If you ask my friends, they would tell you that I am undoubtedly the mom of the group, and the appointed “hostess with the mostess.”
Since I was a little girl, I have been enthralled with the simplistic grace and class of a tea party, so here is exactly how to throw the perfect Bridgerton-themed tea.
Start with your tea set. I love the aesthetic of mismatched teacups and saucers, so look at local antique and thrift stores. Look for dainty china, not bulky mugs. Remember, this is a pinky-up kind of occasion.
Set your table with a lace tablecloth and cloth napkins. Add your teacups, saucers, and silverware. A floral arrangement also adds to your table, I recommend an arrangement of yellow roses, pink carnations, and baby’s breath. Yellow roses symbolize friendship, pink carnations symbolize love and fascination and baby’s breath symbolizes innocence.
Don’t forget to put your napkin on your lap after you sit. Manners will show you to be the season’s diamond at your table.
The tea will be the star of the afternoon, so pick something that suits your style. I prefer to place a selection of tea bags on the table to allow guests to choose their favorite. The etiquette of tea is important here. Only black tea gets milk and sugar, both of which are added after brewing to allow the strength of the tea to shine through.
Add small bite-sized pastries to a tiered platter. My favorites are petit fours, mini eclairs, and small tarts. All can be eaten politely, with minimal crumbs.
Then finger sandwiches, a delicacy reserved for afternoon tea, start with bread and cut off the crust to make them extra luxurious. Then make whatever kind of sandwiches you desire. I adore chicken salad sandwiches with walnuts, celery, and cranberries and cucumber sandwiches.
The soundtrack is very important. Use the Bridgerton Official Soundtrack on Spotify to set the ambiance of your tea with all the songs from the show.
Finally sit down, sip your tea and gossip with all of your friends.
Enjoy your Queen approved tea my diamonds, I’m sure Lady Whistledown will rave about it.
Don’t forget to tag us in all of your Bridgerton-themed adventures @hcstonybrook!