Afternoon tea for 10 people

[ohyouknow]

Against my better judgment I am having an afternoon tea party at my house Sunday for 10 people. It's a "going away" tea for my DCP and some mutual friends. I have done no planning whatsoever and I've never done this before. Any tips to make it great? Authenticity/quality of tea is probably not going to be a major deal, as no one coming is a huge tea drinker. I'm mostly looking to throw a nice little party. No booze (not my choice, it's not my usual crowd, lol.)

[jcbarbee]

Feminine China
Lace Dollies
White tablecloths 
Fresh seasonal flowers, lots
IF you have tiered towers for the food, 3 layers to place throughout the table that would be perfect

All food needs to be dainty, eaten in one bite:
Chicken Salad Sandwich bites
Cucumber Sandwich bites/ or slices of cucumber topped with a dollop of goat cheese
Petite Fours
Water with fresh lemon or lime or orange or cucumber


That's all the advice I've got. Sounds fun!

EDT: Wearing hats, heels, dresses, gloves, always makes it fun! 

[mbcdefg]

Scones are easy to make, or you can probably buy them (try Trader Joe's). You can even make them in advance, freeze them, and just bake them when the guests arrive. They're served with clotted cream (Whole Foods has it in the dairy section) and jam.

Tea sandwich ideas: www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-tea-sandwiches.html

If you don't already have china, browse around in thrift shops for a few pieces. It's still cute even if they don't match!

[ohyouknow]

Thank you so much! I'm using a lot of these ideas!