An afternoon tea wedding breakfast is becoming increasingly popular with many couples seriously thinking about alternatives to a sit down meal. Nice as it is, a meal is going to be heavy, expensive and you don't always get the standard you expected. So, what I thought I'd do is pull together the wedding breakfast packages that The Vintage Tea Service offers and let you know about them, which includesa catered option.
If you've never come across The Vintage Tea Service before, it's is all about providing beautiful quality vintage china and accessories to host a wedding breakfast that will be remembered, with the emphasis on realistic and affordable prices.
Hiring out vintage china has been described as niche, and I suppose it is. It wouldn't even come into most couples thoughts to hire vintage china!! Did you even know that you could hire vintage china?! Hopefully by the end of this article I might have sown a seed in your minds about using vintage china, if nothing else, this article will give you a really good understanding of what The Vintage Tea Service offers and how you can achieve great tablesscapes for your wedding breakfast.
How The Vintage Tea Service Works
Before I get into the detail about wedding breakfasts, it's important to say that I made a decision quite early on that clients should be able to view all of the china available for hire. The second decision I made was to have a section on the website dedicated to weddings. Both of these are really important so, as a couple you can browse, view, chat and make a decision about what you want and how it would work for you.
Once you've enquired, I'll send over an initial form to find out more about your wedding breakfast, I'll then put together a quote for you. Once this is agreed, the non-refundable deposit is paid. A confirmation email is then sent out to you, detailing how things will go moving forward. It's then that we'll discuss china colours and designs that you might want to have. We can either meet to discuss this and if we do, I'll bring along samples that you want to view, otherwise this process can be done via email. I'll put together a 'suggested china' document. This shows images of the items I'm recommending for your wedding. If you like the suggestions, it's then finalised.
However, at any point up until two weeks before the wedding you can alter your choice, add and reduce guest numbers. At that two week point the final invoice needs to be paid.
If you decide to opt for the China and Catering package, I deal with the china and accessories aspect and Marisa from Little Mouse Catering focuses on the food. This works incredibly well and throughout the process we communicate and work together to produce a seamless delivery.
All in all, it's a very simple process, from your initial enquiry to setting up your wedding breakfast.
The Dedicated Wedding Section
As soon as you go on the wedding section you'll see that I've clearly sectioned off the various different services I provide. Some of you may want to just have china packages, some will want to have the china and catering package. There's
Just Vintage China Packages
You may have already sourced your caterer or your venue prefers you to use the in-house team. So this offer is just hiring the china and accessories, with no catering offer whatsoever
There are important things to consider when you're considering an afternoon tea wedding breakfast. Number 1, the 3 tier cake stand!! Precisely, how many people do you want sharing one. Number 2!! What table style have you opted for, rectangular or round? Once both of these questions are answered, the bulk of the work has been done!!
I offer 5 packages, named after anniversary years. Package one is the Silk Package, designed for ROUND tables with three 3 tier cake stands on, plus all of the other china items on. Priced at £5.00 per head with the opportunity to add in additional items of china.
The Silk Package Plus
Once again, designed for round tables, this tine with two guests sharing a 3 tier cake stand. This package is priced at £6.00 per head. With this package it's really important to discuss with your venue, whether or not the tables can accommodate the extra cake stands.
Now if you're going for rectangular tables, which I love, you can choose between the two coral packages, one again based around the 3 tier cake stand.
The Coral Package
This package is designed for long/rectangular tables. Like the Silk Package, the Coral has four guests sharing a 3 tier cake stand. This package is priced at £4.50 per guest.
If you'd prefer your guests to have a 3 tier cake stand between two guests, the Silk Plus Package is the one for you. This is priced at £6.00 per guest.
Take a look at the packages in more detail by clicking on this link: https://www.thevintageteaservice.com/receptionchinapackages This page will also list additional china items and the available set-up and pack-up services available.
You may decide that you want to set out your wedding breakfast as a buffet. That's absolutely fine too. Let me know and I can provide a tailored package for you. This service also applies if you want to design your own table configuration.
The 3 Tier Cake Stand
Who ever invented this was an absolute genius!! I love them. Earlier in this article I raised one of the concerns about serving Afternoon Tea for you and your guests, they don't hold that much food. If you hire from me, the 3 tier consists of a dinner plate (base 10.5"), middle (8") and the top, I use a tea plate (), not a saucer, this allows the caterer to get plenty of food on the three tiers. My caterer offers up to 4 sandwich choices, a savoury item, a scone and finally 3 cakes. Most caterers bring excess food and should spop around the room topping up. This could be a conversation you might want to have. My caterer does and the additional food is served from beautiful bone china platters.
The middle picture clearly shows how wonderful a line of well set up 3 tier cake stands look.
What China and Accessories Do We Get on the Tables?
An important question. The general china you get is:
A teacup, saucer and tea plate per guest
A knife, cake fork and teaspoon per guest
Teapots (number dependent on package)
3 tier cake stands
Clotted cream and jam dishes (serving spoon provided)
Cream Jugs
Sugar bowls (sugar tongs provided).
Some couples include optional extras, but again this depends on the amount of available table space. Here are the optional extras I can provide for you.
Cake plates £1.00 each (included in the Silk package)
8" plates - some clients like to keep savoury and sweet courses separate. £0.50 per plate
Glass pedestal stands £1.00 - £2.00 each (dependent on size).
Additional cutlery: knives - £0.20 each
Coffee Pots - £4.00 each
Additional teacups and saucers - £1.20 each
Also provided are set-up and pack-up services. Each service is priced at £0.50 per guest. Let me know if you require this service.
The China and Catering Package
I work with an incredible caterer, Marisa, she has well over twenty years experience in catering and owns Little Mouse Catering. Marisa has designed a wonderful Afternoon Tea menu over four courses. In addition, you can add in canapés for your guests too at an additional cost. You can view the course choices by clicking the link below.
The afternoon tea menu consists of:
Up to 4 dainty finger sandwich choices
One savoury item.
Plain or fruit scone per guest with clotted cream and strawberry preserve
A choice of up to 3 cakes
Tea
The China and Catering Package is priced at £26.00 per guest. This includes:
A teacup, saucer and tea plate per guest
3 tier cake stands (appropriate amount chosen per table)
Teapots on tables (appropriate amount chosen per table)
Cream Jugs
Sugar bowls (sugar tongs included)
Clotted cream and jam dishes (serving spoons provided)
Guest cutlery set, to include: either a tea knife, starter sized knife, and a teaspoon
The option to have an additional knife per guest to separate savoury food from sweet
The 4 course afternoon tea catering
The set-up for the catering
The set-up and pack-down of the china and cutlery on the tables
Coffee pots (bone china) waiting on service provided only by Little Mouse Catering. (If requested)
Platters (bone china) to serve additional catered food. Waiting on service only by Little Mouse Catering
Bone china plates to serve canapés (see image) Waiting on service only by Little Mouse Catering.
You can of course request additional extras (additional charge).
Cake plates £1.00 each
8" plates - some clients like to keep savoury and sweet courses separate. £0.50 per plate
Glass pedestal stands £1.00 - £2.00 each (dependent on size).
Additional cutlery: knives - £0.20 each
Coffee Pots - £4.00 each
Additional teacups and saucers - £1.20 each
Also provided are set-up and pack-up services. Each service is priced at £0.50 per guest. Let me know if you require this service.
If you require a waiting on service, please ask for further details. The pack-up service is an additional extra at £0.50 per guest.
If you are interested in having vintage at your wedding breakfast, I would love to hear from you. Please do get in contact: info@thevintageteaservice.com for a non-obligatory conversation.
Socials
Facebook: @thevintageteaservice
If you are planning your wedding for 2025 and 2026 and would like to have vintage china at your wedding breakfast, I'm offering 15% off the cost of vintage china and accessories when you quote "getwed2526"
T's & C's -
does not apply to existing bookings for 2025
the 15% discount only applies to the china and accessories, NOT catering,
the refundable security deposit, set-up and pack-up costs and delivery and collection
The 15% discount doesn't apply to South Coast wedding bookings.
Can't be used in conjunction with any other offers.
The discount will be applied on the final invoice, which is payable TWO WEEKS before the wedding date.
This offer starts on Sunday 11th August 2024 and ends on Saturday 30th November 2024 at 5pm
Images: Olivia Melhop Photography @oliviamelhopphotography
Champagne coupes - Clink Crystalware @clink_crystalware
Comments