Deanna Said:

Tea party....?????????????

We Answered:

They can look as unique or standard as you would like. I vote for nice cups and saucers (the thrift stores can be a wonderful place to get dainty cups and saucers that are each different and your guests can take home!) You can make a lovely fall table with a rich colored fabric table covering, and wonderful centerpiece found at either the craft store or the thrift store. You could also use Fresh flowers (or small potted mums in the wonderful fall colors) for your table and around the area where you tea party is. I am partial to outdoor Tea Party's, but the weather is cold so a nice cozy room (assuming you will have less than 10 people) would be intimate and lovely. Make sure to have a comforting scent waifing through the air, a candle, a loaf of bread that had just cooked, or such. A light music in the background would also be nice, I would try for only instrumental music in a party where conversation would be paramount, not the lyrics in a musical selection.

The best thing any hostess can do in my view, is to be relaxed, and eager to bless those who come to the event. It to me should not about the host "putting on" and getting lots of compliments, it is about treating each person as special and making sure they know they are important and that they enjoy themsleves. :)