Furniture Rental: Planning An Afternoon Tea Event In Style
What could be better than a good cup of tea, a cake stand stacked full of cakes, sandwiches and scones and some good old fashioned British etiquette? Don’t forget to stick out that pinky finger, now!
The afternoon tea dates back centuries and is something of a revival recently. Many of the top hotels around the country now host their own afternoon tea events and these services are incredibly popular and profitable. Whether you are thinking about hosting a charity event, planning a wedding afternoon tea or want to make it a regular fixture at your venue, here are a few tips to get you started.
Choosing A Theme
Traditional afternoon tea involves carefully crafted finger sandwiches, scones and jam and an assortment of cakes. These are usually laid out at the same time on a three tiered cake stand. However, if you’re looking to be a little more competitive or want to give your guests something a little different, a theme could be just the thing.
A number of hotels in London are now running themed afternoon teas, for example. From Alice in Wonderland to Harry Potter, you could have great fun designing your surroundings, table settings and food to suit a particular theme and really give your afternoon tea offering the edge.
Setting The Scene
When you’ve decided on a theme it’s time to create the right setting. Afternoon tea is not simply another meal - it is an experience - and therefore everything needs to be just right. You’ll need good quality furniture to start with. Our Round Banqueting Tables are perfect for large parties and allow everybody equal access to the goodies on the cake stand. They are also very easy to store.
Try to use crockery that fits with your theme. If you are going for the traditional or vintage look, matching or mismatched classic styles work well. If you are going for a theme, look to invest in a themed set of crockery. This might cost more than hunting around for mismatched items, but it will be worth it.
Choosing The Right Food
The one thing to remember when choosing your afternoon tea items is that you need to cater for a wide audience on one cake stand. This means you might need to include some vegetarian or gluten-free options, and have a selection that suits everybody’s tastes. Many afternoon tea establishments allow their guests to choose their own sandwiches or inform them of special dietary requirements before they arrive. This will help to avoid disappointment on the day.
As a general rule, four finger sandwiches per person, one scone and 2 cakes seem to be the right amount for most people. You could also offer a free sandwich refill service for hungrier guests to drum up more business.
Afternoon Tea Furniture Hire From The Experts
We’ve got everything you need here at Furniture Hire UK to ensure your afternoon tea event is a total success. From Banqueting Table Hire to Chair Hire, we supply you with the perfect blank canvas from which you can plan your theme. If you wish to serve alcohol such as champagne or prosecco at your event, we even offer Mobile Bar Hire - take a look at our range today. You can order easily online and our team is also standing by ready to answer your questions.
