I just love to have tea parties. They can be a lot of fun and give you a time to honor the relationship between a mother and her daughter. Here I am going to give you some ideas for a tea for mothers and daughters.
First, make a list of the mothers and daughters you would like to invite. I would not invite a whole lot of people, teas are more fun when they are intimate. After you make your list, it is time to make your invitations. There are all kinds of programs that will help you make your invites or you can make them at free sites on the internet. Just fill in the blanks and print. Once you have your invites done, plan on sending them out at least a month ahead of time. Be sure to include an RSVP as this will help you plan on the amount of food you will need.
Next you need to pick a color scheme and a location. Teas can be held in outdoor settings if you don't want to have it indoors, just make sure you do this at time when every one will be comfortable. Many parks have demonstration gardens or gazebos that you can use and decorate. Just make sure that you clean up and leave your location as in good shape or better than how you find it. Once you have decided that, you have made all the big decisions.
Now plan out your table settings. Are you going to seat everyone at one big table or are you going to cluster some round tables around? Now let's get to setting the table. Each place should have a tea cup and saucer, a small plate, a napkin, a teaspoon and a small butter knife. You will only need the butter knife if you will be serving sweet breads that will need buttering or cream cheese. Depending on your location, it might be easier to have just one big table. But a cluster of tables make a more intimate setting.
Now go to your local dollar store and get some plastic tablecloths that match your color scheme. While you're there pick up some silk flowers and baskets for centerpieces. Now on to the thrift store. You will need to find some lace curtains to put over your tablecloths.
Look around and find some pretty tea cups. If you don't want to buy the teacups, on your invitations you can ask your guest to bring their favorite along with them. Look around in the silverware bin and see if you can find some silver or silver plate teaspoons. They don't have to match. That's the fun of this. Look around and see if maybe you can find some old fashioned butter knifes. They are smaller and shorter than dinner knifes. Get some silver polish and polish them up. Now go over to the linens rack and see if you can find some napkins that match your color scheme. If not, Walmart sells fabric for $2.00 a yard. Get 2 yards and cut and hem your napkins.
It's real easy. The idea is to do luxury on a budget. You will need some glass trays or silver plated trays for your food. You can get these also at the thrift store. You're halfway there. Now you need to think about your food. The food for a tea party is finger sandwiches, small deserts, and of course, tea. You will want to serve lemon, sugar cubes and milk with your tea. Walk down the aisle at any local grocery and you will see many different types of teas. I would suggest using tea bags as they are more convenient and you can get such great flavors in tea bags. I would suggest have at least 3 different types of tea to serve. You should have a least 3 different kinds of finger sandwiches. These can be as easy as chicken salad, ham salad and tuna or egg salad. For the dessert side of things, you can serve cookies, assorted sweet breads or the small cupcakes that lots of the bakery now sell.
To make your centerpieces, fill the basket with foam and arrange your flowers. You do not want the arrangements to be to tall as this would make conversation difficult between your guests. Fill your teapot with hot water and serve each guest. Allow them to choose the type of tea they would like. Set out your snacks and let them serve these themselves, Relax and enjoy.
By Debra from Colorado Springs, CO
