How To Host A Baby Shower Afternoon Tea At Home

Afternoon tea is the easiest baby shower to host at home. It's cheap, it's mostly made in advance, and nobody expects a hot meal.

Here's the menu, the quantities per guest, and the schedule that gets it on the table without you cooking through the party.

The classic menu

• Sandwiches, crusts off, cut into fingers: cucumber, egg and cress, coronation chicken, smoked salmon and cream cheese.
• Scones, warm, with clotted cream and jam. Two per person and make them that morning.
• One sponge - Victoria or lemon drizzle - cut small.
• A tray of small bakes: brownies, flapjack, mini tarts.
• Foil-wrapped chocolate neapolitans scattered across the tiers, which fills the gaps on the stands and makes the whole thing look styled.
• Fruit, because everything else is beige.
• Tea, properly made in pots, plus a jug of elderflower for anyone who doesn't drink it.

Quantities per guest

• Four sandwich fingers each.
• Two scones each.
• Two or three small sweet things each.
• Two or three chocolates each on the stands.
• Two cups of tea each, so allow a litre of milk per eight guests.
• Always cater for two more than have said yes.

What to make ahead

• Cake: two days before, iced the morning of.
• Brownies and flapjack: two days before, kept in a tin.
• Sandwich fillings: the night before, sandwiches assembled two hours ahead and kept under a damp tea towel.
• Scones: that morning, or frozen raw and baked from frozen.
• Table and stands: set the night before, covered with a cloth.

A timing plan for a 2pm start

• Morning: bake scones, ice the cake, set the teapots out.
• Midday: assemble the sandwiches, cover them, load the stands except the scones.
• 1.30pm: kettle on, scones in the oven, get changed.
• 2pm: guests arrive, tea poured, food on the table straight away.
• 3pm: games, while people pick at what's left.
• 4pm: presents and cake.
• 5pm: favours handed out at the door.

Making it feel like a baby shower

• A small balloon cluster or some bunting behind the tea table is enough decoration.
• One colour on the napkins, the ribbon and the sweets ties everything together.
• A card for each guest to write a wish for the baby, propped on the table.
• Keep the games short - two, played between the tea and the cake.
• Borrow tiered stands rather than buying them. Mismatched china looks better anyway.

Shop new baby cards

How to write it so it lands

• Borrow the stands, bake the scones that morning, do everything else ahead.
• Under a damp tea towel is how sandwiches survive two hours.
• Sit down and eat something yourself. Hosts always forget.

Where to shop next

• DIY baby shower favour ideas
• How to plan a gold baby shower
• Baby shower game prizes
• Baby shower on a budget
• Gender neutral baby shower themes
• Unique baby shower gift ideas
• How to make a DIY baby hamper
• What to write in a new baby card
• Shop new baby cards
• Shop party supplies
• Christening decorations
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What food do you serve at a baby shower afternoon tea?

Finger sandwiches, warm scones with cream and jam, one sponge cake, a tray of small bakes, fruit, chocolates scattered across the stands, and pots of tea.

How much food do you need per person for afternoon tea?

Four sandwich fingers, two scones and two or three small sweet things per guest, plus two cups of tea. Cater for two more people than have confirmed.

How long should a baby shower afternoon tea last?

Three hours is right: an hour of food and chat, an hour of games, then presents and cake before people head off.

How much does a baby shower afternoon tea at home cost?

Around £5 to £8 per head if you make it yourself, including tea, against £25 upwards per person at a hotel.

Do you sell baby shower decorations and sweets?

We make cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations like bunting, banners, balloons, table confetti and cake toppers, all posted from the UK. Chocolates, catering and anything else mentioned here are outside recommendations, not things we stock.