Charleston Tea Party Private Tours
843-708-2228 • charlestontour.wordpress.com
Forty years of hosting tea parties teaches one a thing or two about people and the art of cultivating a proper afternoon tea. For Laura Wichmann Hipp, the founder and owner of Charleston Tea Party Private Tours, a knack for hospitality has been a talent in the making for more than four decades, and she doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
While studying at Oxford University in England, Laura fell in love with teatime. When returning to her hometown of Charleston, the female entrepreneur gave tours in the museum houses and deeply desired someone to start a tearoom in between them for a “little spot of tea between visits,” she says. “When I learned that the Charleston Tea Party [December 3, 1773] was a protest on the tax on tea before the Boston Tea Party [December 16, 1773], I just knew that something had to happen,” Laura excitedly proclaims. “However, the logistics didn’t look good. It was too expensive for a struggling college graduate. I felt God saying, ‘Use your talents for both.’ No one was bringing people into private property. I went to see the grande dames of Charleston, who were giving private tours. They were middle-aged and had a lot of authority. They, to my surprise, gave me their blessings.”
Laura wanted to show others the true meaning of the spirit of hospitality for which Charleston is renowned and was able to do so through the helpful hearts of many. In 1983, Laura started her home-and-tea tour business with nothing to her name but dedication and a whole lot of enthusiasm. “I thought I had to be an old lady to have credibility and live in the grand mansions of Charleston and drive a Mercedes to start it,” Laura chuckles. “I was in an apartment at the time and didn’t even have a car—I rode a bicycle. I met Frank Gay [family friend] and was able to start my tours at his hotel.” Following properties’ changing hands and no longer being able to start and finish her tours at the same places, Laura—with the help of her father as a co-signer—finally landed on a location of her own at 75 Legare Street. Unfortunately, due to hurricane damage to the potting shed teahouse in the back, the fateful purchase didn’t last long but only led to something better: a charming abode on Tradd Street that is still perfect for her 26 years later.
For couples or for a group of up to six people, both locals and visitors alike can spend the morning fully immersed in the splendor of the “Holy City,” with Laura as their passionate tour guide. “People receive a bird’s-eye view of history, going back to when Columbus sailed the ocean blue,” Laura states. “I like to point back to the Founding Fathers. I bring people in for lunch and call it a tea party. They get to sit down and enjoy delicious bites and conversation. People will spend one night here and feel that they’ve gotten the true essence of Charleston.”
Following an informative drive around town filled with stops at idyllic homes and private gardens, the tour culminates in taking tea at Laura’s wonderful blue-trimmed white house on Tradd Street. Treasured antiques and old-world sophistication embellish the atmosphere to set the scene that makes this experience of taking tea in someone’s home utterly unique. All tea served—typically Darjeeling, Assam, and Earl Grey—is only of the loose-leaf variety, as Laura deems that proper. “I use an 18th-century swivel silver tea strainer,” Laura says. “People feel like it’s the coronation when I pour tea out of a Sheffield silver tea service. I put milk and sugar cubes on the table along with sugar tongs.” For the petite bites to nibble on with copious cups of tea, most of the fare is made by Laura herself and served on her own fine china. She loves making the scones with whole milk and unbleached White Lily flour to be sure they’re “nice and puffy.” The toothsome scones, whether flavored by crystallized ginger, dried currants, or even sweet potatoes, are accompanied by homemade clotted cream, or crème fraîche, and scratch-made jams, such as muscadine.
The delectable savories might include a Southern favorite, homemade pimiento cheese sandwiches made with white Cheddar and Duke’s mayonnaise, tomato tarts utilizing fresh tomatoes from the garden, asparagus and smoked chicken sandwiches, and/or tasty shrimp sandwiches catered from well-known Hamby’s down the street. And for the grand finale, lemon curd tarts, persimmon pudding, and a refreshing and rave-worthy mint ice cream are sure to satiate the palate. Regardless of the season, the meal is bound to be plentiful in quantity, memorable in conversation, and certainly scrumptious.
With 40 years of gracious tea parties under her stylish belt, Laura has endless knowledge on the subject that she is eager to share with others. Her top tips include, but are not limited to: bring the water to a quick boil and do not use water out of a faucet for tea; always use loose-leaf tea, a teacup and saucer, and have whole milk—NOT skim milk—for serving purposes with the tea; shortbread is always great for a sweet; and people tend to appreciate edible flowers on their plate. In a quick conversation with Laura, it is evident to feel her palpable passion for not only hosting afternoon tea but also familiarizing others with the handsome city she calls home. If one is to take anything from Laura’s story, it’s that nothing is impossible when you have a grand vision and that the old adage of “you will never have to work a day in your life if you do something that you love” is quite true.
Charleston Tea Party Tours are available year-round upon reservation, with one day’s notice needed for booking.
Really enjoyed learning about the Charleston Tea Garden’s unique place in American tea history. The blend of tradition, innovation, and Southern charm makes it a must-visit!