Written by: Jude Bokovoy
Getting bogged down by doing repetitive activities with friends and loved ones? Looks like it’s time for a tea party. Creating a little event for those who one cherishes can be the perfect way to show appreciation for them. Hosting a tea party is ideal for people of all ages, for any season and gets people outdoors, dressed up and participating in something unique.
Thrifting — Don’t break the bank by purchasing a full tea set from an antique store. Instead, buy the necessary items from a thrift store. This is more environmentally friendly and will give the party more personality for pennies on the dollar. To keep costs even lower, and provide an activity for guests, ask each of them to bring a thrifted tea cup and tea plate.
Cuisine — Simple finger sandwiches and little cookies will do just the trick. Grab some fun cookie cutters to dress up three ingredient cucumber and tomato twiddle sandwiches. This aspect could also be potluck-style if one is desiring a heartier meal along with the experience. Since iced drinks are more suited for the season, there is no need to go crazy with tea. It is more than okay to grab a jug of iced tea from the grocery store to serve from a decorative pot.
Invitations — Make this a special occasion for guests to look forward to. Send out custom invitations with the date, time, location, attire and anything else that they may need to bring. This can be done digitally or through physical print by spending no more than 20 minutes on Canva for free.
Location — A tea party can take place indoors or outdoors. If one desires outdoor seating, there is a great variety to choose from. The event could take place in one’s backyard, public park or even at the beach.
Attire — Who doesn’t like dressing up? Figure out what is reasonable for guests to already own that would suit the event or keep things simple by asking to wear a sundress or a light-colored shirt and shorts. Create a mood board to give guests inspiration and make sure everyone gets the memo.
Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu
