Everything You Need to Host a Nostalgic and Elegant Vintage-Style Afternoon Tea Party

From scalloped cake stands to heritage print appetizer plates, here's what you need for a gloriously fall-inspired afternoon tea party

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Collection of vintage-style tea party products
(Image credit: Future)

Even the most seasoned hosts know the effort that goes into preparing a gathering, but designer Bryan Graybill's afternoon tea is a gentle reminder that entertaining needn’t be extravagant. His ritual is a study in simplicity – a pot of freshly brewed tea, a slice of cake, and, as he puts it, a moment that satisfies our craving for pause.

A vintage-inspired theme offers the perfect balance of charm and nostalgia for such an occasion. It’s ‘design at its most intimate,’ evoking an era of delicate china, embroidered linens, and polished silver. This curated edit gathers all the essentials for hosting an effortlessly elegant afternoon tea – pieces that capture the romance of a bygone time without the need to spend hours treasure-hunting in antique stores.

Martha Davies
Martha Davies
Content Editor

Martha is a Content Editor on the Living team at Homes & Gardens. Her love for lifestyle journalism began when she interned at Time Out Dubai when she was 15 years old; she went on to study English and German at Oxford, before covering property and interior design at Country & Town House magazine. To Martha, living beautifully is all about good food and lots of colorful home decor.