How To Throw a Tea Party

 A guide to hosting a sunshiny tea party that's a cup above the rest.

Easter, Mother's Day, graduations, retirements, baby showers, and wedding showers often make springtime feel like one big celebration. No matter your reason for gathering -- the arrival of spring is reason enough -- a tea party creates a perfect atmosphere to make cherished memories with family and friends.

There's something so elegant and charming about a tea party where guests can nibble on scrumptious finger foods while sipping on warm cups of tea. How you celebrate is up to you. Maybe you go all in on the pastels. May you revive your grandmother's cherished china set. May your tea sandwiches be a divvied-up party sub from a deli. No matter how you take your tea, tea parties are for everyone: kids, adults, and especially girls like Alice who fall down rabbit holes.

The Setting

First things first: do you want your tea party to have a theme? Here are some ideas to help get you started.

Theme or no theme, consider whether you want to host your tea party indoors or outside. Fresh flowers and tea light candles make lovely table decorations, and film scores like those from Pride & Prejudice and Little Women can rally add to the ambiance. Need fancy teacups or serveware? See if you can borrow what you need, and embrace a mix-and-match look. Finally, consider some extra special touches, like lanterns, fairy lights, or even a bubble machine. (Because why not?)

Teddy Bear Tea: Have little guests bring along their beloved teddy bears to this party--just make sure to include extra table settings for their cuddly pals.

Garden Party: Host this soiree outside and enjoy all the enchanting scents of spring. A DIY flower crown station makes a nice addition.

Royal-Tea Affair: Perfect for anglophiles and aristocrats at heart, this is a great theme if you want guests to wear fancy hats or fascinators while embracing British tradition.

Books and Brews: Whether you're in a book club or looking to start one, host your next gathering tea party style. Because what pairs better with a good novel than a cup of tea?

Whimsical Wonderland: Channel Alice in Wonderland and include decorations like clocks, rabbit figurines, playing cards, and maybe a top hat or two.

The Sandwiches

Dill-icious Smoked Salmon: Rye bread + cream cheese + dill + smoked salmon

BL "Tea": Wheat bread + bacon + tomato + lettuce + mayonnaise

Radish Bliss: Sourdough bread + butter + chives + thinly sliced radishes

Sweet Raspberry Dazzle: White bread + chocolate-hazelnut spread + raspberry jam

The Teas

White Tea: When brewed, white tea is light in color and mild tasting, with a bit of natural sweetness.

Black Tea: Black tea is very dark, with a strong taste and fragrance. It's often enjoyed with lemon, sugar, or milk.

Green Tea: Generally, brewed green tea has a vegetal, grassy flavor and can be mildly bitter. It's often blended with jasmine or dried fruit for balance.

Oolang Tea: Oolong tea can taste sweet and fruity with honeyed aromas, or grassy and fresh with the smell of a floral bouquet.

Herbal Tea: This naturally caffeine-free brew can be made from a variety of herbs, plants, flowers, and dried fruits--often in combination.