How To Serve The Tea Party Buffet-Style - TEA PARTY GIRL

U a
How to Serve the Tea

Party Bu!et-Style
Apr 9, 2023
(Updated Edition from 2008 Original)
Linda recently left me the following question:
I hope you will answer this message and help me!

My daughters are hosting a baby shower tea
party for their sister in May. I want to know the
best and most appropriate way to set a bu!et
table for 20 people. I have teacups for each guest
and assorted teapots. There is a formal dining
room table and a server in the room that can be
set-up. This sounded like such a pretty way to
honor my daughter and her baby girl….I am now
regretting the decision as I want it to be etiquettly
(sic) as correct as possible.
I hope you can help me or direct me!
Thank you.
It’s such a good question and I quickly wrote Linda

encouraging her not to regret her decision! A tea
bu!et is a simple and beautiful way to host a less
formal tea gathering.
In fact, in many tea rooms I’ve visited, guests are

encouraged to choose their own teacup before
taking a seat. And remember, afternoon tea is not
called high tea because it is traditionally served at
low tables (like a co!ee or tea table) instead of a
high table (like the dining room table). Many teas
are served from a bu!et table.
Whether for an afternoon tea, or even a special

occasion such as a baby shower or bridal shower,
bu!et style makes everything so much easier for
the hostess and possibly more enjoyable for the
guests, who can circulate and sit comfortably in
di!erent places. No need for counting exact
numbers, sorting place cards, or worrying who
one might be seated next to!
Here are Tea Party Girl’s top six

suggestions for serving a bu!et
tea:
1. Keep your food pretty, but simple. Serve
nothing drippy, extra-hot (except the tea – more
on that later!), or that requires cutting with a knife.
Stick to tea sandwiches, scones, and bite-size
desserts. That is the beauty of afternoon tea – the
tea party food can be a combination of sweet and
savory and only needs to be light.
2. Stack salad-size plates for your guests to use for
their finger foods. Guests should only have to
carry the plate, a napkin, and a teacup with
saucer.
3. As I have suggested before, serve only two teas
– an herbal/decaf and a black tea of choice that
you brew ahead. DO NOT put out a number of
teabags for your guests to choose from and
expect them to brew their own tea and deal with
drippy teabags.
4. Stacked teacups (as seen in the picture above)
are an appropriate way to conserve space at the
bu!et table. Appoint someone ahead of time the
honor of pouring the tea for the guests. After
o!ering the guests the two choices of tea, fill the
teacup 2/3 full. This allows the tea to stay hot and
gives them room for milk and sugar. Hand the
teacup to the guest.REMEMBER~when serving tea
do not separate the cup from the saucer, but
always handle the cup from the saucer only.
5. It’s ideal for your guests to be able to sit by a
low table within arms reach. If they are holding a
teacup and a plate of goodies, they will need a
place to set down one or the other, though they
can possibly set their tea treat plate on their laps
while holding their cup and saucer.
6. If you leave teapots on the bu!et table for your
guests to help themselves to another cup of tea,
you must plan a way to keep the tea warm. There
are several ways this can be done. A simple way is
with a carafe or insulated thermos, but a pretty
tea cozy is just delightful. Another option is a tea
pot warmer and there are plenty of options for
these. Again, the ideal is to appoint someone to
make the tea in the kitchen and roam among the
guests providing fresh and hot pours.Here are
some of our favorite choices for keeping the tea
warm if you would prefer the guests just help
themselves as they please.We’re in love with this
beautiful blue and white designed-in-England tea
cozy:
A thermally insulated carafe or ‘thermos’ is a

popular and e!ective idea – such as this highly
rated one here:
Whilst there are many teapot warmers that you

could use for an afternoon tea party, or even for
everyday use, most of them use a tea light candle,
or other form of flame for heating. This is lovely
for the e!ect, but potentially dangerous. So,
unless you are certain to be sitting alongside the
teapot warmer while it is being kept warm by the
flame, we prefer the idea of an electric teapot
warmer. Just like this one:
Lastly, here’s an excerpt from my article, “How to

Prepare the Tea Party for a Crowd” that applies to
the tea party bu!et:
“If using a bu!et table, use boxes under the

tablecloth or three-tiered trays for visual height.
Determine how you can incorporate your theme
into the bu!et’s decorations and provide plenty
of serving utensils so people don’t have to use
their fingers to select their items. And remember,
no scented candles to interfere with the
fragrance of the food and tea!”
Does that answer your question, Linda? Does

anyone else have a question or advice to add
regarding serving the tea party bu!et style?
Bu!et style really can be a great idea! Please
add your comment below.
8 Comments
Steph W on March 29, 2008 at 6:50 am
I agree that bu!et tea parties are fantastic!
(In fact, if you were invited to tea at the
White House, it would likely be a bu!et!). I
wish Linda all the best!
Reply
Karen (Karooch from Scraps of

Mind)
on March 30, 2008 at 2:08 am
Reading your instructions makes me feel

inspired to hold a tea party of my own
Jennie.
Done your way, it really lifts the event into

something special.
Reply
PreSchool Mama on March 30, 2008 at

7:54 am
I once attended a housewarming bu!et

tea party, and it was so so elegant. These
are all great tips.
Reply
linda on March 30, 2008 at 3:05 pm

Thank you so much for the wonderful
suggestions! The idea for a tea party is very
new to me….As a primary teacher, I’ve
hosted Teddy Bear Tea Parties but never
one as special as the one we are now
planning. I am now looking forward to an
elegant celebration for my first
granddaughter!Thank you so much!
Reply
LaRene on April 1, 2008 at 2:23 pm

I’m impressed to see you come up with so
many steps and tips. To me, I never think
about how many steps I could or do take
to set up any kind of party. Including when
my grandchildren all come to the house at
once and they are hungry.
When I think about it, you are right. There

are that many steps to having any kind of
party. What a niche you have.
Reply
Susan Dean on April 1, 2008 at 3:00 pm

This is Great Information. Every woman
reading these articles should be moved to
host a tea party for some of their friends.
As you have stated – it does not take very
much to host one. The season is now
perfect to host tea parties. Ladies – Let’s
get started!
Reply
Marie on July 8, 2008 at 11:07 am

I was just asked this past Sunday to host a
tea party for the ladies at our church. I
came across your website via Google and
very glad I did! I have no experience
whatsoever with tea parties and your tips
are very helpful. But what if I don’t have
tea cups and saucers for 20 women?
Would it be too tacky to have 20 di!erent
cups/saucer sets? I’d have to hit up the
local Marshalls/TJ Maxx for enough.
Reply
Nery Alfonso on November 1, 2009 at

10:22 pm
The ladies at my church are hosting a

bu!et style tea party. If all the tea cups,
plates,etc. are going to be on the bu!ete
table, what about the tables? Do we leave
the tables empty, except for the center
piece?
I am in charge to decorate. I like the idea of

the bu!et, but I am not sure about not
having the tables empty.
Thank you for your advice,
Nery
Reply
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U a

How to Serve the Tea

(Updated Edition from 2008 Original)

Linda recently left me the following question:

I hope you will answer this message and help me!

It’s such a good question and I quickly wrote Linda

In fact, in many tea rooms I’ve visited, guests are

Whether for an afternoon tea, or even a special

Here are Tea Party Girl’s top six

A thermally insulated carafe or ‘thermos’ is a

Whilst there are many teapot warmers that you

Lastly, here’s an excerpt from my article, “How to

“If using a bu!et table, use boxes under the

Does that answer your question, Linda? Does

Karen (Karooch from Scraps of

Reading your instructions makes me feel

Done your way, it really lifts the event into

PreSchool Mama on March 30, 2008 at

I once attended a housewarming bu!et

linda on March 30, 2008 at 3:05 pm

LaRene on April 1, 2008 at 2:23 pm

When I think about it, you are right. There

Susan Dean on April 1, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Marie on July 8, 2008 at 11:07 am

Nery Alfonso on November 1, 2009 at

The ladies at my church are hosting a

I am in charge to decorate. I like the idea of

Looking For Something?

“Grab 52 Free Afternoon

Our Most Popular Posts

How to Prepare a Tea Party for a Crowd

Eight Helpful Tips for Your Sit-Down Tea Party

Dear Tea Party Girl – How Do I Make Tea For A

The Truth Behind Teacups and Saucers

Can Co!ee and Tea Help You Grow Taller

A Scrumptious Vegan Tea Party

How To Host A Downton Abbey Tea Party

You Can Make Money Hosting Children’s Tea

Planning a Children’s Etiquette Tea Party

Blog Post Categories

Tea The Beverage

Tea Party Etiquette

Children’s Tea Party

The Tea Party

Tea Party Food

Tea Party Themes

Tea Cups & Tea Wares

Tea Party Girl Thoughts

Tea Party Girl

TEA PARTY GIRL

This website was expertly created by A Better

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