A garden tea party is one of my favorite ways to celebrate. All you need is a shady spot, a simple table setting, and a menu of finger foods, scones, and tea that holds up outdoors. Here is everything I do to plan one.
An outdoor tea party makes a memorable birthday, wedding shower, or baby shower, or a simple, casual get together with a friend. With a little creativity, any backyard or patio becomes a charming place to sip tea and visit.
I’ll walk you through the theme, invitations, decorations, menu, activities, and favors, plus my tips for when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Quick Look
- 🌸 Theme: vintage garden, boho picnic, or Alice in Wonderland
- 📬 Invitations: time, place, dress code, and what food you’ll serve
- 🕯️ Decor: mixed china, linen napkins, fresh flowers, and string lights
- 🥪 Menu: tea sandwiches, scones, and bite size sweets
- 🍵 Drinks: hot tea plus a pitcher of iced tea for warm days
- 🌧️ Backup plan: a covered spot in case of rain
Quick Answer
To host a garden tea party, pick a simple theme, send invitations with the time, place, dress code, and menu, and set a shaded table with mixed china, linen napkins, and fresh flowers. Serve finger foods like tea sandwiches, scones, and small sweets with a few hot and iced teas, add lawn games or music, and have a covered backup spot in case of rain.
Jump to:
Choosing a Tea Party Theme
A theme or a simple color palette guides every other choice, from the invitations to the napkins. Work with what you have and with your space. You don’t even need a garden: a patio or yard with a few potted flowers creates the same feel.
Classic Vintage Garden
Teacups, lace tablecloths, candles, and plenty of fresh flowers give a whimsical, old fashioned look.
Boho Chic Picnic
For something more casual, use low tables or serving trays with blankets and cushions on the ground. It works on a patio or right on the grass.
Alice in Wonderland
Recreate the Mad Hatter’s party with quirky decor and playful touches. Themed decorations make this one easy to pull together. Find more ideas in my tea party theme ideas.
Sending Tea Party Invitations
Your invitations are the first thing that gets guests excited. Buy printed cards or use my free invitation template, have a service like Zazzle or Basic Invite print and mail them, or send digital invitations through Evite or Paperless Post, which also track RSVPs for you.
Be sure to include:
- Time and place. Think about lighting and heat. In a warm climate, an evening party is cooler.
- Dress code. Plan for the weather. Dresses are classic, and big hats and scarves are fun. See my guides to tea party attire and tea party hats.
- Food. Say whether you’re serving a meal like brunch or lunch, or just finger foods, so guests can plan.
Decorating for Your Garden Tea Party
New decorations are completely optional. Use the vases, furniture, and grandma’s china you already own, and mix and match. Thrift stores and flea markets are great for finding pieces too.
Table Setting
- Decide between disposable place settings and reusable ones. This is a great time to use the fine china that never comes out.
- Linen napkins add an elegant feel.
- If you don’t have one big table, dress up folding tables with a pretty tablecloth.
- Finish with centerpieces of flowers, candles, and tea lights.
Lighting
For an evening party, string lights make the space feel magical and give you light. Candles and lanterns add a cozy glow day or night.
Fresh Flowers
Add as many flowers as you can. The grocery store, Costco, Trader Joe’s, the hardware store, and local nurseries all have lovely options. Blooming potted plants can be planted later or sent home with guests as favors.
Garden Tea Party Menu
I keep the menu to finger foods that are easy to eat without much tableware. Whether you make everything or buy some of it, a mix of savory and sweet keeps guests happy through a party of a couple of hours.
Savory Treats
Tea party sandwiches like my cucumber tea sandwiches are easy and filling. Add a charcuterie board, a vegetable platter with dip, quiche, or deviled eggs.
Sweet Treats
- Lemon bars, sweet and light with a buttery crust.
- Earl Grey cupcakes with lavender frosting, a perfect tea flavored treat. Find more in my tea party cupcakes.
- Scones in several flavors, like strawberry scones, blueberry scones, and cream scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, or lime curd.
Tea and Drinks
Offer a mix of black, green, and herbal teas so guests can choose, with honey, sugar cubes, lemon slices, and mint. On warm days, iced tea and tea drinks are the best choice:
- Iced blueberry matcha latte, fast and summery.
- Hibiscus green tea spritzer, refreshing and elegant.
- Cold brew tea in a few flavors, or this hands off Instant Pot blackberry iced tea.
- Hot tea for cool weather. Set out teapots or a hot water dispenser with assorted tea bags and loose leaf tea so everyone makes their own.
Activities and Entertainment
You don’t need much. Your guests will enjoy the time together, and that’s the best part of a tea party. A few easy ideas:
- Lawn games. Giant Jenga, Connect Four, or a bean bag toss. Set them up and guests play as they like.
- Crafts or trivia. Decorate hats, teacups, or flower pots, or print my Tea Word Search or Tea Trivia game.
- Music. A harpist or pianist if you can, or a playlist of soft or classical music on a Bluetooth speaker.
- A photo spot. A balloon arch with props that match your theme. Amazon sells balloon kits in many colors.
Tea Party Favors for Guests
Favors are optional but always appreciated. Package them in a gift bag that matches your theme. More ideas are in my tea party favors post.
- Flowers, a small bouquet or a blooming potted plant.
- Tea towels, personalized or printed to match your theme.
- Tea, a box or a little bag of assorted tea bags.
- Garden supplies, like a set of gardening tools or packets of seeds.
- Tea accessories, like a stainless tea ball infuser, a playful silicone infuser, or a garden themed teacup.
Tips for a Successful Garden Tea Party
- Have a weather plan. Know where you’ll move if it rains: indoors, a tent, or a covered patio. Heaters help on cool days, and misters or fans on hot ones.
- Keep food out of the sun. Chill platters before loading them and bring food out in waves.
- Check the path. Make sure gates and latches open easily so guests can reach the garden.
- Plan comfortable seating, with cushions for anyone who finds chairs hard to sit in for long.
- Ask about food allergies ahead of time so everyone has something to eat.
- Use a checklist. My tea party checklist and 11 easy steps to host a tea party keep you on track.
Garden Tea Party FAQs
Keep the table out of direct sun, chill your platters before loading them, and bring food out in waves instead of all at once. Cover the trays with netting or cloches between courses to keep bugs away.
Mid afternoon is traditional, but in hot weather a late afternoon or evening party is more comfortable. Add string lights and candles if it will run past sunset.
Finger foods that are easy to eat: tea sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, and small sweets like lemon bars and cupcakes.
Offer a few hot teas with milk, sugar, honey, and lemon, plus a pitcher of iced tea or a tea spritzer for warm days.
No. A patio, deck, or small yard works. Add potted flowers, a pretty tablecloth, and fresh bouquets to create the garden feel.
Plan a backup spot ahead of time, like a covered patio, a tent, or indoors, and set up there if the forecast looks wet.
The Bottom Line
A garden tea party is a special way to connect with the people you love. Pick a theme, keep the menu simple, plan for the weather, and your guests will enjoy every minute, whether you go all out or keep it casual.
Are you planning a garden tea party? Tell me your theme in the comments, and come say hello on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I love seeing your tea parties.
