IN High Tea

Delicious morsels served on exquisite china. What is it about a high tea that makes us feel special and marks an occasion perfectly?

As a young woman, a visit to London’s Ritz Hotel made a huge impression on Fiona Thomas. The grandeur and gentility stuck in her mind and eventually provided inspiration for her Perth business.

“I started collecting mismatched vintage china a few years later,” Fiona says about Antiquitea, her vintage high tea company. “When I had enough pieces I did a tea party for my friends. Then my sister borrowed my collection for her 40th birthday, which was an afternoon tea.”

Those attending enjoyed using it so much, they suggested she hire out the set. Before Fiona knew it, hosting high teas became her hobby. Two-and-a-half years on it’s what she’s known for.

Antiquitea not only supplies Fiona’s collection of china but everything else you need to host a gorgeous tea party, from linen to working with her favourite caterer, Chica Catering. To date Antiquitea has hosted everything from sweet 16’s right up to a 100th birthday party alongside baby showers, kitchen teas and anniversary celebrations. For hen’s days, girls often start with a genteel afternoon tea and then head out for a night on the town or gather after a spa day.

“People say they have never experienced anything like it. It’s not just the china, but beautifully-set tables to sit at, vintage silverware, fresh flowers and the ceremony of it all. Somehow tea just tastes better in a bone china teacup.”

Fiona encourages her clients to post out physical invitations, rather than emailing them as there’s nothing like receiving a beautiful invitation in your letterbox. It sets the scene for what’s to come and creates a sense of occasion and anticipation.

“It all goes back to days gone by, when things were different. We really want to bring back the joy of high tea; and although there isn’t the time these days for ladies to gather in parlours each afternoon to drink tea with their friends, what Antiquitea does is perfect for very special occasions and it’s becoming more popular.”

For Mother’s Day on May 6, Antiquitea is staging a traditional English high tea called the Ultimate High Tea at Fremantle Town Hall.