Admit it - we all love tea parties! There is something so delightfully quaint about a table beautifully set for tea, and let's not even get started on the snacks! We're here to give you our tips on how to throw a lovely tea party, which is styled to the nines. Our four, dreamily Instagram-mable mood boards will hopefully help you style your table to the T(ea)! Pretty in Pastels

Who doesn’t love pastels? They are not only beautiful shades, but they also work very well with the concept of a high tea. The best way to design a table setting in pastels is to adopt the mix-and-match approach - see how we’ve combined the Joy and Devotion tea pieces with the Country Roses tea set in pink. Very English, and very vintage, too! Style them with table napkins in soft pastels or creamy white. Then add in accessories that contribute a touch of whimsy - we chose the peony pink napkin rings, which we're currently crushing on!





Moodboard

Joy 3-piece Tea Setting, Royal Albert

Devotion 3-piece Tea Setting, Royal Albert

White Scallop Cake Stand, The Label Life

Round Doily Paper, Shopclues

New Country Roses Pink Tea Set, Royal Albert

Peony Pink Napkin Rings, Overstock

Jacquard Napkins, Overstock

If you're planning on going all out and really celebrating in style, then a formal invitation to your tea party is a must. Keep the design of the card in sync with the theme of your party. Don’t be shy of being creative - pick a paper stock in a colour that complements the shades you’ve chosen for your table setting, and consider hand-written invitations for a personal touch. Another option is to get creative online, and create a design that resonates with your theme. We designed this card for our Pretty-in-Pastels table!



The Wonderland Tea Party

Theme-based tea-parties are a great way to revel in literature that celebrate fairy tales and fantasies. And what better to do this than with an Alice-in-Wonderland theme party? We chose a visually striking colour palette in red, black and white for ours, and went all out by juxtaposing solids with patterns of stripes and dots. Introduce a hint of gold to make your table-scape stand out - use ornate, gilded napkin rings, or better still, add toasted golden treats to your menu, without which your tea party would be incomplete. Now that your table is set, all you need to do is convince your guests to dress up as mad-hatters!



Moodboard

Black Hemstitched Napkins

Red Dinner Plate

Black China Plate

Tuxedo Rouge 3-ounce Tea Cup and Saucer

Zigzag Lipstick Napkins

Smoking Caterpillar Illustration

Scallop Cake Stand

Black Teapot with Lid

Pearlescence Elegance

Pearls need not be limited to your dresser. Bring them out to decorate your tea-table with crockery that imitates their beauty and elegance. We went on a hunt for pearl-inspired tea sets, and love how our mood board turned out - if we may say so ourselves!



Shop the Look

Silver Beaded Footed Cake Stand

Pearl Design Napkin Set

Lenox French Perle Ice Blue Plates

Lenox Ice Blue French Perle Teapot

Lenox Ice Blue French Perle Cup and Saucer

Vintage Cake Server Set

Mother of Pearl Design Placemat

Royal-White Splendour

While an all-white table setting is usually considered a safe and bland option, take a look at what we've put together before jumping to any conclusions! Our chosen, all-white table setting is certainly, pristine but it also adds a healthy dose of humour and fun to a tea party. We love the Elephant Debby Tea Pot and Olivia Bunny Plate that add inherent interest value to your table, and are bound to be conversation starters. Continue the theme by placing these items on a crisp, white table cloth. If you want to introduce a hint of colour to the table, do it with fresh flowers.

Shop The Look

Elephant Debby Teapot

Royal White Teapot

Olivia Bunny Plate

Allure Zigzag Silver Coasters

Snowflake Napkin

Gastronomie Fork

White Placemat

White Teacup and Saucer

Shefali Sanghvi, Interior designer at Inner Space Designs, is fond of eclectic tea parties. She says, "style your space with contrasting white and beige sheer drapes, and red and maroon cushions. Introduce gold cutlery and crystal cutwork glasses, and candles in various shapes - they are sure to add a twist to your high-tea decor. Throw in a few flowers and play with textures to add some drama to your table.”

There are plenty of ways to design your tea-party. The fun is in planning it with panache. Don’t hesitate to introduce an assortment of styles, designs and colors, and make them a part of your tea-story. Place emphasis on tea-time goodies that will delight even the pickiest eater. And when your table is styled and Insta-ready, don't forget to take photos! Happy Tea Time.