Valentine Tea Party Ideas

Last Updated: January 21, 2024

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A Valentine tea party is the perfect way to gather with your girlfriends for Galentine’s Day. With our simple decorations, drinks and food ideas, you’ll have all the inspiration you need to get started.

Valentine's Day tea party

Tea parties are one of my favorite ways to celebrate with my girlfriends.

They are usually held in the afternoon. So you don’t have to cook a whole meal.

And they’re centered around serving tea. So you don’t have to stock a whole bar, either.

Which is why when I wanted to host a Valentine party for my friends (some would call it a Galentine’s party), I decided to do a Valentine’s Day tea party.

And it was so much fun, it might become an annual occurrence.

Themes

A Valentine tea party centerpiece with heart sugar cookies, candles, faux flowers and a tea pot

I always like to pick a theme when I’m having a party.

It makes deciding on decorations so much easier.

For this one, I went with a hearts and flowers theme.

But you could also do an Alice in Wonderland theme, a vintage theme or pick a color to use as the theme (pink, red, teal or a combination of those would work).

The table Setting

A Valentine tea party tablescape decorated in pink and white heart sugar cookies s and faux flowers

I used a black tablecloth on my table because I like how it makes the pink and white colors pop.

But if you don’t like that much contrast, a white tablecloth would work, too.

A Valentine place setting with a glass charger, light pink dinner plate, heart-shaped appetizer plate, linen napkin with flower napkin ring, gold cutlery and candles in the background

Then for each place setting, I layered a pink glass charger, light pink dinner plate and heart-shaped appetizer plate topped with a linen napkin and flower napkin holder.

Since pink and gold is one of my favorite color combinations, I used gold cutlery to finish it off.

Mix and match tea cups

A teacup and saucer with flowers in the background

Since this is a tea party, having pretty tea cups is a must.

But getting a matched set can be really expensive!

So I made the rounds to all of the thrift stores in the area and found a bunch of mis-matched cups and saucers. (I don’t think it feels like a real tea party if you don’t have the saucers).

teacup and saucer in front of a teapot at a Valentine tea party

Then I found a few more (like this one) at HomeGoods, which also weren’t very expensive.

Fortunately, they all had roses on them so that helped to tie them all together, and went with my theme.

The centerpiece

Valentine Day tea party centerpiece made with faux flowers, heart and arrow sugar cookies on cake stands and a tea pot on a cake stand

The centerpiece I created looks a lot more complicated than it actually is.

I started with a black and white striped runner that I used as the base.

Then placed five mis-matched pink and white cake stands down the middle of the table (on top of the runner).

And wound a garland of faux pink flowers in and around the cake stands.

A teapot and heart cookies on cake stands above pink faux flowers as part of a Valentine's Day tea party centerpiece

Then I used the cake stands as serving pieces for the tea pot and some heart-shaped Valentine’s cookies.

That way they were pretty and functional.

Other decorations

White roses in vases alternating with white candles down the length of a buffet

On the buffet beside the table, I used a row of small bouquets with white roses and baby’s breath alternating with white candles.

Since it’s easier to put these flowers in vases, I used real ones rather than the fake ones I had on the table.

And using small bouquets meant I didn’t need that many flowers so that kept the cost down.

Candle lantern with bouquets of pink hydrangeas and white roses in front of a chalk board sign with a heart on it as part of Valentine tea party decorations on a buffet

Behind the small bouquets, I had a couple of larger ones with pink hydrangeas and baby’s breath, along with candle lanterns and a chalkboard sign that I drew a heart on.

Wide view of the Valentine's Day buffet decorations with white roses, pink hydrangeas, white candles, lanterns and a chalkboard sign with a heart on it

The whole thing created a pretty backdrop for my table that goes with the theme but wasn’t too matchy-matchy.

The Tea

Traditional tea cup and saucer with tea in it

A tea party isn’t a tea party without the tea.

I always offer 2 kinds of tea at my parties – the traditional caffeinated kind (like Earl Grey) and flavored herbal teas.

If you are making the tea in pots (the traditional way), you’ll need to pick which ones you’re going to serve in advance.

Otherwise, you can have hot water available with a selection of tea bags that people can choose from and everyone can pick what they want. (But I will say that some tea-drinkers will tell you this isn’t the proper way to serve it).

Other drinks

strawberry mimosas on a tray

I also like to serve some kind of wine or champagne at my tea parties.

For Valentine’s Day, these strawberry mimosas always go over well.

And depending what your friends like, these pink champagne jello shots might also be a hit.

Food & recipes

A 3-tiered tray with small sandwiches on the bottom, scones with clotted cream and jam in the middle, and tarts on the top

At a traditional afternoon tea, mini sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and different kinds of tarts are usually served on a 3-tiered stand.

But since I was having a few people over and it was a Valentine’s Day party, I served a slightly different menu.

Small cucumber sandwiches on a tray

We did have mini-sandwiches, but I served them on a tray that we could pass around.

Naked red velvet cake on a tray with heart toppers stuck in the top of it

A naked red velvet cake with heart toppers fits right in with the Valentine’s Day party theme.

fruit charcuterie board with green grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, watermelon, pineapple and dips

A fruit charcuterie board is good for anyone who doesn’t want to eat too many sugary treats.

A traditional charcuterie board with meats and cheeses as well as fruits and vegetables would also work if you want to serve something more substantial.

Heart-shaped Valentine charcuterie board with various pink and red candies as well as cookies

You could also do something similar with a selection of candies and Valentine’s Day treats.

Pink heart shaped sugar cookies on a cake stand

And of course, there were the decorated sugar cookies in the middle of the table that were part of the centerpiece.

Well, that’s it for my Valentine tea party ideas. I hope you found some inspiration for hosting your own get-together.

Other Valentine’s Day ideas you might like

Or browse all our Valentine’s Day ideas.

Have comments or questions about our Valentine tea party? Tell us in the section below.

This post was originally published on January 26, 2023 but was updated with new content on January 21, 2024.


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