Throw a Modern Tea Party for Mom’s 60th Birthday!

“Tea party” brings to mind sweet elderly ladies, scones, crumpets, and a vintage tea service. Not for Mom’s 60th birthday, it doesn’t! Sixty is now the new 50, they say. So a tea party with a hip vibe is definitely in order to mark this milestone!

It all begins with a popping color palette that extends to the table setting and the food and favor displays. So, even when sweet tea party details are brought in, they take on a fun modern and even eclectic feel. So get ready to thrill Mom with a celebration that makes her feel not a day over 60!

Choose a Vibrant Party Palette

Fun is the look you’re aiming for. So set a color palette that says just that!

• – Lay out a bold fuchsia table overlay on a sassy print table cloth (who would’ve thought of a zebra pattern for a tea party!).
• – Soften this a bit with powder pink table napkins and rose flowerpot place card holders.
• – Continue the hot pink to the favor display where it sets off multi-colored can “vases” holding pink gerbera daisies and dainty straw baskets filled with candies (see pic below).
• – Toss in some paper streamers in the brightest colors.
• – Speaking of bright, dress up the party’s tea service station in the sunniest yellow cloth you can find (see pic below).

Serve Tea in Chic Modern Cups

Extend the modern look of this tea party to the tea service you will use. In fact, it need not even be a complete matched set.

• – Scour your favorite flea market or thrift shop for unusual tea cups and saucers with an edgy modern look (as opposed to a vintage floral pattern). Of course, you may also luck out on discovering a cool set at a home decor or tableware store.
• – If your thrift shop finds don’t match up perfectly, so much the better! Use them that way at the party.
• – For another break from tradition, brew the tea from tea bags (a tea party no-no!) instead of from tea leaves steeped in a proper tea pot.
• – Replace the cardboard tags on the tea bag with brightly colored DIY baubles.
• – Offer guests new-style sugar crystals to sweeten their tea with.

Have a Colorful Party Fare Display

Go beyond the typical tea party menu of finger sandwiches and tea cakes. Set up an eye-catching “treats and sweets” display of Mom’s favorites and have guests serve themselves.

• – Prepare stacks of scrumptious cookies tied together with bright ribbon—to be enjoyed at the party or taken home as guest favors (hence the thank you tags!).
• – Offer up mini marshmallows, doughnut holes, bite-size pastries, even special chocolates that the birthday girl would love.
• – Have fun containers, like colorful heart-shaped boxes or colorful oversized mugs, on hand for guests to pop some extra treats into to take home.

So who says a tea party is only for doddering old ladies? Clearly, it can be as modern and hip as your creativity can make it—and as enjoyable as Mom deserves!

“Take 5” Checklist for a Modern Tea Party:

1. Select a bold and bright party palette—featuring colors like hot pink, bright orange, and sunny yellow.
2. Apply this to the table setting and the favor and food displays, with edgy, modern decorations.
3. Give a nod to a traditional tea party with rose flower pots as place card holders and petite straw baskets as guest favors.
4. Serve the tea in chic retro tea cups and saucers (even mismatched is fine!).
5. Set up a “treats and sweets” station offering more than your typical tea party fare.