How to Host a Tea Party Themed Baby Shower: Ideas, Recipes, and More

Oh, baby, put the kettle on! If you’re like me, half the gals you know are expecting, and at any given time you could be called upon to host a shower. Never fear -- these tea party themed baby shower ideas will have them laughing with joy.

Choose a Theme

The first order of business is choosing a theme that will delight your mother to-be. Relaxed gals are likely to love a mid-day brunch tea, while an evening in the garden tea will delight nature lovers. Fun-loving moms will love the whimsy and creativity of a grown up coloring party. And, of course, there's always the classic English tea party for "Downton Abbey" lovers!
Don’t forget to send out invitations! You may also want to brush up on your hospitality by imbuing some southern charm into your event. If you really want to make an impression, try a few of these dinner party hacks.

Select the Menu

Once you have the theme and decor nailed down, you’ll want to turn your attention to the menu. Think about what would best fit with the season and the theme of the party, but also keep in mind what would delight the mother to-be. Below are links to some of our favorite recipes for baby shower tea party bliss.
Crunchy Cocoa Cookies
A Trio of Tea Sandwiches
Tea-infused Quinoa
Sweet Tea Ice Cream
Earl Grey Tea Granita
Showstopper Victoria Sponge Cake
Depending on the season, serve up pots of hot tea or pitchers of homemade iced tea (which you can fancy up with some easy tea ice cubes.

Set Up Space

If you’re hosting the baby shower in your home, you’ll need to get your space ready for guests. Warning: This might mean rearranging some furniture to create comfortable seating for dining and conversation. These tips on hosting a party in a small space are terrific, even for those with larger homes.
Don’t be afraid to break out the good china, or mix and match for a more casual affair. consider creative ways to display the food to make it look good while also being easily accessible to guests. You may want to put everything on one table as a focal point, or create individual spots for different groupings; a separate tea station is always a great idea!
Instead of the usual -- and quite often tasteless (yes, I said it) -- baby shower games, have guests pull cards from a conversation starter deck. Everyone can answer the questions, getting to know one another better in the process, and the mom of honor can choose winners based on the answers she likes best.

Show Favor

For your tea party baby shower favors, send guests home with relaxing herbal tea bath sachets (give a few extra to your mother to-be!), or bundle together bags of rock sugar and tea with tags that read, "Rock the Baby." To really wow them, create a personalized tea blend that guests can take home and enjoy. You can also make tea blending one of the party activities by setting up an area where guests can make their own custom tea.
photo credits: Margo Millure, Katy Stewart, author, Andy Hayes