The little car was packed chock full of cakes, sandwiches, china, tablecloths, candelabras, bunting, and a thousand other items were crammed into a second car.
Dresses, uniforms and aprons were pressed and put on and we were all set to go for our debut pop up afternoon tea in a pretty village hall in Warrington.
Room Forty Afternoon Tea was set up just a few months ago after a year of planning, scouring charity shops and vintage fairs for crockery and endless baking experimentation.
Some say it took guts (or madness) to pack in a steady, reasonably well paid sensible job as a marketing manager and follow my dream, but when the inspiration struck to combine my love of tea, baking, fine bone china and vintage glitz, I knew I had to give it at least a good try, and I’m pleased to say I haven’t looked back even once.
Dresses, uniforms and aprons were pressed and put on and we were all set to go for our debut pop up afternoon tea in a pretty village hall in Warrington.
Room Forty Afternoon Tea was set up just a few months ago after a year of planning, scouring charity shops and vintage fairs for crockery and endless baking experimentation.
Some say it took guts (or madness) to pack in a steady, reasonably well paid sensible job as a marketing manager and follow my dream, but when the inspiration struck to combine my love of tea, baking, fine bone china and vintage glitz, I knew I had to give it at least a good try, and I’m pleased to say I haven’t looked back even once.
Room Forty delivers vintage afternoon tea parties to homes, venues and workplaces in and around the Warrington area.
Fortunately, the response to the marketing has been better than I had hoped and I’ve already had to turn a couple of customers down as I’m too busy.
The first Room Forty booking was the day after I left my job – straight in at the deep end, it was by no means, straightforward, but at the end of the event the guests asked me how many bookings I got a week and I admitted it was my first.
They were flabbergasted and it really spurred me on. They even booked again within a couple of weeks for a baby shower with party games!
It was always the plan to do pop up events every couple of weeks, and we held our first on 23 July, with several friends volunteering to smooth the event for me, for which I am eternally grateful!
Fortunately, the response to the marketing has been better than I had hoped and I’ve already had to turn a couple of customers down as I’m too busy.
The first Room Forty booking was the day after I left my job – straight in at the deep end, it was by no means, straightforward, but at the end of the event the guests asked me how many bookings I got a week and I admitted it was my first.
They were flabbergasted and it really spurred me on. They even booked again within a couple of weeks for a baby shower with party games!
It was always the plan to do pop up events every couple of weeks, and we held our first on 23 July, with several friends volunteering to smooth the event for me, for which I am eternally grateful!
The Mission Hall in Woolston was built in the late 1800’s and was the perfect charming village hall and convenient as it is only a few minutes’ drive from Room Forty HQ.
Checklists. And more checklists for the checklists.
This was our biggest event yet with 44 guests attending in two sittings. We made everything from scratch and the days preceding had been a flurry of baking, washing, ironing, buttering and packing.
The kitchen was in a semi-permanent fug of icing sugar (Oh, how it clings to every surface!)
Considering we were transporting crates of fine crockery, Babycham glasses and delicate cake stands the fact that nothing was broken on arrival was a vintage-esque miracle, sadly we lost a teapot in the course of duty, and a cake stand wobbled precariously, but there was nothing we couldn’t handle.
Checklists. And more checklists for the checklists.
This was our biggest event yet with 44 guests attending in two sittings. We made everything from scratch and the days preceding had been a flurry of baking, washing, ironing, buttering and packing.
The kitchen was in a semi-permanent fug of icing sugar (Oh, how it clings to every surface!)
Considering we were transporting crates of fine crockery, Babycham glasses and delicate cake stands the fact that nothing was broken on arrival was a vintage-esque miracle, sadly we lost a teapot in the course of duty, and a cake stand wobbled precariously, but there was nothing we couldn’t handle.
We had chanced on a perfect English summers day where the wild poppies danced in the breeze on the village green in front of the hall, and with our bunting up at the front we were ready to go.
Two hours to go before the guests arrived and the hall was a frenzy of activity.
Tables set up, vintage tablecloths and napkins laid and placed, candelabras, tea lights, posies from the garden, cake forks and china laid and positioned.
Our lovely friend Jane set up her beautiful craft stall near the entrance.
Final embellishments were piped onto the cakes, sandwiches cut and trimmed and yet more icing sugar dusted. The scene was set and the hall looked beautiful.
Once the 1930’s music started up and the dulcet tones of Al Bowlly struck up, the atmosphere was perfect.
Two hours to go before the guests arrived and the hall was a frenzy of activity.
Tables set up, vintage tablecloths and napkins laid and placed, candelabras, tea lights, posies from the garden, cake forks and china laid and positioned.
Our lovely friend Jane set up her beautiful craft stall near the entrance.
Final embellishments were piped onto the cakes, sandwiches cut and trimmed and yet more icing sugar dusted. The scene was set and the hall looked beautiful.
Once the 1930’s music started up and the dulcet tones of Al Bowlly struck up, the atmosphere was perfect.
Our guests started to arrive, beautifully dressed for the occasion and we were off!
Sandwiches, tea and elderflower presse were delivered to the tables, followed by brownies, drizzles and fresh fruit tartlets, scones, jam and of course clotted cream.
The day was sadly over in a flash, we are so proud of the lovely, comments and feedback including :-
“It was lovely, we had a great time, thank you!"
"A good excuse to dress up! "
"My husband is still going on about the brownies”
We’re buoyed up by the experience and looking at dates for Christmas, maybe with a little market place too.
We simply cannot wait!
Sandwiches, tea and elderflower presse were delivered to the tables, followed by brownies, drizzles and fresh fruit tartlets, scones, jam and of course clotted cream.
The day was sadly over in a flash, we are so proud of the lovely, comments and feedback including :-
“It was lovely, we had a great time, thank you!"
"A good excuse to dress up! "
"My husband is still going on about the brownies”
We’re buoyed up by the experience and looking at dates for Christmas, maybe with a little market place too.
We simply cannot wait!