How to plan kitchen tea?

Kitchen teas are a delightful opportunity to incorporate guests of all ages, from flower girls to great-grandmothers, in the celebration. The location doesn't have to be stuffy; it may be someone's home, a beautiful garden, or a fancy restaurant. As the Kitchen Tea is traditionally organised by a sister, friend, or bridesmaid, we have provided some suggestions to help you get started.

Can You Explain What a "Kitchen Tea" is?

Comparable to a bridal shower is the kitchen tea. It is a gathering of the bride's female friends and relatives to celebrate the approaching wedding with games, food, and drink, and it is generally held at the bride's or her mother's home.

Guests at a kitchen tea are expected to help the bride stock her new house with kitchenware in keeping with tradition. However, in today's society, many women have already established their own households, either by moving out on their own or by moving in with their prospective spouse, and therefore they do not need to bring any household goods from their parents' homes. A kitchen tea, in this sense, is more about spending time with loved ones and enjoying some lighthearted competition than it is about exchanging presents.

Do You Know of Any Substitutes For Kitchen Tea?

While a kitchen tea and a wedding shower are similar in nature, they are not the same. The distinction between a bridal shower and a kitchen tea is that the latter is generally geared at assisting the bride in preparing her new home for marriage. Contrarily, the concept of a bridal shower comes from the tradition of showering' the bride with several presents, including those for her new house and personal use.

When planning for a wedding shower, many brides also construct a gift registry to give visitors ideas for what to buy them. It is acceptable for modern brides to have either event, both events, or a hen's party.

Some Suggestions For Organising a Kitchen Tea

Make a Plan of Attack

Gather the bridesmaids and the bride's mum together before you begin organising the kitchen tea. During this gathering, you and the bridesmaids will discuss the details of the kitchen tea and divide up the necessary preparations so that you don't have to.

In addition to selecting a date, deciding on a budget and schedule of events, and creating a gift registry, you will need to plan for your guests' participation.

Organize a List of Invitees

Your list of invitees should reflect those who are particularly close to the bride-to-be. If someone isn't invited to the wedding, you can't have them around for kitchen tea. If you want to personally thank each wedding guest for attending, you should ask the bride's mother or the groom for a list of the attendees and their contact information.

Never forget the kitchen tea, but invite someone who wasn't invited to the wedding. (This has actually happened, and it's extremely awkward for both the bride and the guest.) If you need a list of wedding guests and their contact information, you can get it from the bride's mother, the groom, or her head bridesmaid. So that you know exactly how many people to prepare for, it's important to follow up with those who haven't responded to your invites after you've sent them out.

First, let everyone know about the event and give them plenty of notice by sending them a "save the date" email or text message.

Invitees who failed to reply in time should be reminded once the invitations have been sent. To some extent, this will tell you how many mouths to feed. Take the time to plan ahead and coordinate the food and catering for your event, whether it's at a restaurant or your home.

Should One Shock or Not Shock?

Whether or whether the kitchen tea will be a surprise for her depends on the type of person she is. The lack of information can be extremely frustrating for some, while being pleasantly surprising for others. Make careful to stress the surprise element in all invitations if that is the decision.

Make a decision as to whether or not the party will be a surprise in advance. (Before deciding, you might want to ask her mum and best friends if they like surprises or if they hate them.) Specify from the outset that any emails, invitations, etc., for the party are to be treated as a surprise.

Use a predetermined colour scheme or theme to adorn your home.

It's customary to coordinate the kitchen tea's "feel" and colour scheme with the wedding's. But the planning is entirely up to you. It's important that the bride approves of your plans. The gift list will also be determined by the theme and colour scheme.

You can make the wedding more interesting by basing the colour palette on the bride's favourite Le Creuset finish. In addition, this information will be useful while selecting presents.

Indulgent high tea calls for a table fit for a queen. If you want to create a monochromatic atmosphere, have guests bring their dishes on white or cream platters, use a white tablecloth to cover the table, and then decorate with flowers, napkins, bunting, balloons, and other attractive decor pieces in your chosen colour scheme. The height of the Le Creuset cake stands and the visual variety of the varying ramekin colours will add visual appeal to your table.

Consider basing your menu selections around your party's colour scheme. Pink cupcake icing, a pavlova with berries, pink champagne, a fruit salad with seedless red grapes and strawberries, and so on would all go in with a pink-themed get-together.

What a Lot of Food

Just bring some table decorations if you've opted to have the kitchen tea at a local cafe or restaurant. When hosting guests at your house, though, you can go all out with the décor.

It's best practise to have at least a short menu of two or three items from which diners can choose. And if you're hosting it, it would be great if you could provide both sweet and savoury snacks.

Set up a beverage station with a Nestle Alegria machine so that coffee connoisseurs can assist themselves.

It's time to start delegating! Just because you are hosting the kitchen tea does not mean you have to prepare every single dish yourself. If you're not a chef, have a guest or the planning committee create the menu so that you don't end up with mismatched dishes or too much of one item. Include both savoury and sweet dishes during your party.

Once you've settled on a menu and a sufficient number of items, you can send out an online spreadsheet to your invited guests to confirm their attendance for the kitchen tea. Make sure to have them sign their names next to the item they're willing to donate. Any additional things (such as urns, extra teapots, coffee presses, ice buckets, platters and cake stands, special color-coded napkins or paper serviettes, etc.) can also be listed on the spreadsheet so that guests can pitch in as much as they'd like.

Catering

We had everything from fruit punches and homemade lemonade to tea and champagne spritzers. Your individual tastes and preferences should guide every aspect of the party. Please keep in mind that the focus of this party should be on involving family members in the wedding preparations rather than on a wild send-off. That doesn't imply you have to abstain from alcohol, but it does indicate a more sedate day best spent joking around with your closest friends and family.

Again, the location of the event will determine the menu options available. You have the option of self-catering at tiny Ginger or selecting one of our catering packages. Venues and eateries may have different menu options, so be sure to ask about those if you decide to hold the event there. Self-catering doesn't have to mean making all of the food yourself; you might get help from a local bakery or even just enlist the help of family members. The food should be presented in a manner similar to that of a High Tea, with both savoury and sweet options.

Group of Employees

If you're the hostess, you should get some help around the house so you can enjoy the party instead of continuously having to refill teapots and boil the kettle. There should be a note on the menu spreadsheet reading something like, "Calling all reluctant cooks: we'll have two lovely ladies helping us, so if you'd prefer to contribute cash towards their pay instead of a tray of snacks, then bring some money on the day of - thanks!" It's a subtle technique to encourage people to give what they can based on their circumstances.

Gifts

We have thoughtful presents for the newlywed couple setting up their first home as well as the seasoned host who already has everything. I would recommend that the bride create a gift registry at Le Creuset if she would like to have some say in the kitchen tea presents that are given to her. You can rest assured that whatever you get her will be something she adores, and if she has to, she can always return or exchange it for a different colour or size. Be aware that if the bride already has a well-stocked kitchen, it is becoming increasingly common for guests to pool their resources to buy her a luxurious heirloom item.

Alternate Factors to Think About

The event's food and drink can be planned once the date has been set, invitations have been sent out, and decorations have been gathered. Make sure the kitchen tea crew gets there at least two hours early on the big day so they can get everything ready for the big event.

What Kinds of Games And Other Fun Things May People do at a Kitchen Tea?

Typically, the games played at a kitchen tea are more tame than those played at a hen's night, although there are some similarities. Bridal shower games sometimes include a quiz in which attendees try to guess the bride's future husband based on her answers to questions about her childhood, hobbies, and other personal details. One such common activity involves having guests leave the bride marriage-related advice written on sticky notes that she can preserve and read later.

More interactive games can be played as well, such as having attendees work in teams to outfit a designated guest in an improvised bridal dress fashioned out of toilet paper. Kitchen teas are a great opportunity to host grown-up versions of classic children's games, such as "pass the parcel," where the gifts might be anything from lip gloss to a potato peeler, a diary or planner, or even a recipe book.

Plans for a Kitchen Tea

Depending on the number of guests, many contemporary women are choosing to conduct their bridal tea either in a park or at a rented venue instead of the conventional kitchen. Some unique preparations for the tea you brew at home:

The Mad Hatter Tea Party

Throw a backyard tea party with an Alice in Wonderland or Mad Hatter theme. You may have a high tea party by setting up a long table with a variety of traditional high tea foods, such as scones with jam and cream, and using a variety of different tea cups and saucers to make a fun statement. And if you want to take it a notch further, suggest that everyone wear a hat or get dressed up.

Celebration of Flowers

Gather friends and family for a floral-themed kitchen tea, where attendees are encouraged to dress in floral prints or the bride's favourite colour. Set the mood with bouquets of fresh flowers and offer guests flower crowns when they arrive.

BBQ Get-Together

While traditionally conducted in a bride's house, modern kitchen teas can be held anywhere the bride choose. One possibility for a kitchen tea is an outdoor picnic, either at a public park or in the bride's home.

Have everyone bring a food to share and a bottle of wine if they can. Spread out on the grass with dozens of picnic blankets and feed your loved ones cheese, fruits, and champagne. In fact, you can take things to the next level by booking an outdoor movie screening for your guests while the party winds down.

Scenery For a Party

Celebrate your forthcoming nuptials with a party on a rooftop or at a place with a great view, and take advantage of the beautiful weather as you and your guests enjoy some tasty treats.

Queen of the Kitchen

It's possible to throw a kitchen tea party with a food and culinary theme if you're a foodie. Invitees can be asked to bring a dish they consider to be their all-time favourite. In addition, you can take it a notch further by scheduling a group cooking lesson for the day and organising a number of kitchen-themed games for the guests to enjoy.

These suggestions aren't very novel, but few people ever stop to consider that there could be a better way to go about things than the way they've always done them. Remember that some of your guests may find this to be unfamiliar; they may be unaware of the negative effects of their consuming habits or, even more tragically, they may simply not care. Be careful and kind when you approach this. Whenever possible, provide an explanation, but avoid creating unnecessary drama. Pretend like the plans are completely normal, and your guests might just go along with it.

As was previously noted, this is a joyous occasion for the future bride. It shouldn't cost you a fortune, but if you're struggling to pull anything together on your own, feel free to ask guests to chip in. The last thing you want to do is skimp on the event's essentials like food, décor, gifts, and drinks because you don't have enough money.

The day's events and the order in which they will occur should be communicated to guests before they arrive, and a photographer should be present to capture all the special moments. Finally, remember to celebrate and have a good time!

Conclusion

Kitchen teas are a lovely way to include everyone in the celebration, from the flower girls to the great-grandmothers. The setting need not be stuffy; it could be someone's home, a lovely garden, or a fine dining establishment. Depending on her personality, the surprise party may or may not work. It is traditional for the "ambience" and colour scheme of the kitchen tea to match those of the wedding. Whether you're hosting the event at a restaurant or in someone's home, it's important to plan ahead and organise the catering.

Guests at a kitchen tea appreciate being given options, so be sure to prepare a menu ahead of time. You can't have a pink-themed party without cupcakes and pavlova. Le Creuset cake stands, with their elevated design, and ramekins in a rainbow of hues will jazz up the presentation. However, you need not prepare every dish yourself if you opt for self-catering. You could ask a nearby bakery for assistance, or even enlist the aid of loved ones.

The spread should resemble a High Tea in presentation, with both savoury and sweet dishes available. Although there are similarities, the games at a kitchen tea are much more subdued than those at a hen's night. Wedding games often involve the groom being "guessed" based on the bride's responses to questions about her upbringing and interests. Some modern brides are opting to host their bridal tea at a public park or a rented venue rather than in their own kitchens. Historically held in the bride's home, modern kitchen teas can be hosted by the bride wherever she likes.

A kitchen tea could take the form of an outdoor picnic, either at a public park or at the home of the bride. Request that everyone bring their favourite dish to share.

Content Summary

• As the Kitchen Tea is traditionally organised by a sister, friend, or bridesmaid, we have provided some suggestions to help you get started.
• While a kitchen tea and a wedding shower are similar in nature, they are not the same.
• Gather the bridesmaids and the bride's mum together before you begin organising the kitchen tea.
• Your list of invitees should reflect those who are particularly close to the bride-to-be.
• If you want to personally thank each wedding guest for attending, you should ask the bride's mother or the groom for a list of the attendees and their contact information.
• Make a decision as to whether or not the party will be a surprise in advance. (
• You can make the wedding more interesting by basing the colour palette on the bride's favourite Le Creuset finish.
• Consider basing your menu selections around your party's colour scheme.
• Once you've settled on a menu and a sufficient number of items, you can send out an online spreadsheet to your invited guests to confirm their attendance for the kitchen tea.
• Your individual tastes and preferences should guide every aspect of the party.
• Again, the location of the event will determine the menu options available.
• The event's food and drink can be planned once the date has been set, invitations have been sent out, and decorations have been gathered.
• Make sure the kitchen tea crew gets there at least two hours early on the big day so they can get everything ready for the big event.
• Depending on the number of guests, many contemporary women are choosing to conduct their bridal tea either in a park or at a rented venue instead of the conventional kitchen.
• Gather friends and family for a floral-themed kitchen tea, where attendees are encouraged to dress in floral prints or the bride's favourite colour.
• One possibility for a kitchen tea is an outdoor picnic, either at a public park or in the bride's home.
• It's possible to throw a kitchen tea party with a food and culinary theme if you're a foodie.
• The day's events and the order in which they will occur should be communicated to guests before they arrive, and a photographer should be present to capture all the special moments.