“Be our guest, be our guest…..” The tune is instantly in your head. That’s what was going through my thoughts when I was asked to host a Beauty and the Beast Afternoon Tea Party. This party was to be held in honor of the motion picture release of Beauty and the Beast in 2017 and would have 2 young ladies as well as their mothers and aunts in attendance. How fun and what a treat for these young ladies.
I used the same planning, preparation and production steps that I used in the How To have a Valentine’s Tea Party https://teastheseason3.com/how-to-have-a-valentines-tea-party/ Here’s how it went together…..
How to begin the planning
As requested, this was going to be a theme afternoon tea party…..specifically Beauty and the Beast. I asked the same simple questions as I do with any tea party preparation. These are guidelines and considerations for you. The focus of the party was going to be on the two young ladies who were the guests of honor. Their aunt was the requestor of the event, so I met with her several times prior to the actual tea party. And I must admit, I pulled out the old animated movie to help get my creative juices flowing. I won’t tell you if I danced and sang as I put this one together.
- Pick the day and time of day you want to have your tea party. If you are having an afternoon tea, this will include savories, scones and sweets. So your guests will want to come prepared to enjoy a full serving of treats. This tea was going to be prior to the movie but at lunch time, so the guests would be ready to eat.
- Determine how long your tea party will be. My tea parties are generally 2 hours long. The hostess agreed to the same length of time for this tea party – 2 hours.
- Determine how many guests will be coming to your party. This will impact your location and your menu development. This party was going to have 8 people, to include the 2 guests of honor. This is a nice size to prepare for.
- Pick out your invitations. Will you use email? Text? General mail? I generally use either email or text and there are many vendors that can provide you with easy electronic invitations such as Smile Box http://www.smilebox.com or Evite http://www.evite.com. Make sure to have an RSVP and ask if there are any food allergies or food preferences (gluten free for example). These invitations were taken care of by the aunt. I took care of the menu development.
- Outline if you are going to have any activities. There are several tea party games that you can use. My guests generally are just full of conversation and we don’t have games. In this case, the guests of honor were younger and would need to have some form of entertainment. A two hour lunch would likely be too long for them to just sit. In coordination with the aunt, activity bags were made for the young ladies that reflected the theme of the party. They were delighted.
Menu Development
As in many afternoon teas, there are three courses – savories, breads, and sweets. I like to have 4-5 savories (small bite size morsels, one of which is a cucumber sandwich of sorts), 2 scones accompanied by cream and lemon curd, and 4 sweets to end the tea. I generally have a different tea for each course.
This menu needed to meet both the young ladies palette but also be able to satisfy the adults. I wanted this to be a fun and luxurious experience for all.
I have listed each course with comments on the selections. I have included the recipes in the next section.
Savories
- Cogsworth Cocktail (adjusted for the younger needs) – This was simply a Proseco Cranberry Cocktail. For the young ladies, it was seltzer water and cranberry juice. But served in a champagne flute for celebration.
- Quiche Lorraine ala Lumiere – small bite size Quiche Lorraine
- BLT Tower – Small stacked bacon / lettuce / tomato sandwich
- Cucumber Sandwich with Tomato Rose
- Gaston’s Meatball in Sweet Sauce – simple meatball, skewered with a cocktail sword and barbecue sauce
- Vegetables with Herb Dressing – Carrots and Celery in a cup with Herb Dressing at bottom of cup. Easy for little hands.
- Margaret’s Orchard Tea for the young guests – This is an herbal tea, served with a touch of sugar is a great first tea for littles
- English Breakfast for the adults
Scones
- Mrs. Pots’ Currant Scone
- Chip’s Cinnamon Scone
- Lemon Curd / Devonshire Cream
- Sparkling Sugar Plum Tea – This is a delightful black tea that has an iridescence to it. Guests of all ages smile with this – it sparkles in your teacup.
Desserts
- The Grey Stuff – This was the classic Grey Stuff.
- Belle’s Sweetheart Cookie
- Apple Rose
- Fruit with Honey Dressing
- Lemon Souffle Tea – This tea is a Rooibos tea, so is naturally decaffeinated. It has a light lemon flavor rich as a baked souffle. Pairs nicely with a dessert portion of tea.
Prepping Ahead
Planning and the ability to prep ahead is so critical for a smooth and successful afternoon tea. Here are some of the recipes that I was able to use and those in particular that I made ahead of time.
- Small Quiche Lorraines https://eatdrinkpretty.com/2014/03/mini-quiche-lorraine.html
- BLT https://doctopdftech.com/1020982094?subid_short=febb823a20dd047cdb0fda130b8b54ff&placement=15174778&ssg=21
- Mrs. Pots’ Currant Scone https://teastheseason3.com/currant-scones/
- Chip’s Cinnamon Scone https://www.melskitchencafe.com/amazing-cinnamon-chip-scones-best-basic-scone-recipe/
- Lemon Curd https://teastheseason3.com/lemon-curd-its-all-about-the-curd/
- Devonshire Cream https://teastheseason3.com/devonshire-cream-a-topping-for-your-scone/
- The Grey Stuff https://lilluna.com/grey-stuff-recipe/
- Apple Rose https://www.puffpastry.com/recipe/apple-roses/
In the top tier, you can see the scones – Mrs. Pots Currant Scone, Chip’s Cinnamon Scone. On the second tier, Gaston’s Meatball, Quiche Lorraine ala Lumiere, and BLT. On the third, Cucumber Sandwich with Tomato Rose and Vegetables and Herb Dressing.
Setting the Stage
Entering and Greeting Guests
As always, you want to set the stage for your guests to begin their tea party experience. In this case, my guests were entering into the story of Belle, a book reading beauty. I wanted this to begin from the moment they would walk up to the door. I opted to make large over-sized flowers out of newspaper. And of course, the guests were greeted….asking them to “Be Our Guest” as they entered.
Here’s the instructions to make your own newspaper flowers.
Upon entering my home, the guests were greeted with the classic dying flowers in a glass dome. Surrounded by white and black china, the fallen rose petals were a reminder of the Beast’s connection to the rose.
Place Setting
The place setting featured a single plate, teacup, and silverware. The napkin was rolled to resemble Lumiere and tied with a blue organza bow.
Table Setting
The table setting reflected Belle’s love of books. I used three different colors of tablecloths – red, yellow, and blue. Down the center of the table I took pages of maps from old books – this provided the table runner. For the centerpieces, I used old children’s books (actually heirlooms from my father). I stacked them and then placed candles on top. Enough to give interest but not too high to block conversation. And of course, rose petals through out. The chairs were each tied with a yellow satin bow to pull in Belle’s yellow ball dress.
Adding more to the fantasy, I took a small stool and covered it to look like the enchanted footstool. Topped with the Disney children’s book, the stool rested underneath the piano, waiting to become a puppy once again.
Another reminder of our heroine, a tray of books and teacups graced with a pair of white gloves, told our guests Belle was around, reading and waiting for her prince charming.
My guests came and enjoyed, with the two young ladies coming in full Belle costumes. Finishing with the dessert course, my guests readied themselves for their premier and feasted on Belle’s Sweetheart Cookie with fruit and honey, Apple Rose pastry, and yes….as Lumiere would sing “Try the Grey Stuff, its deeelicious….if you don’t believe me – ask the deeeeshes!” And as they say, they all lived happily ever after.
74 Comments
Barbara
Oh my gosh………so darn sweet. I need to drum up some kids for a sweet tea like this!
Your so clever……..love the foot stool, very clever. Love the way you really took into
consideration that you had young ladies, so food etc would be pleasing to them too.
What a grand experience.
Beth
Hi Barbara – Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments. Yes it was fun = the girls actually came all dressed in big gowns. You probably would recognize the footstool not dressed up. Glad that you enjoyed the post. Thanks.
Crystal
We so need to do a dining experience next time we go to Disney world. Last time we went we were on a tight budget so Disney dining wasn’t an option especially since we were not staying on the property.
Beth
Hi Crystal – Thanks for your comment. Yes I would suspect it is expensive to dine at Disney. This tea went together pretty well on the budget. And was just fun to do.
Holly
Beth, I love this idea! Not only for younger people, but an amazing idea for a baby or bridal shower! You always have the best ideas!
Beth
Hi Holly – thanks so much for your feedback and encouragement. It was great fun and I was pleased how it came together for the group. Thanks.
Linda Egeler
What a great idea! I know a couple of Moms who are looking for ways to entertain their daughters while they are not in school. I’ll pass this along: it would be perfect for them!
Beth
Hi Linda – Thanks so much for your feedback and passing on the information. It was a lot of fun together and really done on a pretty easy budget. Hope that you moms enjoy having fun with it. Thanks.
Lee Anne
What a fun type of tea party to have! That dessert plate looks delicious!
Beth
Thanks Lee Anne – It was fun and came together pretty easily – even the grey stuff. I always know when the dessert plates come back empty! Thanks for your comment.
Lisa
I love the idea of planning a tea party with all the cute and yummy treats. So cute!
Beth
Hi Lisa – thanks for your comment. Yes, it was a lot of fun planning and researching all the treats and then naming them for the guests.
Douglas J.
This looks like a lot of fun and very colorful.
Beth
Hi Douglas – Yes it was a lot of fun. The colors I took from the books and the movie – so it needed to match that venue. Thanks for your comment.
Tricia Snow
What a fun idea! I would have never thought of this. You are so creative! I bet the girls loved wearing their ball gowns. I know I would have!
Beth
Hi Tricia – Yes, the girls were delighted. It was very fun to see them. The book and movie gave me the inspiration – actually watched the movie to kind of get in the mood to create and it helped. I had a lot of fun with it. Thanks for your comment.
Danielle Ardizzone
This looks spectacular! Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie!
Beth
Hi Danielle – This was a lot of fun and I was pleased how it came together for my guests. They were pleased as well. Thanks for your comment.
Lisa Maslyk
Hi I love devonshire cream and hight tea! This looks lovely and delicious! Lisa
Beth
Hi Lisa – yes, me too! This was fun and everything came together well. Thanks for your comment.
Kirsten
Oh my goodness, this looks awesome! I now need to plan this tea party. Thanks for all of the beautiful details and recipe ideas!
Beth
Hi Kirsten – So glad that you enjoyed the post. Once I re-read the book (pictured on the footstool) and watched the movie (the first one), it was easy to pull things together. I hope you are able to do this or another theme afternoon tea party. Its great fun. Thanks for your comment.
Debbie
How special! You’ve thought of everything!
Beth
Hi Debbie – Thanks for your comment. I actually read the children’s book and then watched the first Disney animated production to get my creative juices flowing. It was a lot of fun for sure. Thanks!
Diane Kurzava
This is absolutely adorable! I wish you lived closer because I would so hire you to do an amazing tea party!
Beth
Hi Diane – Would love to be able to do that. This is something that I really enjoy to do and miss it since we aren’t able to meet. There are many things that you can probably do. But thank you for your comment – that’s a high compliment for me and I am honored. Glad you enjoyed the post and thank you for your comment.
Kim
Oh my goodness how I wish I did something like this for my daughters when they were little. Such sweet memories and you did a fantastic job!
Beth
Hi Kim – Thanks so much for your comment. Well themed teas are so fun to do and don’t need to be just for the littles. There were other adults at the party as well who had a great time. Thank you for your feedback. Glad that you enjoyed the post.
Ruth H Iaela-Pukahi
Oh, my goodness!!! What a WONDERFUL tea party! I LOVED all the little details. Even though tea parties are a very grown adult women kind of thing, you were able to make it so special for the young ones too! I’m positive it was an experience they will never forget! Loved it!!!
Beth
Hi Ruth – Thank you so much for your comment. It was fun to do and I enjoy putting themed parties together. Yes, they did enjoy it very much (as did the other adult women). Thanks!
Santana
My sister used to have a little beauty and the beast tea set when we were kids. I should ask her if she still has it.
Beth
Hi Santana – Thanks for your comment. That would be a great thing to find…you never know where those memories can take you.
jen
Oh my goodness! This is perfect. Every single detail is so well thought out! What a fun memory for these sweet girls!
Beth
Hi Jen – Thank you so much for your comment. And glad that you enjoyed the post. It was very fun to do for sure.
Ethel
I love Beauty & the Beast and I love how detailed and well-planned this afternoon party is! From the rose under the glass dome to the foot stool, the grey stuff, just wow! I want to be a guest! 😀
Beth
Hi Ethel – Thank you for your comment. It was a lot of fun but the most help was to read the children’s book and watch the movie! Everyone enjoyed it and it was a delight to put everything together. Thanks.
Sara - Seek Discover Learn
I love themed tea parties. The tea parlor near our house has themed teas every month. They have done Downton Abbey, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Gilmore Girls, etc. I love your Lumiere napkins, they are so cute, and they actually remind me of Lumiere.
Beth
Hi Sara – Thank you for your comments. I enjoy a good themed party – and for me, its the planning and putting it together. Your tea parlor sounds like its done some great ones as well. Thanks!
Angela
Oh this is so dreamy! My daughter and I saw the live action movie years ago in the theater and then went for tea at local place. I kid you not, my cup had a chip in it! Yes, I was given CHIP! My daughter and I still talk about it.
Beth
Hi Angela – Love that you had a cup with a chip in it. That was one I didn’t think of but certainly would have been such a sweet touch. Themed parties can give such great memories and it sounds like you and your daughter had just that. Thanks so much for your comment.
Suzan | It's My Sustainable Life
Where were you when my daughter was young? She would have loved having an afternoon filled with “bleauty” and the beast! How fun!!
Beth
Hi Suzan – Well not sure where I was – ha. But I can tell you that the ladies at the tea enjoyed it just as much as well. Its always so fun to watch people ooh, ahh, and then giggle over a well planned afternoon tea. Its such a great time for them to step away. So these are not just for the littles but also the ladies. Thanks for your comment and glad you enjoyed the post.
Tonya | the Writer Mom
How fun, and such detail! My daughter would be thrilled with a Beauty and the Beast tea party.
Beth
Hi Tonya – Thanks so much for your comment. Glad that you enjoyed the post. Well at any age, some of these themed parties make everyone smile, which of course is the best satisfaction for me. It was a lot of fun. Thanks.
Laurie Janssen
HI, love how you matched your items with the pictures from the movie, matches so well. This could be a repeater for sure.
Beth
Hi Laurie – So glad that you enjoyed the post and thank for your comment. It was fun to do and the book and movie gave me some creative inspiration. Hmm a repeater! Thanks.
Eva Keller
Wow! What a wonderfully planned and well thought out tea party! I love the theme and all the details that went into it.
Beth
Hi Eva – Thanks so much for your comment. It was a lot of fun to plan and see it come together. And not really that difficult, just had to think through what I had around the house and how could I make it work! Thanks
Katherine Wolfe
How fun! I wish I had some little girls to prepare this for…
Beth
Hi Katherine – Thanks for your comment. That’s what people have been saying – but must tell you that I think the adults enjoyed it just as much!
heather J jandrue
OMG I love this!!! Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite movies. I want to recreate this at home.
Beth
Hi Heather – So glad that you enjoyed the post. Yes, it was fun to try and recreate some of the pieces and I used pretty much just things I had around the house. Thanks for your comment.
Kendra
Wow! You totally nailed it! What a perfect event! Those candlestick napkins are such a great touch! (Oh…and it’s totally okay to sing and dance along to the movie!)
Beth
Hi Kendra – Thank you so much for your comments. It was a delightful event to plan and then to host – seeing the giggles and the delight of the guests, not only the little girls but also the adults! The candlestick napkins were a fun touch for sure. And thanks for the dancing endorsement hahah – not pretty but fun.
Charlene
Oh my gosh, what a cute idea! And so much attention to the details! Wow!
Beth
Hi Charlene – so glad that you enjoyed the post and thank you for your comments. It was a lot of fun to plan and put together for sure. And not that hard – used a lot of things from around my home. Thanks.
Cindy
What an enchanting afternoon tea! I’ll bet the guests loved it and the little girls will never forget it. Everything was perfect!
Beth
Hi Cindy – thanks for much for your comment. It was fun…to plan and put together as well as host. Yes everyone was delighted. Its always like stepping out of the busyness of life for a moment and this was extra special because of the storyline. Thanks!
jody
Beauty and The Beast is one of my favorite movies. Thank you for sharing
Beth
Hi Jody – Glad that you enjoyed the post. It was fun. Thanks for your comment.
Sandi
That is so adorable. I can’t wait until my granddaughter is old enough, it will be so much fun.
Beth
Hi Sandi – Yes, very fun for granddaughters. But you are correct – they have to be a certain age to enjoy and to actually manage through the tea. These ladies were old enough but also their aunt brought them activity bags that they could do through the tea – it was perfect. Glad that you enjoyed the post and thanks for your comment.
Alice
What a wonderful idea for little girls. I love it!
Beth
Hi Alice – thanks so much for your comment. It was not only great for the girls, but pretty sure the adults enjoyed it as well. Thanks!
Tiffany
What a fun idea – I have two nieces that I would love to bring for tea downtown Chicago and think this would be a great “test run” at home with one of the themes of their favorite Disney movie! Thanks for the idea!
Beth
Hi Tiffany – Thanks and so glad that you enjoyed the post. A great test run for sure. And Chicago – oh my, some great tea rooms you have access to. Our tea rooms here have age limits on the young littles attending. I actually have been having “tea” with my 4 year old granddaughters, getting them used to using cups and spoons. They are not quite ready yet. My other granddaughter attended 2 years ago and had a great time, but towards the end was ready to get out and play (she was 5 then). They had a children’s menu but she was more interested in the adult tastings…we all shared and it was fun. Thanks for your comment and have a great time.
Melissa Jones
So fun!!
Beth
Hi Melissa – Thanks. It was for sure. Glad that you enjoyed the post.
Georgette
I love everything about this article! From invitations to the menu to decorations. Definitely going to try the newspaper flowers.
Beth
Hi Georgette – So glad that you enjoyed the post. It was great fun to do. Thank you for your comment.
Denise
I really enjoyed this article-it’s giving me the push to get back and focus on my running
Beth
Hi Denise – Delighted that you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your comment.
Kareena
This is such an ADORABLE theme! I love this! I’m so motivated to plan one. Thanks so much for sharing!
Beth
Hi Kareena – Thank you so much for your comment and glad that you enjoyed the post. Yes, it was fun to do for sure. I have done several themed teas and then just group teas. Here’s one from Valentine’s Day . Happy planning! And thanks again.