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Hey there lovelies~!

I'm throwing my first ever lolita tea party. It was going to only be a few people, but I put up a thing in my status on facebook and it turns out like a ton of people want to go. We're going to have it at this fancy tea house place near where I live.

So I needs some advice...
And has some questions for the loli's that are wiser than I on the matter of tea~

Questions
1. Is there anything I should do for the good of the tea party other than booking a reservation?
2. Are there any potential problems that arise at lolita tea parties I should look out for?
3. I've had a few people who are not lolita tell me that they really want to go. I don't want to be exclusive, but I really want this to be a lolita tea party. Where should I draw the line?

Thanks guys! You're the best~

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In the past, when i've hosted tea parties, i simply ask the non-lolitas to dress 'lolita friendly', and offer to help them with their outfit. If the majority of the people who want to come are not lolitas, and you can always explain that this was intended to be a smaller gathering, as it is your first tea party, and promise a larger one in the future.

As for what you need to do aside from make the reservation... I would talk to the place where your going to have the tea party. Some places have basic decorations and table settings, but will recommend you bring centerpieces, for example. They'll be able to recommend things you should do, they do this kind of thing everyday, after all.

The VERY MOST IMPORTANT THING for you to do, since you are making a reservation, is to get a solid number of people. Most of the time a place like this charges by the person, and if you have more people, your price may go up, or the amount of food/tea per person goes down.

Also, are you paying for this whole shindig yourself, or are you asking people to chip in? If you are paying for the whole thing, make sure you set a budget so that you don't go broke. If you are asking people to chip in, make sure you make that clear to begin with. Talk to the people at the tea shop your having the party at, and find out what rates look like. You might find your guest list gets smaller if people are expected to contribute some money.


Let me think... other things...

Check to make sure there will be enough movement space for petticoats. Explain to the person you make the reservations with that you don't want to break or spill anything, and you will be having a lot of girls with some serious poof walk through the space.

Once you have your guest list, find out about allergies/intolerances. Make sure everyone actually likes tea (and maybe ask if they can also provide a coffee/juice option as well).

Depending on how much time you have, send out paper invitations! It adds a bit of charm to the whole occasion. I've been known to hand out invitations for a casual lunch tea at my home rather then asking my friends if they want to come over for tea.

Party favors are something to think about, but by no means necessary. they can be small, but they can really add something to the party. A small favor at each place setting can be fun.

If friends ask if they need to bring anything, and you don't need them to bring anything, you might say something like "All i really ask is for you to come and have a good time" but then slide in something about a hostess gift, esspecially if your paying the whole thing yourself, or giving out favors. However, if you aren't really doing that much work yourself (like if it turns out that all you really need to do is make the reservation), then i wouldn't even mention hostess gifts. (And only mention them if your friends aren't familiar with the concept. If they are, then it should be up to them.)

You might buy cheap disposable cameras and set them out on the tables. This encourages alot of picture taking, and it can give you some of the most awesome pictures.



Thats all i can think of right now. If theres anything specific you need help with, let me know and i'll do my best to be of assistance! heart Best of luck with you tea party!

Agreeing with all of this, especially the point of finding out people allergies and dietary restrictions, and talking to the tea house you're going to. If you were gonna have a party of say, 20+, it's best to plan ahead of time what exactly they should make or what people want, because it'll just be easier and quicker for food to come. Also, there are times when a place might not be the best and put up fees and stuff without letting you know because you didn't actually talk in person about it. If you're collecting payments and stuff, you need to make sure how much money everyone will have to pay, including tax and gratuity in that total so you won't be left paying the rest.