Throwing a Wimbledon Themed Tennis Party | Wimbledon Themed Food, Drink, Decorations, Games & Ideas
Whether you're a tennis fan or not there's something exciting and quintessentially British about Wimbledon; Whether it's because it signals the start of summer (and no doubt the rain!) or it's the stylish tennis whites or the Pimms and strawberries and cream, I absolutely love it all, especially now we have some decent home grown talent to cheer on!
This year Wimbledon's been extended to allow the players longer to recover between games, which means even more opportunities to throw a Wimbledon themed party. So whether you’re a Wimbledon fan or just need an excuse to drink more Pimms, we’ve got lots of Wimbledon tennis party ideas to inspire you.
Wimbledon Tennis Party Decorations
Well it's got to be Union Jack themed party decorations hasn't it? And us Brits love any excuse to cheer on our boys and girls, wave our Union Jack flags and celebrate the best of British food and drink!
Well it wouldn’t be a Wimbledon tennis party without Union Jack flags and bunting. These excellent value Union Jack flags for 30p each and because they’re made of PVC they’re waterproof so perfect for the British weather.
We all love a bit of Union Jack bunting, again this is waterproof and can be reused time and time again. This Union Jack bunting is £2.70 for 10 flags 152mm x 108mm, overall length 2.44m.
I thought it would be a quirky idea to use a ping pong table or to use a Wimbledon artificial grass table runner for the buffet or food table. It will look fab decorated with the food and a few tennis balls, Wimbledon tennis flags and union jack flags.
Wimbledon Tennis Party Tableware
We used this great range of Union Jack tableware as it’s both pretty and practical especially if you don't want to spend hours washing up afterwards. The range also includes British Union Jack plates, British Union Jack paper cups and British Union Jack napkins.
Jazz up your Wimbledon tennis party with the Best of British fast food packaging. Enjoy afternoon tea with a scone, cream and strawberries or simply use for burgers or fish and chips with these fab Union Jack Wimbledon Party Food Trays.
Wimbledon Tennis Party Food
Well it simply wouldn't be Wimbledon without Strawberries and Cream. Serve them as they come or with scones in the Union Jack food trays to save on washing up and also great for kids as the sides stop food ending up on the floor. Alternatively you could make these delicious Strawberry and cream shortcakes, guaranteed to bit a big hit!
Strawberry and Cream Shortcakes
- 100g (3 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 40g (1 1/2oz) sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra
- 150g (5oz) plain four, plus extra for dusting
- 300g (10oz) strawberries, hulled and halved
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
- 175ml (6fl oz) double cream
- 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Using an electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Work in the flour to make a dry dough (adding a splash of milk, if needed). Shape into a flat disc, wrap in clingfilm; chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the strawberries in a pan with the maple syrup and 4 tbsp water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the fruit and set aside. Increase the heat for 2-3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds. Leave to cool. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 5mm (1/4in) thick. Using a 7cm (3in) cutter, stamp out 12 rounds, re-rolling the scraps as needed. Cook, on a lined baking tray, for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes, before transferring to a wire rack. Mix the vanilla seeds with 1 tbsp sugar and scatter over the warm biscuits; leave to cool completely. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whip the cream and yogurt to soft peaks. Arrange 6 biscuits on a plate and top each with a spoonful of the cream, some strawberries and a drizzle of the syrup. Balance the remaining 6 biscuits on top. Adapted from https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/strawberry-and-cream-shortcakes.html#grtlEgXmwH08j7Sd.99.
For something savoury, it really depends on how many people you're feeding and how long you want to spend preparing. So for a few people I would suggest going down the afternoon tea route with canapés i.e blinis or crostini with smoked salmon and crème fraîche and simple cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches (with crusts removed obviously!). For a larger crowd I would go with a simple crowd pleaser people can eat with their hands, such as beef or chicken burritos or wraps.
Wimbledon Tennis Party Drink
Traditionally people drink either champagne or Pimms at Wimbledon. Pimms is a great drink for a party as you can prepare all the chopped strawberries, cucumber, lemon and mint beforehand then just keep topping up the jug with Pimms and lemonade or Ginger beer and lots of ice. I've also found these fab Watermelon vodka jellies and whilst strictly a food stuff, I think the vodka element classes them as more of a drink. They need a bit of preparation but they look and taste amazing. Just make sure the kids don't get hold of them!
Watermelon Vodka Jellies
- 2kg watermelon , halved lengthways
- 50g caster sugar
- 20 gelatine sheets, soaked in cold water
- 300ml vodka
- First, use a serrated knife to cut around the flesh of your watermelon halves. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to remove all the flesh, including the pips, into a large bowl. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth.
- Strain the pulp through a fine sieve into a large bowl to extract all the juice. You should be left with about 800ml of watermelon juice. Meanwhile, put the watermelon halves in a medium roasting tin lined with kitchen paper. Make sure the watermelon fits in snugly so it’s easily transferable to the fridge.
- Pour 50ml of the juice into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the sugar and leave to dissolve for 2 mins. Once cooled a little, squeeze out the soaked gelatine leaves and stir through the warm watermelon juice to dissolve. Once fully dissolved, combine with the rest of the watermelon juice and add the vodka.
- Ladle equal amounts of the juice into each watermelon half. Transfer to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. When ready to serve, use a serrated knife to cut the watermelon into about 15 wedges. Serve with a warning: these contain lots of vodka!
Wimbledon Tennis Party Games
If you're having kids at the party, it's always a good idea to have some games to keep them occupied. Depending on the weather and size of your house or garden, having some a mini tennis tournament or sports day style games such as sack races or even a treasure hunt will keep them entertained. You can also give out these fun tennis winners trophies to the winners. There are some great tennis skills videos aimed at kids:
View the Party Packs full range of Wimbledon tennis party supplies including Wimbledon tennis party decorations, tableware and fancy dress. For further Wimbledon tennis Party ideas, recipes, craft ideas and decorations visit our Wimbledon Tennis Party pinterest board.
