"Afternoon tea doesn't need to be complicated; it just needs to be elegant and traditional," Meagan Benson of Pretty Lovely Teas admits. Though hot tea had already become a staple in the UK during the seventeenth century, it wasn't until 1840 that the customary ritual of afternoon tea was developed by the Duchess of Bedford's habitual need to snack before dinner. Unwilling to wait, the Duchess would request hot tea and cakes to satiate her hunger. Eventually, she began inviting friends to join her. By 1880, formal tea became a fashionable social event with long gowns, gloves and hats.
Nashville resident Meagan Benson met her husband Graham, an English pro golfer, while attending school. Meagan would often join Graham during his frequent visits to the UK while on tour. Enchanted by the people and the culture, Meagan recalls admiring the fanciful hats, enjoying good food and conversation while sipping from a storied porcelain cup. An experience reflective of her youth in Louisiana.
Meagan explains, "Southerners love bringing people together. Breaking out Grandma's China to create something special for others to enjoy with you marries the two cultures well together."
An avid fan of shows like The Great British Bake Off, Meagan honed her baking skills during the pandemic. After years of establishing a reputation for hosting brunches, luncheons and dinner parties, structuring a business model around that experience was a natural progression. In 2022, she and her husband launched Pretty Lovely Teas.
Often held at Magnolia Acres, Meagan designs most of Pretty Lovely Teas' afternoon tea experiences to be enjoyed in the comfort of your home. Meagan makes authentic English scones and sandwiches from scratch using family recipes. Guests can enjoy must-haves like the moist and flaky cheese and chive scone paired with pepper jelly or preserves. She also makes classic cucumber cheese and pimento cheese sandwiches. The Coronation Chicken Salad with a balanced blend of curry powder, golden raisins and mango chutney makes your mouth water.
With the upcoming arrival of their first child, the business needed to pivot to meet the needs of their new family. June of this year saw the launch of PLT's group travel experience: Pretty Lovely Teas Goes to London. The group will join Meagan in London for an exciting itinerary with five unique afternoon teas—spaces filled quickly, prompting interest in planning future international afternoon tea excursions every 12 to 18 months.
The couple is also excited to extend their brand in the new year with nationwide distribution of their own loose-leaf teas. Meagan hopes to make this holiday season the most memorable yet. The Pretty Lovely Christmas menu will feature popular holiday flavors like gingerbread designed as rooftops to sit atop a teacup and an outrageously flavorsome biscuit provided by Black Sheep Cookies (@blacksheepcookies).
Morgan Webber's (@thesugarycookie) delicate macarons sit beautifully on any table. The festive 3D-printed sugar cookies from Elise Lowery of Frosted in Franklin (@frostedinfranklin) are as pretty as they are tasty, and the sweets selection is complete with elegant petit fours baked by Susan Seay of Southern Squares (@southernsquarespetitfours).
Meagan offers a divine hot cocoa option for chilly December afternoons, made with real chocolate shavings and whole milk.
The festive settings will fill your heart with joy while the aromatics hug you like a warm blanket by the fireside. Have yourself a Pretty Lovely Christmas this year!
"Afternoon tea doesn't need to be complicated."
"Southerners love bringing people together."