Host An English Afternoon Tea with Beautiful Tabletop Accessories

A traditional English afternoon tea party in the garden, complete with beautiful tabletop accessories, is a great way to celebrate almost any occasion, from birthdays to engagements to Mother's Days.

Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1783 – 1847), who was a close friend of Queen Victoria, is credited with inventing the afternoon tea. Apparently, she liked to have her butler deliver tea and an assortment of sweet and savory treats to her sitting room around 4pm. (In those days, lunches were light and dinner was served as late as 8:30pm, so it was common for people to feel hungry as the afternoon wore on.) The Duchess soon began asking her friends to come around and join her – and the concept of the afternoon tea party caught on in many middle and upper class households.

An afternoon tea menu typically consists of a variety of sandwiches, including chicken mayonnaise and pine nuts, cucumber and mint, ham and cheese, smoked salmon and dill, as well as sweets like Madeira cake, chocolate éclairs or cream puffs, and sponge cake.

And, of course, a selection of fine teas should be on offer, including Earl Grey, Afternoon Darjeeling, and iced tea served in beverage dispensers if your party is in the Spring or Summer.