We will discuss what is a high tea wedding, which takes inspiration from the meal served shortly after 5 pm. You can also see below an example of a high tea wedding schedule to know what to expect and decide if it’s something you’d like for your special event.
Feel free to browse our blog to learn about different types of weddings as well. For example, do you know what is a white wedding?
It’s always a fantastic idea to familiarize yourself with different weddings to help you choose the most suitable for your preference and needs.
What Is A High Tea Wedding: Expectations And Sample Program
A high tea wedding adopts the high tea custom done at the end of the day. It’s unique for a wedding because a working-class meal is typically served.
Unlike a fancy wedding that adopts afternoon tea, a high tea wedding will serve filling and substantial meals such as meat and bread, reminiscent of supper instead of delectable desserts and light sandwiches. Nonetheless, there are modifications nowadays to make high tea classier for weddings.
What time is high tea?
High tea is traditionally served after 5 pm at the end of the workday. The menu, as discussed previously, is meant to be filling compared to what is usually served during afternoon tea.
The heavy meal during high tea can be composed of steak, salmon, potatoes, casseroles, or even baked goods. More and more weddings are practicing high tea receptions, especially when guests have spent a whole day busy where you can expect them to be hungry.
Furthermore, high tea nowadays is also considered fashionable. The organizer can talk with the hosts and couple to make the event more romantic and elegant.
A sample schedule of a high tea wedding starts with the ceremony at 3:30 pm, the cocktail hour at 4:00 pm, and the high tea service at 5 pm. But if you’ll include a receiving line, consult with your wedding organizer to schedule everything well.
What does a high tea wedding reception look like?
A high tea wedding reception is traditionally composed of food service with three-tiered stands. The top tier comprises various bread types, the middle tier has sandwiches, and the bottom tier has sweets.
Ultimately, the couple can decide if they want to stick to traditional menus for their high tea wedding reception or include other food items that their guests will enjoy. Then, the seating in a high tea wedding reception can be seated where staff will serve the meals, or the guests can serve themselves.
Finally, a traditional high tea wedding will offer green, black, and herbal tea to choose from. The staff can serve the guests, or you can have teapots on each table.
What Is A Tea Party Wedding?
A tea party wedding refers to a wedding that follows a classic English afternoon tea. So what can you expect with this type of reception?
The reception will have vintage tea sets, tiered cake stands, gorgeous chinaware, lace, and antique cloths, to name a few. There should be a variety of teas that guests can choose from, and the reception practices tea party etiquette where the teapot, teacups, milk, and sugar are on the table for each guest.
The food is what you’ll usually see in a tea party, so expect delectable cakes and pastries, finger sandwiches, scones, and other desserts. The couple can also include non-traditional food items such as pies and burgers.
And as for the decoration, a tea party wedding reception should feel warm yet elegant. You can decorate the space with flowers inspired by spring and use a palette of pastel colors when decorating and styling the venue.
What Is Considered A Fancy Wedding?
A fancy wedding is the epitome of elegance and luxury. It is often formal, and you can notice that the ongoing theme is composed of metallics such as gold and silver.
The styling, decor, and details are also glamorous, as if you’re attending an exclusive gala. You can expect that the bride and groom also wear custom clothing made especially for the wedding.
But since the word fancy can be objective for every person, the theme and styling can differ from what is mentioned. The only factor to consider a wedding as fancy or luxurious is the cost spent for the event.
Consider reading what color goes with rose gold for a wedding if it’s a theme you’re eyeing.
What Is The Difference Between A Bridal Shower And A Bridal Tea?
A bridal shower is an event where the guest often brings gifts for the bride and can stay throughout the duration. In some places, such as the South, the brides instead have bridal tea where the guests bring tea and have the option to go at their leisure.
You can also bring gifts for the bride during a bridal tea, but opening them is not part of the custom as in bridal showers. Nonetheless, brides are free to modify the traditions and consider an afternoon tea as their bridal shower.
Conclusion
And that’s it! We just learned what is a high tea wedding, which is a reception done to the style of high tea served after 5 pm.
The menu is composed of more filling items than afternoon tea, where you’ll usually have finger foods and pastry. However, the couple still has the final say to modify a traditional high tea wedding.