will match! Or if you have elderly family members, you'll find that they may have old vintage tea sets which will absolutely fit the style.

Also from the good old charity shops, you can find sheets with patterns and colours to throw over the table as table cloths with personalise each table, or you may have your own. 

   

                                                                   Food                                                             

Finally, FOOD! Which of course is the best bit. Afternoon tea's have kept the traditional cucumber sandwiches and scones to satisfy the eaters, but that's never enough. Sandwich fillers such as ham, egg, cheese and chicken give people an option as not everyone will like whats available. Also make sure you cut them into finger sandwiches, that's an absolute must! Cakes including fruit cake, lemon drizzle, scones, chocolate sponge and victoria sponge also give people a variety and its guaranteed that there will be no waste! 

I hope this How To helps you to get an idea of how you can experiment with your afternoon tea!