Your Elegant Valentine’s Day Afternoon Tea Party in 6 Easy Steps

Hosting an elegant Valentine’s Day afternoon tea party is easier than you may think. It is a special way to spend a Valentine’s Day afternoon with your loved ones, visiting, sipping and savoring.  Following this easy six step plan is the key to ensuring that you have everything prepared and can enjoy your special time with your afternoon tea guests.

1. Planning and preparing is the key.
2. Decide on additional curated table decorations.
3. The Rule of Three for choosing sweet treat finger foods.
4. To keep it quick and simple, you can make it almost homemade.
5. Choose two tea flavors, and keep it decaf.
6. Use an electric tea kettle for quick tea prep from kitchen to tea table.

1. Planning and preparing are the way to ensure a perfect Valentine’s Day Afternoon Tea Party.  First, decide on your guest list.  Four guests is a manageable number. Choose a cloth tablecloth and cloth napkins as foundations for a high-tea table.  Be sure that you have enough elegant tea ware and dishes. Use two tea pots, teacups with saucers, tea serving dishes, silverware and decorations that you already have, or select an elegant tea service. Each place setting will include a cloth napkin a teacup and saucer with a beautiful spoon for stirring hot tea, and a small serving.  Place-cards  although optional, can be a good way to enhance your Valentines theme.  Decide on stylish serving dishes, platters, or a three-tiered serving plate, adding silver tongs or a cake server for ease of serving.

2. Adding personal touches and attention to detail with Valentine’s Day theme decorations can elevate your afternoon tea.  Visualize the romance of fresh flowers in a vintage vase with edible flowers decorating your serving platter.  Well-thought-out table decorations can including anything from porcelain figurines to decorative flameless candles.  Would you like to arrange Valentine crystal hearts daintily on your table?  Do you have a collection of angels to bring an element of whimsy to your decorating?   Think about adding a music box playing a lovely song on your tea table during tea. You could display special gifts you have received from your guests, showing them just how much you appreciate their thoughtfulness.  Displaying your unique curated collection is a great conversation starter and a source of added interest for your Valentine’s Day theme.

3. Although we are all tempted to serve a wide array of tasty delights, keep in mind the rule of three for entertaining.  Limiting to three teatime treats is a good choice both for ease of preparation, as well as for simplicity of serving.  Keeping the menu on a sweet flavor palate is also a good choice for Valentine’s Day.  If you enjoy baking, three treats are easy and fun to make for your guests.  A small, beautifully-decorated sugar cookie, a mini cheesecake treat and a zesty lemon bar are menu choices that all work together to delight your guests.  If chocolate is a must-have for your tea, you can add elegant truffles to decorate a three tier platter.  Red and pink heart-shaped gel candies could also provide a palate refresher and enhance the eye-appeal of your lovely treat platter.

4. Not much time to bake?  You can still serve sweet and simple treats with almost-homemade and two-ingredient finger foods.   Sugar cookies baked ahead from store-bought refrigerated cookie dough, frosted with pretty pink cherry-flavored grocery store frosting decreases prep time and still pleases your guests. For convenience, ordering Junior’s Original Cheesecake Plain Little Fellas can’t be beat.  Shipped frozen, these thaw and serve cheesecake minis are a delicious time saver.  Add a Valentine’s Day decoration by thinly slicing and arranging a red, ripe strawberry on each mini cheesecake.  Round out your three-treat menu with easy and delicious Two-Ingredient Lemon Bars sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Almost-homemade and easy bake are always a hit.

5. Choosing two tea varieties and keeping them decaffeinated is a good way to go for ease of preparation.   The convenience of tea in tea bags allows you to keep the teapots filled for your guests with less time in the kitchen. Decaf tea maximizes the two tea choice with all guests, including those who do not drink caffeine, making your teas go farther.  Consider Earl Grey tea, with its pleasurable hint of citrus from oil of bergamot. Decaf Earl Greyer is a great-tasting premium tea, which comes in unbleached tea bags, stored in a can for freshness.  Next choose a second, more unexpected gourmet tea flavor, such as Cinnamon Cardamom tea, which will certainly compliment your tea treats by adding a spicy, exotic dimension that is a delightful pairing with sweets.

6.  Making use of an electric tea kettle is convenient and quick. The electric tea kettle keeps water boiling until it automatically shuts off, and keeps you away from the stove.  After you fill your electric tea kettle ¾ full and start the kettle with its one-touch on-off switch, place one to two tea bags into each of your tea pots.   When the water is hot, the tea kettle will automatically shut off.  Lift tea kettle from its cordless base and pour water directly into your prepared teapots, covering them with lids.  Immediately refill your electric tea kettle and press on-off switch to begin the boiling process for your next pots of tea.  In this way, you will be set for your next pots of tea.  Take your steeping teas to your table, placing pots in the center for easy access.  You can place a folded cloth napkin beneath them to catch any drips.  Lastly, consider opting out for the tea sweeteners and creamer, making your Valentine’s Day tea party treats the sweet stars of the day.

Valentine’s Day is such a special time to show your loved ones just how much you care.  Now that you have read the 6 easy steps for your elegant Valentine’s Day tea party, you are ready to send your invitations, prepare your table, your three treats, and two teas, and enjoy a fun and special afternoon teatime with friends and family. This article contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase from a link, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. *