Beautiful Bridal Tea Party Ideas and Recipes (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read ourdisclosure policy.

A Bridal Tea Party is a delightful and memorable way to honor and celebrate a bride-to-be. This timeless tradition exudes elegance and charm, offering a perfect setting for friends and family to gather and create lasting memories. From dainty finger foods to exquisite teas, here are some easy tips and recipes for hosting a beautiful bridal tea party.

Beautiful Bridal Tea Party Ideas and Recipes (1)

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email, and we’ll send it to your inbox.Plus, you’ll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!

How to Host a Bridal Tea Party

This timeless tradition exudes elegance and charm, offering a perfect setting for friends and family to gather and create lasting memories. From dainty finger foods to exquisite teas, here’s how to host a bridal tea party that will leave everyone feeling enchanted.

Creating the Scene

Creating the right ambiance is key to setting the tone for your bridal tea party. Choose a venue that complements the theme, whether it’s a cozy garden setting, a chic tearoom, or even the comfort of your own home adorned with delicate floral arrangements and romantic accents. Don’t forget to add some romantic lighting with candles or fairy lights to enhance the atmosphere.

Selecting Tea

Offer a variety of teas to cater to different tastes, from classic black teas to fragrant herbal blends. Consider serving a signature bridal tea blend like Harney and Sons Personalized Wedding Tea (they make excellent party favors too). Or opt for traditional favorites like Earl Grey and Darjeeling.

Sweet Treats

No tea party is complete without an array of delectable treats. Serve a selection of finger sandwiches, such as cucumber and cream cheese, smoked salmon, or egg salad. For a touch of sweetness, offer scones with clotted cream and jam, miniature cakes, and delicate pastries. Don’t forget to include some gluten-free and vegan options to accommodate all guests.

Adding Personal Touches

Make the bridal tea party truly special by incorporating personal touches that reflect the bride’s personality and style. Consider incorporating her favorite flowers into the décor, displaying photos of her and her partner, or creating custom place cards or favors for guests to take home as mementos of the occasion.

Plan Fun Activities

Keep the party lively and engaging with fun activities for guests. Here are some ideas:

Fun bridal questionnaires and quizzes
Two Truths and a Lie: Ask guests to write down two truths about themselves and one lie. Read them aloud, and the group will guess which one is the lie. This is a fun icebreaker.
Toilet Paper Brides: Sort the guests into smaller groups of 2-4. Each group will have a “model” who has to wear the TP dress. The others have a set time to make a dress out of their allocated materials— rolls of toilet paper! The facilitator chooses the winner, and they get a prize.
Bridal Poetry: Pair groups of guests, provide a word, and ask them to create an instant poem. Set a time limit and then have a guest from each team read the poem. The bride selects the winner and all poems can be bound together for the bride-to-be.

Capturing Moments

Ensure that you capture all the special moments of the bridal tea party by having a designated photographer. Encourage everyone to share their photos on social media with a unique hashtag to commemorate the event.

Hosting a bridal tea party is a wonderful way to honor the bride-to-be and create cherished memories with friends and family.

Tips on Hosting a Bridal Tea Party

These questions often arise when planning a bridal tea party, including hosting ideas, invitations, and more.

Where to host a Bridal Tea Party

A Bridal afternoon tea can be as formal or informal as you wish. A beautiful hotel tea room with elegant china and service is a dream, but backyard gatherings or simply serving tea on your table with festive decorations are memorable events the bride and your guests won’t soon forget. Keep in mind venue alternatives if you’re planning your tea outdoors.

Should you send formal invitations?

Sending invitations for a tea party is a special way to commemorate the event. Online sources like Paperless Post offer an easy solution for creating, sending, and managing your guest list.

Are tea party favors expected at a Bridal Tea?

This is the perfect occasion to offer tea party favors. Some of my favorite ideas are simply packaging tea cookies in festive wrapping, small boxes of scones, homemade jam or lemon curd, small containers of local honey, or jars of tea. Here are some helpful links:

Wedding Tea Favors
Personalized Tea Bags
Gift boxed Wedding Teaspoons
Tea Party Favor Boxes (perfect for homemade treats)
Mismatched Vintage Tea Cups and Saucers

Steps to Take When Planning a Bridal Tea Party

Create a guest list: Work with the bride to create a guest list. All guests must also be guests at the wedding.
Select a date and a venue for the tea.
Send invitations: It’s fun to match the printed or electronic invitations to the theme or colors you’ve chosen for the event.
Plan the tea and food: A tea party menu is generally a collection of finger foods, although quiches and cakes are often served whole and cut into servings. Finger sandwiches and scones are a must, and jam and clotted cream offerings are really nice. Be creative in your menu and if you need ideas, see the Bridal Tea Recipes at the bottom of this post.
Plan the tea table: This is the central focus of afternoon tea. Take time to plan the linens, serving pieces, and serveware, such as small plates, teacups, and saucers. Borrowing or renting tiered stands and tea settings can be a great resource. The
Assign tea tasks: One of the most important things to consider at the event is who will serve food and who will keep warm water ready for tea. Electric tea kettles can be a big help, as tea water will be in contact with it. Large urns also help store tea water, but it’s important that the urns have not been used for warming coffee, as it will affect the tea. This is a big job, so be sure you give thought to these tasks before the event.

Bridal Tea Party Inspirations

Create a beautiful bridal tea party with inspiration from these elegant hotel wedding afternoon tea ideas to more affordable picnic teatime ideas. Click the images to view the hotel and its wedding offerings.

Bridal Tea Party Recipes and Ideas

Beautiful Bridal Shower Afternoon Tea Party Recipes

Party Punch Recipe

Photo Credit:thegirlinspired.com

Party Punch is a non-alcoholic beverage with citrus flavors, a delicious Ginger ale fizz, and garnished with citrus slices and whole fresh raspberries.

Traditional Scones

Photo Credit:victoriamag.com

"Homemade clotted cream and lemon curd perfectly complementTraditional Scones, a simple recipe prized for its texture, taste, and versatility. While the fresh-baked treats are still warm from the oven, add a sprinkling of sparkling sugar for a touch of bridal splendor."

Raspberry Scones with Lemon Butter Glaze

Gluten-Free, Low-Carb Irish Cheddar, Ham & Chive Scones

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Served warm with mustard or clotted cream, these luscious scones are perfect for anyone following a keto diet."

Easy Cream Scones for Afternoon Tea

Traditional Irish Scones for Afternoon Tea

This traditional Irish Scones recipe is a light and delicious scone made with Irish butter and buttermilk. Lightly sweet with a moist, tender texture. Perfect for afternoon tea.

Strawberry Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches

Strawberry Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches with Creamy Lemon Dressing are a deliciously fresh and slightly sweet take on traditional chicken salad finger sandwiches. They're easy to make, delicious, and bright with the brilliant colors of summer.

Radish-Dill Canapes

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

A beautiful addition to any wedding afternoon tea.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Herb Aioli

Photo Credit:victoriamag.com

This trio of savories showcases a medley of spring’s brightest flavors. Clockwise from above left: Accents of green onCucumber Tea Sandwiches with Herb Aïoli,Ham-and-Apricot Pinwheels, andLobster Salad in Puff Pastryhighlight the season’s abundance of tender vegetables.

Dilled Salmon Mousse Canapés

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Scrolls of salmon mousse piped onto toasted bread make an elegant canapé in Dilled Salmon Mousse Canapés."

Cucumber-Watercress Tea Sandwiches

Photo Credit:www.williams-sonoma.com

"Tea sandwiches, like those you might find in a British-style teahouse, should be as petite and thin as possible. Loaves of thinly sliced sandwich bread, available at most grocery stores, are perfect for making these traditional teatime offerings."

Simple Ham Salad: Quick and Delicious

A simple ham salad recipe elevated to incredible with the addition of a few unique ingredients. And is utterly delicious. Ready in 10 minutes, it's a salad you'll make all season!

Easy Make Ahead Tea Sandwiches

Simple Lemon Curd Recipe

This easy Lemon Curd recipe is a velvety soft, utterly delicious 4 ingredient lemony spread that is exceptionally easy to make at home, on the stovetop, in 10 minutes. A perfect blending of sweet and tangy goodness. It tastes like springtime in every bite.

Easy Mock Devonshire Cream(clotted cream substitute)

Photo Credit:www.restlesschipotle.com

"Mock Devonshire cream (clotted cream) is simple to make in about 5 minutes and will give your scones a delicious upgrade!"

Lemon and Pea Risotto

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Fresh green peas and lemon add touches of color to these slightly crispy Lemon and Pea Risotto cakes. Garnished with microgreens, this savory dish is a delightful addition to your teatime menu."

Caramelized Leek & Pancetta Quiche

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Offer guests delectable slices of quiche flavored by leeks, fresh thyme, Gruyère cheese, and crispy pancetta."

Triple Cheese and Caramelized Onion Quiche

Photo Credit:rstyle.me

From Harry and David: A triple cheese and caramelized onion quiche is made with a rich custard of real eggs, caramelized onions, chives, heavy cream, cheddar, whole milk mozzarella, and feta.

Spinach, Leek and Blue Cheese Tarts

Photo Credit:tastebudsmagazine.co.uk

A delicious and light addition to the savory tea course.

Deliciously Easy Asparagus Mini Cheese Tarts

These Asparagus and Cheese Mini Tarts are an easy, favorite treat for afternoon tea, brunch, or any time asparagus is in season. A simple tart that’s minutes in the making.

Easy Mini Quiche Recipe

Homemade Mini Quiche is so incredibly easy to make, you'll find yourself skipping the freezer section of your market. Delicious party food, teatime snack (or coffee break too), this recipe shows you how simple it is to make 3 different mini quiche varieties in one mini muffin tin.

Egg Mayonnaise on Toast Points

Photo Credit:www.rct.uk

This savory recipe from the Royal Collection Trust is easy, festive, and perfect for a bridal tea.

Irish Baked Salmon and Cream Sauce

This Irish Baked Salmon recipe is deliciously fresh and easy to make with Irish flavorings and baked in a foil packet on a sheet pan. The drizzle of Dill Cream Sauce, which almost makes itself, is utterly divine and easy.

Lemon Elderflower (Royal Wedding) Cake

Photo Credit:www.anasbakingchronicles.com

"This royal wedding inspired Lemon Elderflower Cake is going to rock your world! Zingy lemon cake, paired with light and fluffy elderflower buttercream and filled with rich lemon curd – combination worthy of any celebration!"

Pineapple-Filled White Layer Cake

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Celebrate the season with this fluffy Pineapple-Filled White Layer Cake."

Mini Coconut Cakes

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Scrumptious coconut cake topped with beautiful buttercream rosettes creates an impressive dessert in Mini Coconut Cakes."

Pink Champagne Mini Cakes Recipe

Photo Credit:southernladymagazine.com

"Blush mini cakes made with pink Champagne Buttercream will elicit smiles all around for spring occasions."

Petite Vanilla Bean Wedding Cakes

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

An afternoon tea-sized version of a traditional wedding cake, these Petite Vanilla Bean Wedding Cakes are as charming as they are delicious. Petite Vanilla Bean Wedding Cakes pictured withJam-Filled Butter Cookie FlowersandLemon Cheesecake Squares.

The Best Pink Velvet Cake

Photo Credit:flouringkitchen.com

Simple Lemon Curd Tart Recipe

This French Lemon Curd Tart is inspired by Tarte au Citron, or French Lemon Tart. It's a creamy, slightly tangy lemon custard filling baked in a crisp, buttery shortbread crust. It's incredibly simple to make, and utterly delicious!

Victoria Sponge Cake: A Teatime Classic

This Victoria Sponge Cake is an afternoon teacake recipe, favored by Queen Elizabeth, with a long British royal heritage. An easy-to-make, simple two-layer cake that's lightly sweet, soft, and perfect!

Shortbread Tea Cookies with Lemon Curd

Shortbread Tea Cookies with Lemon Curd, topped with fresh blueberries, are tiny bites of perfection. Petit and perfectly sized for afternoon tea, they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

French Macaron Recipe

Photo Credit:sugargeekshow.com

"ThisFrench macaron recipeis perfect for beginners who want to learn the basics of making the perfect macaron."

Lemon Cakes

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Topped with stunning edible flowers, these cover-worthy cakes offer the bold and refreshing taste of lemon in each bite."

Lemon Mexican Wedding Cookies

Photo Credit:teatimemagazine.com

"Soft and buttery, these Lemon Mexican Wedding Cookies are a citrusy spin on the traditional sweet."

Berry Puff Pastry Tarts with Lemon Cream

These bite-size Berry Puff Pastry Tarts with Lemon Cream recipe is an easy afternoon tea dessert, Mother's Day brunch, or summer treat. Perfect, of course, with a cup of tea, a glass of frosted lemonade or iced tea, and a summer breeze. Easy, fresh, and perfect for the season.

More Afternoon Tea Ideas You Will Also Love

Food Ideas to Watch the Royal Wedding
How to Serve an Easy Afternoon Tea
Wedding Season Do’s and Don’ts
Spring Afternoon Tea: Easy Recipes and Ideas
Easy Afternoon Tea Tips For Your Next Tea

Save This and Pin for Later

Make sure you don’t lose track of this article by pinning it for later! If you are not already, you can follow me onPinterest, as well as keep up with me onFacebook,Instagram,andYouTube.