On the 5th of September 2026, we seated forty guests at The Berkeley, along a single curated 41-foot table, to mark seven years of Story of Elegance.
Private Afternoon Tea was hosted in the Wilton and Knightsbridge Room, by invitation only. The room was styled with racing green, white, and an accent of rose gold, in line with the event's theme, and dressed with soft, seasonal florals. Afternoon tea felt like the only way to do it. It's part of our British heritage, and it's exactly the kind of everyday moment we love celebrating.
Seven years ago, Story of Elegance launched quietly, over tea, in the same building. This year, we returned to celebrate with a bit more vibrancy, and a room full of guests to share it with. This time, we wanted to share elements from the afternoon itself, from the room to the intricate moments that made it feel like ours.
The Table
Forty-one feet long, the table curved gently to follow the shape of the room. Dressed in white linen and traced with bouquets of soft florals down its centre, every place was already set with a name, a menu, and our own welcome card, long before guests arrived. Nothing was left for guests to discover twice, the room was ready before it was even opened to them.
The Guests Arrive
The afternoon opened with guests arriving into the Wilton and Knightsbridge Room, each finding their seat already prepared. As the room filled, it settled into an afternoon of warm conversation. Some guests hadn't seen each other in years, others were meeting for the first time, but the room found its rhythm quickly.
The Florals
Each bouquet was seasonal, white roses, green hydrangea, and soft pink blooms woven through with delicate white sprigs, in racing green, white, and rose gold. Their scent, sweet and floral, was the first thing to greet the room. Every arrangement was slightly different, no two bouquets exactly the same, though all of them spoke the same colour story.
Dress: Smart Elegant
Smart elegant was all we asked, and every guest arrived looking every part of it, right down to the last detail. It set the tone for the room before a single introduction had been made.
The Presentation
Before the toast, guests were given a look back at the last seven years, where the brand started, what it's grown into, and a glimpse of what's coming next. It closed with the biggest reveal of the afternoon, a new collection launching in 2027. The room went quiet for it, the kind of quiet that only comes from genuine attention.
The Toast
The toast ended to applause, our founder closing with a line that said it all: "Let's sip some tea." Seven years, condensed into one sentence, and the room met it with exactly the warmth it was given in.
Afternoon Tea, Served
And the tea party began. There's something comforting about afternoon tea. Freshly made sandwiches, handcrafted sweet pastries to follow, and brews refilled throughout. That was the rhythm of the room, easy and familiar, the kind of pace that let conversation lead rather than the clock.
Small Moments
Between courses, conversations carried on, some guests catching up after years apart, others meeting for the first time. It's these moments, unplanned and unposed, that made the afternoon so memorable. No agenda could have planned for them, and that was exactly the point.
❝ As the afternoon drew to a close, guests left with a note of thanks Many also took a hand tied bouquet from the table, wrapped in a small bag, one last piece of the room to keep. A quiet way to send the afternoon home with everyone who'd shared it.
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