Everyone loves a tea party!
Have you ever wondered how to throw a potluck tea party? Here are some ideas, tips and tricks to make it a FUN and stress-fee event for you and your guests!
This year marks my TENTH Valentine’s Day Potluck Tea Party!!
**Recently updated with ideas for a CHRISTMAS tea party at the end of this post**
Let me back up.
Technically, my first Valentine’s Day tea party wasn’t a potluck.
I was about four months in to my new job teaching fourth grade and wanted to do something nice for the ladies I worked with. My mom and I were already into tea and were both experienced hostesses, but I’ll tell you…that tea party was exhausting! Hosting it at your home AND making all the food is just too much work.
And I found a picture from that first year!!
It was a really lovely day but I resolved “Never again!!” (that was just the exhaustion talking)
Then of course the next year, I wanted to host another one…so I came up with the brilliant plan of making it everyone’s favorite: a potluck.
The ladies loved it. It was so fun to see what everyone contributed, and it was soooo much less work for me (and my mom!).
Here we were that year!
I has JUST found out I was pregnant with our first son and was very excited to tell my coworkers that day!
This was our food:
The next year (2006), Andrew ATTENDED the party! He was 2.5 months old. I think THIS was the first one for Valentine’s Day.
This was the food that year.
Now! Are you ready for some insider tips??
If you’re new to potlucks…or new to tea parties…here are my tips and hard-won lessons!
{Be sure to check out my Pinterest boards for more ideas:}
Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day
It’s Always Tea Time Somewhere
1. Come up with a theme.
Choose a holiday, season or even just a color. A theme helps you plan the decor and activities.
Mine are usually Valentine’s Day, obviously, but I also threw one that was a Fairy Garden Tea Party, open to mothers and daughters alike. We wore glittery wings, crafted fairy wands and made fairy gardens. It was definitely my best one. I also did a Mad Hatter Tea Party and gave prizes away for the best hats.
2. Invite people and let them know it’s a potluck.
Let them know it’s not a formal high tea. And I always say “bring a festive fingerfood or dessert to share.”
3. Limit the food to fingerfoods so you don’t have to worry about forks.
It’s hard enough to handle a plate, a tea cup and saucer and a napkin without worrying about a fork.
4. Remind people that you need more than just sweets.
That was a lesson I learned the first year when 90% of the food was dessert! Now I request that a few specific guests provide things like sandwiches and vegetables to we have a better variety.
5. Provide tea cups and saucers for guests to borrow for the day, or ask your guests to bring along their favorite.
Remind guests that they are BORROWING your tea cups and saucers for the day. I once had a sweet friend try to leave with one of my favorites so now I always make it VERY clear that they’re not party favors!
6. Provide the tea, hot water and condiments.
Remember lemon, honey, sugar and milk (just don’t mix lemon and milk, it curdles). A variety of sugars is appreciated, like Sweet & Low and Stevia. I love to buy sugar cubes just for fun. Make sure to have tongs or spoons, a sugar and creamers set, etc. for serving.
7. Have one or two “tea stations” where people can prepare their tea.
I like to have one spoon in the sugar bowl and one on a small bowl that is used to stir. I don’t give each guest a spoon–it’s too much to juggle (see #3).
8. Provide linen napkins, or sturdy luncheon napkins.
Unless you have a LOT of tables and chairs set up, ladies will be eating while standing or with their plate in their laps AND will likely be wearing fancy clothes, so you don’t want to send guests home with strawberry jam stains on their dress.
9. Suggest guests’ attire.
The theme might dictate this, but ladies do like to know if it is a dressy or “come as you are” affair. I always say, “Festive attire is encouraged.”
10. Consider having a photo booth.
I did this last year and it was a highlight of the event. A few fun props and a simple back drop are all you need.
11. Have plenty of places for ladies to sit, and places where they can set their tea cup down.
Once you have a head count, go around your house and make sure there’s a spot for each lady to sit, and a nearby spot where she can sit her cup. Bring in extra side tables or garden stools if you need to.
12. Give prizes for the most festive food, festive attire, creative food, etc.
Ladies get excited about prizes! I give away tea cups and saucers, boxes of tea, tea-themed note cards, a jar of lemon curd or mini rose bushes.
13. Have platters, bowls, extra serving spoons and doilies available for your guests.
Some will come straight from the store with their food, or will forget a serving utensil. Be ready.
14. Consider having someone give a “tea-torial” on the history of tea, the types of tea and tea party etiquette.
Your guests will love it!
15. Make sure to have enough water, tea kettles and tea, assuming each guest will enjoy three cups of tea. You can also brew pots of popular teas (English Breakfast, Early Gray and something sweet like a vanilla cream are all nice), just let people know what it is.
16. If you have young guests, have herbal or fruit teas available.
17. Offer spa water in a pitcher plus a strawberry lemonade or punch for your non-tea drinkers.
18. Offer suggestions for food leading up to the event.
A Pinterest board dedicated to the event is a great idea.
Some of the favorites that we’ve had are:
- tea sandwiches (cucumber dill, salmon, egg salad, chicken salad, ham and cream cheese, tomato basil)
- pinwheel sandwiches
- scones (with jam and/or lemon curd)
- chocolate covered strawberries
- biscuits and jam
- veggie tray
- fruit tray
- fruit pizza
- fruit cabobs
- deviled eggs
- cheese straws
- caprese with heart-shaped mozzarella
- crackers and cheese
- shrimp cocktail
I always have bowls of mixed nuts and dinner mints, too. Is that just a Southern thing??
19. Prep as much as you can ahead of time so you can enjoy the event.
Keep lots of to-do lists and enlist help if you need to.
20. Wear something you feel fabulous in and enjoy the day!
Potluck tea parties are a blast! I hope these tips help you host yours. Please let me know if you have questions!
Be sure to check out my Pinterest boards for more ideas:
Follow Tabitha Dumas’s board Seasons:: Val Day & St. Pat’s Day on Pinterest.
Follow Tabitha Dumas’s board Entertaining:: It’s always tea time somewhere! on Pinterest.
Christmas Tea Party Ideas
Check my Event Ideas board here.
This is what I’m serving at an upcoming Christmas tea party I’m helping a friend host. Festive and easy!
PINS/SOURCES
Cranberry/apple chicken salad from Savory Lotus
Cupcakes from I Should Be Mopping the Floor with tons of other cute ideas for a vintage Christmas luncheon!
Caprese Salad Skewers with Balsamic Glaze from Personally Andrea
Chocolate dipped strawberries from Kevin and Amanda
This is awesome! Thank you. A couple of my friends and I hold a Mother Daughter Valentines potluck tea party. We just held our 3rd annual. I agree with all your tips and tricks and look forward to checking out your pinterest boards.
Oooo, Mother-Daughter, I need to do another one of those soon. Thanks for reading, let me know if you have questions! 🙂