Vintage tea parties are back in fashion, partly thanks to Angel Adoree, a 1940’s-enthusiast and entrepreneur (you might have seen her on Dragon’s Den or Escape to the Chateau). The Vintage Patisserie is her hospitality company, and as you might imagine, it’s full of small, beautiful vintage touches.
Vintage Party Styling
You can create a vintage tea party in your own home, on any budget – so whether you’re throwing a birthday party, a baby shower, or you just want an excuse to invite your friends round for tea and finger sandwiches, have a look at these ideas that will tie your theme together including how to get a great table with the use of Tablecloths.
Look for Vintage China
eBay is a great source for genuine vintage cups and saucers – you can get matching sets or mix and match for a quirky look. If you have patience, you can also try scouring your local charity shops – but be warned, the prettiest sets get snapped up quickly. While you’re there, look for small bowls and dishes – these are great for serving food, like fresh berries or canapes. Keep an eye out for vintage teaspoons, too.
For Food, Think Small and Fancy
The smaller and more delicate the food, the better. Try looking at Pinterest for some easy canape ideas. Platters of raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and grapes look beautiful, and you can always go for the classic finger sandwich – cucumber, salmon and dill, and egg and cress are traditional options. It’s all in the presentation, so make the sandwiches very neat and tidy.
Go Fancy with Cupcakes
The more beautiful, the better – so practice your icing skills! A beautifully iced cupcake is delicious and looks great on the table too. You could also try making brownies or traybakes, and slicing them into very small, neat rectangles – this also looks great and may be a bit less fiddly than icing cupcakes.
Offer Different Types of Tea
It may not be traditional, but with so many types of tea out there, you can find something to suit every guest. Look for selection boxes of tea in the supermarket – these come in small packets, so they’re great for tea parties, as guests can help themselves.
Go for a Decorated Table
For the table, consider looking for second-hand cake stands (some companies hire them out for a small deposit if you don’t want to buy them). Vintage cake stands will hold your cakes and sandwiches nicely, and look beautiful, too.
For more décor ideas, consider fresh flowers – wildflowers look particularly pretty, and bunches of wildflowers tied with ribbon make great gifts for your guests. They also look pretty trailing across the table. Consider your tablecloth, too.
Vintage Styled Tablecloths
A pretty, patterned paper tablecloth is great, as you can scoop it all up and dispose of it at the end. However, if you’ve got a bigger budget, consider a vinyl or oilcloth one – this can be reused in the future. Take a look at the amazing range of tablecloths on offer here, perfect for your next vintage part or event. Our top tip is that if you pick your tablecloth first, you can build the colour scheme around it (for example, with matching napkins). A beautiful table is a must-have for a vintage tea party.