step two

Inviting your guests.

Throwing a cozy hip tea party can be achieved when you keep the guest list small, around 8 people is ideal. When it comes to the way you invite them you can explore your creative side and handwrite invitations or take advantage of technology and create an event page on Facebook.

step three

Obtain tea party supplies.

You will definitely need a teapot, cups and saucers in order to serve tea to each of your guests. To give it a modern feel try mixing up pieces of china with different patterns and colors. Buy a tea strainer and use a small dish to collect used tealeaves. You can also serve a pitcher of milk, lemon slices, honey and sugar.

step four

Buy Tea.

There are many different kinds of tea that you can serve, but don't feel like you have to serve more than 2 or 3 varieties. You can ask your guests what they would prefer before they arrive or for fun have each guest bring a box of there favorite variety of tea.

step five

Serve some food.

Look up some tea sandwich, scone and pastry recipes online or in your favorite recipe book. You might want to serve something light, like cucumber sandwiches, but you also want to serve something sweet, like cranberry scones or fruitcake. Tea party food tends to be more sweet than savory, so follow that rule in order to be the perfect tea party host.

step six

Set the tea table.

Cover a large table with a your favorite tablecloth. Try something bold and out of the box when it comes to the linens. Place the tea at one end of the table and make sure to leave plenty of room for yourself. As the host, you will be serving the guests their tea. Place the lemon, milk, honey and sugar next to the tea, and the rest of the food at the other end of the table. It is normal at tea parties for the guests to serve the food themselves.

step seven

Dress the part.

Wear a nice dress similar to what you would wear to church or to a casual wedding. Tea parties are casual affairs, but don't be afraid to get a bit dressier than you would for a normal gathering with friends.

step eight

Day of event.

When it comes to the day of the party there are only a few simple things to keep in mind to make it a success. Begin boiling the water and setting out the food about 10 minutes before guest are scheduled to arrive. Take this time to put the tea inside the teapot. When the kettle is whistling, pour the water into the teapot and take the teapot to the table. At this point you can bring your guests to the table and enjoy all your hard work.