Some really quick ideas that come to mind. It's for charity, so turn it into a real money maker, if appropriate. Have items to raffle or auction off, silent or live or both: Fabulous autumn wreath on front door, a decorative plaque/sign , gorgeous flower arrangements, jewelery and home accent items, anything ladies might love from local boutiques and florists. All great advertising and PR for the shops. Autumn Baskets of fresh produce, pumpkin bread, jars of jellies, chutney, cheeses, etc. A Garden Basket with seeds, gloves, potted plants, etc. Entertainment Basket with apron, wines, crackers, appetizer, cocktail napkins,music CD. I could go on, but am sure you've done this before. I would offer one or two freebies: stickers under 2 chairs and the winner(s) gets a potted mum, or some such.
Make it an autumn theme in your cloths and napkins and flowers. I'd serve punch, champagne (next to punch for spiking), water, and tea. Perhaps wine.
Look at wonderful books from Victoria, Wms. Sonoma, etc. for table and food decor ideas. You can have bread colored at bakery in an autumn orange and sliced length ways. Layer with wheat bread for cut out or rolled up and sliced sandwiches. Women will go nuts for the tiny sandwiches and pretty much avoid the cookies and any larger sweet. Chocolates and small goodies are great. I often serve a green salad ( with nuts, fruit and feta cheese) at teas, too. Not traditional, but Very, very popular.

On re-read it looks as though you're doing a formal, sit-down- with- courses tea. I might still do a very dainty Caprese type of salad if there were frig room for the individual plates. Since they will be sitting at table, I'd add a yummy cream soup: pumpkin, squash, apple. Many cream soups are even better at room temp. For dessert course I would offer plates / trays of a variety of goodies.
Sprinkle everything liberally with mint, basil leaves and edible flowers. Lovely! Wish I could come help:>)

Leah thanks, I didn't even think of all of those wonderful tea mags...I'll collect :) Since I'll have five tables set up I can decorate them all differently and have some elegant fun with it. I have time to collect different china and silver (I'm on bedrest today and ebay is helping LOL).

We have a forest of mint and herbs which go through late October into November as well as fresh figs at that time so I'll work those in. I love the idea of a salad (and caprese is my favorite LOL). More luncheon tea than just tea. They want good money from these gals so it needs to be nice. I'm glad you mentioned wine...I personally was thinking I'd include it as an option (nice light afternoon wines) but wasn't sure if that would be taken well or not.

We are not in charge of the actual fund raising (I hate doing that) and I don't think they're doing an auction (standard in Alaska). The other event I went to they just passed out envelopes for cash. I'm assuming they might do the same but I will ask. I'd be happy to have some fun with the table decor as table auction items if nothing else...beautiful silverplate with flowers or something wonderful like that....good idea :) (auctioning something LOL).

I wish you could come and help as well LOL It sounds like you enjoy a tea :) I used to do them and did enjoy them, it's just been so many years heh heh

So what do you think???? Individual tea pots per person or a couple different silver pots on each table (full services)?

I can't remember who it is online here who posts in this forum from Kala Point (the target audience). I wonder if I'll have a GWebber :) That would be fun!

I was figuring out tables today. I have a game table in the music parlor that we'll use, with four chairs. Then there is a library table which I may move to the other parlor since the sofa in there is too tall for tea at that table. The dining room table seats 12. Then I'm toying with a table in the entry hall and somehow doing another in the music parlor...I have to work on that LOL That sofa isn't lovely to sit on and I wasn't planning on working on it this soon.....I may now be rushed to pick up some more side chairs.

Kelly Bensimone is a nut case (ok I'm watching the housewifes while typing).

cocktail parties are so much easier to do than sit downs! I suppose I need to make sure we have help for each room service....I'll talk to the charity about that. I was thinking I might borrow some nice tea carts from a friend with an antique store for the party which would make things easier to say the least :) Or I could be smart and just hire some help.....One per room???? OK that's something to consider.

Gad I have to quit doing crack and volunteering for stuff LMAO

In my experience, LOTS of champagne helps to open wallets. Keep it flowing...

And I totally agree, Kelly Bensimone is a supreme nut job. She really is living in an alternate reality.

Nicole

Oh dang. I used to make garden art from tea pots & tea cups. I had DOZENS of silverplate tea sets and tons of lovely cups & saucers. I was the Queen of Goodwill Hunting. Don't get me started on the silver trays and crystal accoutremonts. I have gotten rid of almost all of it, but I DO know that I kept a few of the better tea pots. I'm not sure if I kept the set parts, but may have.

If you need some things, let me know and I'll check my stash. I'd be happy to forward things on to you. If it weren't so early, I'd wrack my brain for ideas, but I've not had nearly enough caffeine!

This is an example of what I used to do with my tea pots. I made this stuff for years, and sold out every show I ever did. Then one day I just said 'enough' and packed it all up and put it in the shed. I've given a lot to charity, but every once in a while I see the pix and think how fun it was for me. And I still get customers asking about me, but alas, I've moved on.

My sister and I gave a tea in January and it was a lot of fun. Your menu sounds great. The only thing I would suggest is to have a couple of sweet items, such as cookies or candies. Clotted cream, if you can find it, and jam are nice to serve with scones. Also, serving hot tea, with choice of lemon, sugar and/or milk, adds to the fun. fun.

I suppose a Mad Hatter/MacKenzie Childs over-the-top fantasy is out of the question? Oh, and I'd want sherry. And a Mrs. Powers gate to the herb garden.

Tuffets would be good

For tea cakes:

Maybe an off-kilter, post modern cake?

Encourage guests to wear wild hats--either garden party Kentucky Derby type or Mad Hatter type?

Okay, I'm trying to keep you from being bored on bedrest...

Why not make it an Alice-in-Wonderland tea party? Who doesn't remember having the book read to them when they were a little girl? It would give you a not-too-difficult theme to decorate around...just a thought. ;o)

Perhaps also serve coffee. Some people are, like me, literally allergic to tea and can't drink it. And some people won't touch alcohol if they're going to be driving. You don't want your ladies having a choice of only water while they are contemplating opening their wallets.

Port Townsend is probably a bonanza of autumn harvest goodies. You'll be able to have fabulous festive decor!

I drag out my crystal punch bowl when I want an elegant touch. (The words drag and elegant don't seem compatible in a sentence but that's what I do - it's heavy!) Surround it with scrumptious desserts and fresh fruit on crystal and silver platters. Classic!

I have a delightful little book called Tea Time at the Inn which features various teas around different themes in the setting of bed and breakfasts across the country. There are many wonderful recipes in the book which should help to jumpstart your planning process. There is even a "Mystery Tea" where the guests dress up and help to solve the mystery.

I'm sorry I didn't get right back here. I was drug from my bedrest into hosting four guests for a couple of days. They've just left and I need a nap LOL

Pesky the garden art is FABBBBBB I may just have to ask...oh heck I will, please tell us how you did it? Glue? What? I need need need to scatter those in the yard next year. They're perfect for this big old box....it needs humor!

We're going to do another tea party for younger gals that's entirely silly with hats etc as a fund raiser as well. This one we'll keep old fashioned elegant. Pesky if you want to ditch anything in your stash I am sure I will put it to good use! I'll pay shipping of course and anything else ya want if it makes sense :) Thats so sweet of you.

I'm lucky I have several months to plan. I will start hitting all of the thrifts in the area for tea cups (Mom we're talking pre 70's LOL) and other tea goodies. Our local habitat for humanity always has a lot of that stuff donated. I scanned ebay but their prices seemed a bit silly.

You know, the one thing I need is one of those silly stacked plate things for goodies...but I can't remember the freaking name!!! Help?????? LOL My brain is a bit high on hormones and the basic words just aren't flowing....

KD If I won the many millions referenced in another thread I'd purchase two of those sofa's and have them set up in the parlor when DH came home one day....just to see him literally explode with horror heh heh LOL I'm giggling right now thinking of it....I need a lottery ticket

You've received some wonderful ideas above, and I'm sure your afternoon tea will be just lovely! Whatever you do, don't call it high tea though. Not that you would, but I've seen so many restaurants offering an afternoon tea that they've referred to as "high tea" -- probably because they think it sounds more posh that way. High tea was traditionally a casual early evening meal in Britain.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tea facts :-)

If you're on eBay, odds are you've already seen several of the fabulous *cheap* silver plated tea and coffee pots for sale -- (Was that you I was bidding against? I've got a 'Titanic' luncheon in a few weeks and have been augmenting my collections.) And all of the china! So many pretties... Lace tablecloths? Linen napkins? Silver candelabra? Oh, and cake pedestals!

I love the idea of having tea services on each table -- You said three or four tables? So not a bank-breaker.

And edible flowers! I've been researching those too, and there are LOTS of them! Even gladiolas, snapdraggons and geraniums -- so some are incredibly easy to find.

I love Pesky's tea-set garden art projects. What great centerpieces those would be! Or something similar... I've seen some fabulous chandaliers made from old silver odds & ends.

I actually threw a tea party last fall for my daughter's birthday and I got my tea cup collection from the salvation army. Would you believe most of the cups are Limoges? They are all mismatched, but still looked beautiful- to me anyway. Her friends just got a kick out of drinking iced tea out of real tea cups.
I think finger sandwiches would be great. Ina Garten has a fabulous chicken salad recipe, it is delicious and can be made ahead of time. It can be found on the foodnetwork website.
For deserts, may I suggest petit fours? They work really well at a tea party, and look beautiful on tiered desert platters.

I would emphasize the tea too, don't overlook it and the service with it while concentrating on everything else. It would be nice to have a beautiful assortment of great teas so guests can have a choice and the right serving pieces: strainers, tongs for sugar cubes, bowls to set the tea strainer in, etc.
It would be nice if everyone could have their own tea pot.

Don't forget to head over to the Holidays forum to snag some table setting ideas. They set some gorgeous tables and there are plenty of links to great blogs for additional inspiration. Enjoy!