The Southern Tea Party: Do It Your Way
When playful Southern culture meets classic afternoon tea, it’s gonna be a memory maker. After all, Southerners have long had their own tea party styles and traditions – not to mention their own blends of tea! Served hot or iced, Luzianne® Southern Blends teas are perfect additions to any tea party menu, lovingly crafted by our tea experts with the South’s juiciest fruit flavors and fragrant botanicals.
Why not be royalty for a day?
The one rule for a Southern tea party is that we’re queen (or king) for the day when we sit down to sip delicious brewed tea from mix-and-match vintage china cups, nibble on finger sandwiches and scones, and catch up on the gossip. It’s a grand way to bring your favorite people together to share moments and celebrate any occasion.
The key word for eats at a tea party is “special.” Whatever you serve, make sure it’s not “everyday.”
We’ve brewed up some tips for hosting a Southern tea party that’s as unique and charming as you are:
- A theme adds to the fun. Fancy hats, a teddy bear tea, beaucoup flowers, a certain color that everyone should wear, a literary theme, a seasonal theme – this is a chance to infuse your own unique personality into the table setting, decorations, menu, and every sip of tea at your party.
Tiered cake trays, antique books and a dish of honeycomb help to sweeten this tablescape.
- Set the table, set the scene. Got grandma’s china tea cups and silver spoons? Or an auntie who collects porcelain tea pots? Let them set the tone for decorations. Shop thrift stores for retro teacups to create an eclectic, vintage vibe. Or go modern! It’s about you doing you.
- Dress up the tea selection. Serve a strong black tea everyone’s familiar with, then round out the selection with the delicious herbal, fruit and floral flavors of Luzianne Southern Blends. Don’t forget garnishes, add-ins and sweeteners: Orange, lime and lemon wheels. Fragrant honeys and sugars. Mint sprigs and cinnamon sticks. Finally, who says you can’t have a boozy Tea Punch or Tea Cocktails at a tea party? Guests love options!
Luzianne® Southern Blends teas were lovingly crafted by our tea experts with the South’s juiciest fruit flavors and fragrant botanicals.
- Fancy food reigns. We’re not saying it’s a rule, but everyone loves delicate finger sandwiches and pretty cookies and cakes at a tea party. A classic Southern spread of dainty delicacies is sure to elicit ooh’s and ahh’s from your guests.
- Play games and share stories. Let your people catch up on the gossip, but after that, a group activity will ramp up the fun and pull everyone together. Have a singing competition or a crafting session. Play croquet. Tell tall tales that make everyone laugh. Swap recipes. Have a fancy hat contest. Put on a little play. Southern culture is all about storytelling, in whatever way you love.
- Forget the stuffy rules – or not. Follow old-fashioned tea party etiquette if you like (it can be fun when you’ve got a vintage vibe…), but it’s not required. The important thing is to bring people together, connect over the relaxing ritual of sipping tea, and have your own unique brand of fun.
Need more ideas? We’ve collected some of our favorite Southern tea party recipes to get you started.
• The Imperial Honeyed Peach Punch
• Cucumber and Watercress Tea Sandwiches
• Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
• Kentucky Style Benedictine Tea Sandwiches
