“Marilyn is a precision performer, who combines masterly attention to detail with inexhaustible patience and good cheer. She and her trained young staff serve an authentic English afternoon tea in bone china cups set on fine linens. For me, she planned and catered the Doris Anderson Memorial Tea for more than 100 guests on April 15, creating an ambience of seamless, friendly service while guests sipped tea, and enjoyed watercress sandwiches, strawberries, scones and clotted cream.

 

Every detail had been carefully worked out in advance – with plenty of consultation so that I knew exactly how the event would unfold. Since this was a memorial to one of Canada’s iconic women leaders, I needed to be free to concentrate on the guests and the speeches. With Marilyn taking capable charge of everything else, I was able to relax and enjoy the crowd.

 

A nice touch was the little bag of choice loose leaf tea and shortbreads given to departing guests at the door.” 

 

Rosemary Speirs
 

More Testimonials 

Event Planning and On-site Coordination

We offer a complete “end-to-end service” to plan and coordinate your Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Tea party.

After a complimentary consultation with you to review your preferences and requirements, we prepare a customized proposal for you.

Invitations: Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas designs and produces simple tea invitations, using Bristol board and vellum.

Guest list: We take your guest list and hand-address the envelopes, mail the invitations and coordinate the responses.

Room set-up: We “appoint the table” with linens, tea ware either the day of, or the day before.

In the kitchen: We take care of all food and beverage preparation and presentation – we bring extra kettles (and a power bar), thus ensuring every pot of tea is freshly made and there is little interruption to the flow of your memorable afternoon tea party.

Service: We ensure the tea and food presentations are constantly replenished and circulated among the guests, wherever guests congregate.

Wait staff: We recommend a wait person per 10 guests. Depending on the size, and format, of your afternoon tea, knowledgeable wait staff recruited from local universities and community colleges, and trained by Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Teas, are available by the hour. Hourly rates are $25 with a four-hour minimum.

Our fee for planning your event and managing the on-site implementation of your Simply Splendid Victorian Afternoon Tea is $150 per hour.