A white birthday sign surrounded by colorful confetti as inspiration for tea parties for birthdays.

15 Wonderful Themes and Ideas for Tea Party Birthdays

Planning tea parties for birthdays is easy and fun! If you’re looking for ideas for a tea party birthday, you’ve come to the right place. 

We have 15 spectacular tea party themes to inspire you — many are also great for children. We also have tips for what kind of tea party you should host, some menu ideas, and the essentials you should consider for your tea party.

Whether it’s your birthday — or your unbirthday — you want to make the guest of honor and the invitees feel the joy and thrill of tea time. Let’s start with the star of the show: the birthday person.

Always Consider the Birthday Person First

A woman in a silver dress with balloons and confetti smiling.

If you’re throwing this birthday party for yourself, choose a theme you love and run with it. Have fun!

If you’re planning for someone else always keep them top of mind when coming up with ideas for a tea party birthday. This is about the birthday person, after all. Plan a party they will love!

Include the guest of honor in the planning process to confirm the theme and give them a heads-up especially if costumes are required. You don’t want your birthday person to be the only one not dressed for the festivities. 

If you want to keep most of the event a surprise, ask close friends or family what preferences the birthday person might have. This can include details for games, flowers, food, and tea. All of these elements come together, once you choose a theme.

15 Themes for Tea Parties for Birthdays

A woman with a black dress looking in the distance sitting at a table with a tiered afternoon tea stand and candelabra.

Are you looking for classic and timeless tea party birthday ideas? We’ve already shared some of the most classic tea parties that everyone will enjoy.

There are a million different themes for tea parties, and we have 15 fun ideas for tea party birthdays to inspire you below. Many of these themes are fantastic tea party birthday ideas for adults and most of them are kid-friendly!

1. The Classic Afternoon Tea Party

You can’t go wrong with a classic afternoon birthday tea party complete with scones, finger sandwiches, desserts, and tea. White linens and lace accents are traditional, but this is your party, so choose a few colors and make it all your own.

2. Alice in Wonderland Tea Party

Woman dressed as the Mad Hatter surrounded by floating teaware as inspiration for a tea party for a birthday.

When people think of tea parties for birthdays, Alice in Wonderland is usually the first theme that comes to mind. Who can resist recreating tea time with the Mad Hatter and his friends?

3. Gothic Tea Party

Afternoon British tea was born in the Victorian era, so a gothic theme is one of the best tea parties for birthdays. If your birthday person loves black attire and a touch of darkness, a gothic tea party is the perfect way to celebrate.

4. Garden Tea Party

Take your tea party out to the garden and enjoy a breath of fresh air among the roses and flowers. This is an idea for a tea party birthday theme you can enjoy in your backyard garden. For an adventurous day, you can take it off-site to a local park or flower garden in your city.

5. Fandom Tea Party

Is the birthday person a mega fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, The Hobbit, or Dr. Who? We love nerdy quotes about tea, and highlighting their favorite fandom for a birthday tea party will have them reeling with excitement. Create a strange new world when you blend their favorite fandom series or book collection with afternoon tea.

6. Parisian Tea Party

Paris-inspired decor with a Chanel book, magnifying glass, roses, and pastries sitting on a dress in the grass.

French-inspired everything is irresistible. A tea party adorned with Parisian trinkets, sweets, and quotes is a wonderful tea party birthday idea for adults and children. There’s so much flexibility with this theme — you can make it high-end couture or keep it cute and casual.

7. Hollywood Tea Party

You can’t go wrong whether you choose Modern Hollywood Glamour, Classic Hollywood, or Hollywood Humor. Costume-themed tea parties for birthdays always have them laughing and smiling. Offer prizes for the best dressed, funniest, and most creative Hollywood costumes.

8. Bohemian Tea Party

Keep it loose, casual, and comfortable with a Bohemian-themed party complete with neutral hues and natural elements. This is an excellent tea party birthday idea for adults — and depending on your current home decor, you might not have to change all that much to spruce up the ambiance for the party.

9. Zen Tea Party

Give your tea party an Eastern flair with a zen theme that includes handleless tea cups and green or oolong tea. Use spices and recipes to create delicious food and desserts inspired by India, China, or Japan.

10. Witch and Wizard Tea Party

Gold and silver metallic stars on a white table with Scrabble tiles spelling “Magic Please”.

Encourage your guests to dress up for the occasion and include witch-inspired foods and treats. It’s one of our favorite tea party themes for Halloween and excellent for tea parties for birthdays all year round — especially if your guest of honor is a fan of Harry Potter or King Arthur.

11. Carnival Tea Party

If you’re searching for tea party birthday ideas for adults or kids, dressing in costume makes this carnival theme even more fun, and a craft table keeps kids entertained. Go all out with red and white striped decorations and incorporate flavors like popcorn or caramel apple into your menu.

12. Art Deco Tea Party

The resurgence of the glamor and elegance of Art Deco makes it one of the best ideas for a tea party birthday. Scatter the tablescape with pearls and jewels and supply your guests with feather headbands and tophats.

13. Masquerade Tea Party

Masquerades make excellent tea parties for birthdays, especially if your guests come from different social groups. Hand out masks or set up a small craft table for guests to make a mask if they haven’t come with their own. 

14. Fairytale Tea Party

Pink rose cake and an arrangement of pink flowers on a pink table as inspiration for a fairytale-inspired tea party for a birthday.

Make this a classic fairytale tea party birthday and include fun quotes or details from Grimms’ fairytales. Modern Disney fairytales are a fun alternative that entertains adults just as much as kids.

15. Jane Austen Tea Party

Jane Austen’s famous collection of classic stories like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility makes a fantastic backdrop for tea time. This is definitely more of a tea party birthday idea for adults or teens who appreciate the stories and classic characters.

Pick Your Guests and Type of Tea Party

Outdoor afternoon tea party food table with pastries, sandwiches, and cut fruit.

Once you pick your theme, decide on the type of tea party you will have. The number of guests you invite might determine the type of tea party you will host. 

If you are hosting around six or fewer guests, a traditional afternoon tea served in courses or on tiered stands may be the most appropriate tea party. You don’t want too many people for this type of tea party because it’s a lot of work.

If you invite more than six guests, consider setting out your treats and food so your guests can serve themselves. You also want time to sit and enjoy the birthday tea party — especially if you’re the birthday person.

If you have a lot of guests, consider hosting a cream tea where you serve just tea and scones. You can also make it a light tea and serve fruit, desserts, and other goodies alongside tea and scones.

Send the Invitations

Dried flowers, paper, scissors, ribbon, and supplies to make invitations for a tea party birthday.

Once you’ve decided on your theme, guest list, and type of birthday tea party, it’s time to send out your invitations. Include the date, time, location, and requested attire or costume. Choose an invitation design that reflects the theme and colors of the tea party and send it by mail or digitally. 

Let guests know if there will be a costume contest with prizes. If the party is held outdoors, your guests will want to prepare for the weather and terrain. 

Plan Your Menu

Unicorn-themed tablescape with cupcakes, cakes, and pastel-colored treats for tea parties for birthdays.

We recommend setting your menu before planning your decor. Planning tea parties for birthdays goes much smoother when you plan out your essentials, first. After, you can add decor to fill in the gaps and decorate around the food and tableware.

Food ideas for tea party birthdays include tea cocktails or mocktails, finger sandwiches, scones, desserts, and pastries. Remember, if it’s a larger party, serve your food buffet style so you can enjoy the party, too. 

Some people may be sensitive to caffeine, so always have a caffeine-free tea option. Did you know that decaffeinated teas still have trace amounts of caffeine? Be sure to choose at least one caffeine-free herbal tea so caffeine-sensitive guests can enjoy the entire birthday tea party experience.

Gather Your Tea Party Essentials and Decor

Glass teapot and teacups on a white table as an idea for tea parties for birthdays.

Once your menu is planned, it’s time to gather your tea party essentials. These include all of your serve ware and everything that isn’t food or tea. 

Your most important pieces are your teaware which include: teapots, teacups, and saucers. You’ll also want flatware, napkins, and utensils. 

Glass teaware is the perfect neutral backdrop for every single tea party theme. This teaware collection is also incredibly easy to clean and it’s dishwasher safe. It’s simply the best teaware for tea parties and everyday use.

Linens, serving utensils, name cards, and centerpieces add the finishing touch to your essentials. Tea parties for birthdays are made complete with tablescapes full of flower centerpieces, or tea quotes in small picture frames that tie your theme together. 

Pick Your Activities

Glass teapot and teacup on a wood stand with teacups full of herbs and flowers.

This is an optional step — sometimes having a regular tea party is more than enough entertainment. But, if you want to add a little something extra we have some ideas for tea party birthday activities everyone will enjoy. 

Consider hosting a tea-tasting party and serving your guests one tea at a time. Enjoy tasting and then talking about each tea one at a time — or pair each tea with a different course of the meal. This works best with a smaller group of people for afternoon tea.

Set out a tea blending station and encourage guests to create their own unique blends of tea, herbs, and spices. This also doubles as a fun party favor they can enjoy at home.

Set up a hat decorating station or a crafting table. These birthday tea party ideas are fun for adults and for kids, too. 

Trivia games that reflect the tea party theme are always fun. Simply going around the table and saying something kind about the birthday person is heartfelt and memorable.

Tea Party Favors

Tea party favors in multiple boxes and bows with various colors for tea parties for birthdays.

Party favors are optional, but if you think your guests will bring gifts, try to send them off with a “thank you” favor. We have a wonderful list of tea favors for every budget and preference. You should keep your guests in mind and try to give them something they will want to use.

Consider making homemade cookies, or send them home with recipes from some of the tea party dishes. Glass teaware sets from Teabloom are affordable, and you can send guests home with their cups and saucers. This also clears up a little space in your home after the party is done.

Your birthday tea party might be more intimate and maybe you want to spend a little more on your guests. Consider gifting them a tea steeping cup for one or tea tumblers they can enjoy anywhere.

Plan Your Tea Party with Teabloom

When you’re ready to gather all your tea essentials, Teabloom is the place to go. Teabloom is your home for exceptional and affordable teaware. 

Since the beginning, Teabloom has been on a mission to clean up the tea industry with sustainable and chemical-free teaware that makes tea taste incredible. It’s also easy to clean and care for. 

Teabloom’s glass teaware is perfect for tea parties for birthdays and every tea party theme from St. Patrick’s Day Tea to Holiday Tea. Choose your exquisite teaware collection, today.

www.Teabloom.com