Tea Party Etiquette

You should have good manners all the time and a tea party is no different. Follow proper etiquette in the Emily Post-school of dining by being a gracious host and a polite guest. For a tea party, you'll need to know how to navigate a table setting, properly interact with other ladies and daintily drink your tea. And always ask the host if she needs any help.

Follow Proper Etiquette Skills

Step 1:
Know how to understand a table setting. The dinner plate is always in the middle, with two forks to the left of it and a knife and two spoons to the right. You work from the outside in for each course.

Step 2:
Place the tea cup to the top right of the plate above the knives and spoons. Other dishes are on the table based on what is being served. In the case of a tea party, the main dish is used for sandwiches and breads and a smaller dish, set to the left, is for desserts.

Step 3:
Make use of your napkin. Proper etiquette is to place it on your lap unfolded before you start eating.

Step 4:
Dispose of tea bags properly. If the tea is not already brewed in a pot and you are using a tea bag, never discard it on the table. A good hostess will provide you with a little dish.

Step 5:
Be considerate if the tea party has a serving table set up. It is customary to wait your turn and not reach in front of or over other guests. If something needs replenishing, discretely inform the hostess or server.

Step 6:
Refer to the text "Emily Post's Entertaining" by Peggy Post for guidance in hosting a tea party or attending one (see Resources below). Post offers advice for properly introducing someone whose name you can't remember and how to serve tea correctly.

Step 7:
Follow correct etiquette while mingling. Make good eye contact and listen to others when they speak to you. Never interrupt a person in mid-sentence. Be a good conversationalist and not too quiet. If a lull in the conversation arises, bring up a subject or compliment what someone is wearing.