Nicole Valeri Repass loves to repurpose items for teas and other events, and is particularly fond of using a mirror as a serving tray. (Photo courtesy Nicole Valeri Repass)

In the Victorian era, afternoon teas were all the rage with Britain’s upper crust.
Draped in etiquette and formalities, the social occasions marked a shift in women’s roles during the era, providing a space for socializing and intellectual exchange.
Teas are still popular, trending in recent years, but much of pomp and circumstance has melted away, leaving another way for friends to strengthen their bond.
A 2022 annual trends report from Pinterest states that “afternoon tea is the new happy hour” and searches for “tea party aesthetic” and “drinking tea pose” were increasing on the website. Afternoon tea showed up again on Pinterest’s 2024 trends report, where the company saw user searches for “afternoon tea party ideas” up 165 percent.
Nicole Valeri Repass has been a lover of teas long before that.
With an antiques dealer for a father, Repass grew up around vintage glassware and servingware and is well-versed in tea so things fit together for her to spread her passion with Bella Valeri Vintage Tea Treasures, a storefront at the Chartreuse & Co. market in Frederick, displaying tables loaded with all the items needed for a successful tea.
For Repass, hosting a tea party is more about strengthening friendships than holding fast to all the formalities.
“Tea parties encourage family and friends to find that perfect outfit to wear, come together in a calm, stress-free environment to catch up and enjoy a hot cup of tea and a sweet treat,” she says.
Be informal, she says, opting for a simple call or text invite over mailed invitations.
“I encourage two to three guests to ensure you can focus on each and engage in conversations without feeling overwhelmed to please your guests,” she says.
For her own teas, Repass keeps a list of friends going for future get-togethers, ranging from longtime friends to grade school teachers.
“Think about those that made a big difference in your life,” she says.
She also keeps a table set in her home for tea for any impromptu visits.
“My tea table makes me happy so I found the perfect spot in my house to keep it up year round,” she says. “If someone stops by to visit we sit, have a cup of tea and chat.”
Don’t get her wrong, hers are not a sweat pants and sneakers affair. She puts great effort into making picturesque displays, gets local baked goods for her guests, but it’s all to make the event special, not stuffy.
“It’s no pinky-up-in-the-air type of thing,” she says. “It’s all about the person’s taste. It’s all about the food that you choose and the table decor.”
Her favorite route is to scour thrift shops for the unique and antique to outfit table decor.
Whenever she can repurpose a piece — such as using a punch bowl for a fruit server or a mirror as a serving tray — she does it with glee.
“When I find a vintage treasure I think to myself, ‘how many people used this item for their tables and enjoyed it,’” she says.
“You can put more money in your food when you thrift,” She says. “You just have to have an eye for what makes your table.”
Another way to cut stress, she adds, is to support a local bakery for your tea’s treats.
“I’m not a baker so I stress the importance of finding  local bakeries or your local grocery store bakeries to minimize time in the grocery store and kitchen to focus on your tea table,” she says. “My favorite choices include muffins, cookies, macarons, Danish— any sweet that makes you smile.
Most of her teas last about an hour, she says, staying conscious of her guest’s schedules.
“It just could be like an hour. That’s important to everybody racing around.”
However, she noted, at a recent tea with a friend she had not seen for years, they carried on for about three hours without any trouble.
“We just started talking like we’d never lost any time,” she said.
The point is, to make the time, however long it ends up being.