Afternoon Tea Must-haves?

[Expectans]

We are going to have afternoon tea after my son's baptism. Some guests are coming from overseas, and so I want to make it as traditionally English as possible.

So far on the menu are
cucumber sandwiches
scones (with cream and jam).

What else do you consider tea essentials?

[ThePearShapedToad]

Not necessarily just cucumber sandwiches, but the way they are cut- ie: finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off

Mini cakes (petit fours) but if you want an English version, how about dainty mini bake well tart bite sized, or small jam Swiss rolls, etc

Traditionally it's a three tier layer of sandwiches, scones, then cakes

[ThePearShapedToad]

Lots of different varieties of teas (maybe in different teapots, you could source the local charity shops for quirky ones)

[MyNameIsKenAdams]

Smoked.salmon and cream cheese finget sandwiches

Macaroons
Petit fours

Selection of herbal teas, cups and saucers

Tinkly music

[Seeline]

A variety of dainty sandwiches - egg mayo and cress, beef and horseradish, smoked salmon and cream cheese etc
Victoria sponge cake
Why don't you have a look at some of the posh hotels who do afternoon tea and steal some of their ideas get some inspiration there?

[Jaskla]

My favourite afternoon tea item is macaroons.

[Expectans]

I had a quick google of hotels yesterday but most of them seem to have tried to 'improve' on the classic, somewhere even had coat-shaped biscuits for hungry fashionistas

Mini classic cakes I can do. Macaroons are delicious, but beyond me, and so expensive to buy.

[IndigoTea]

Victoria sandwich
Earl grey tea

[evertonmint]

I would do a beautiful Victoria sandwich as the centre piece, with scones, clotted cream and jam, and finger sandwiches.