Throw a Fabulous Tea Party on a Budget!
I had so much fun Saturday hosting some lovely ladies in my home for a Bridesmaid’s Tea!
While I wouldn’t consider myself a baker, I was determined to make sugar cookies and scones all from scratch for this special occasion. Can I just tell you that I didn’t burn anything?! Small personal victory! Here’s how I put it together…
Since there were only seven of us, I wanted to keep everything simple.
After all, if we’re going to fit in those bridesmaids dresses, loading up on (too many) sugary treats isn’t the best thing to do 
It was also important for me to keep this on a reasonable budget.
The Decor
Tea pots, cake stand, and serving pieces were all things I had on hand. It was just a matter of playing around with the layout to make it work. I picked up the plates, napkins and table cloth at Dollar Tree, along with the ribbon that added a little flair and tied in my “table-scape”.
For the food and drinks, I also tried to base the menu on what I had on hand in the pantry and pair that with a few fresh items. This is what I planned to serve:
The Menu
Pioneer Woman Maple Pecan Scones
(Gigantic) Pioneer Woman Angel Sugar Cookies
Fruit Kabobs (red grapes, bananas, strawberry & pineapple)
Parmesan Chex Mix
Served Buffet Style with Choice of Tea:
Passion Tea Lemonade, Regular Iced Tea or Hot Green/ Red Apple Tea
The scones were a big hit, they taste like “delicious pancakes” according to the girls. I think the kabob-style fruit was fun and also made for easy serving. Even after loading up our plates, there were plenty of scones and cookies for my guests to take home in clear cellophane goodie bags. Perfect party favors!
I was really pleased with how everything turned out 
I’m so glad I focused on trying to do a few things well rather than try to serve an abundance.
For baking, the only item I had to make a special purchase for was the package of powdered sugar- approx. $2. I checked the sale papers for the best prices on fruit, the strawberries were $2, pineapple was $1, grapes $.77/ lb., bananas $.39/lb. So the total money out of pocket for fruit was about five dollars. Other than the baked goods and fruit the only other purchase I made was some lemonade (on sale with a coupon for $2).
Making the most of what I already had on-hand, I was able to host a super-fun afternoon tea for less than $25.
As we approach the holiday season, let me encourage you that you can do this too! It may look different, maybe this isn’t your cup of tea (pardon the pun) but perhaps you’d like to host family or friends in your home in a unique way. Hospitality is not about putting on a show, it’s about extending your home- regardless of size to others. So, get creative, try something new this season. Have joy in making the most of what you have!
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This looks wonderful! I also really like Dollar Tree for decorations – I found some wonderful goodies there for a baby shower last year.
Thanks Amy! Me too, I was really suprised to find as much as I did Dollar Tree. I will definitely be going here for decorations, etc before visiting a party store
Julie,
Thank you for all these tips. Let me tell you that everything looks so welcoming; I might have to try this at my little girls’ b’day party coming at the end of October (including those recipes you made; the Pioneer Woman never fails us
)
Becky, thank you!
I think this would be SO much fun to do for a little girls birthday party
Yes, you can always count on the Pioneer Woman 
The teapots I have were gifts (I’m adding on to my grandmothers colletion) but I think you could find some really cute ones at antique or resale shops as well as garage sales if you don’t already have some at home.
That is so impressive. I find it can take a little extra time, but savings can be made with most things. I quite enjoy the challenge. And it looked beautiful.