Mother’s Day Table Decor and Centerpiece Ideas

One thing about me? I love a beautiful table setting. I dream of beautiful tablescapes! There are a lot of reasons why I love it. The main reason is I always think of the dining room table as the center of the home. It’s where we make big family decisions, spend time with loved ones and make lifelong memories. While you can set gorgeous tablescapes any time of the year, Mother’s Day is such a special occasion to do so! In today’s post, I’ll be sharing a few Mother’s Day table decor and centerpiece ideas to get you started as well as some tips along the way to help you be the hostess with the mostess on this special day. The great thing about the table, whether it’s a Mother’s Day tablescape, a tea party or other holiday, is that you can set it days ahead of time so you’re not stressing on the day of the party.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission on anything you purchase at no additional cost to you.*

HOW TO SET A TABLE 101

The first thing I always do when setting a table is start with one thing that inspires me or one thing I want to be sure to use on the table. This varies based on the event, season, holiday, etc. For example, if you’re setting a Mother’s Day brunch table, you might choose to use her favorite plates, incorporate her favorite flowers into the centerpiece, or go with her favorite color scheme. After you decide on your key items, you can move on to setting the centerpiece.

CENTERPIECE OPTIONS

I typically like to set the centerpiece first and work my way out. If you’re feeling stuck on what to use for Mother’s Day centerpieces, try my formula which is: flowers + candles + food. You can do any combination of those 3 items and it will look beautiful. You don’t necessarily need to set the entire meal on the table, either. You can see in the photos in this post, I’ve set a few food items, like muffins or dessert. In this case, the rest of the meal would be served buffet style. To set all the food on the table or not to set all the food, is totally your preference!

Most of the time, I will also add a table runner as a part of my centerpiece, which is a great way to add another layer and texture to the overall design. Runners work great with rectangular shaped tables. If you have a square or round table, you might choose to skip the runner completely or opt for a tablecloth instead. You can never go wrong with a white tablecloth, especially if you’re using folding tables or tables that may be a little past their prime.

FLORAL CENTERPIECE OPTIONS

There are so many ways to incorporate flowers, stems and greenery into your Mother’s Day table decorations! You might want one big statement floral arrangement with fresh flowers or you may choose to use several small bud vases instead. These are my absolute favorite bud vases – they are STUNNING in person. You can see in the photos in this post that I will alternate using a bouquet of flowers that make more of an impact with more subtle arrangements. There’s no wrong answer. There may also be times you want to splurge on an arrangement or simply arrange your own from flowers you picked up at the local grocery store.

Grocery store florals are also an inexpensive way to bring your table to life. Below is an example of a grocery store flowers made into one arrangement. The acrylic vase below makes arranging flowers an absolute breeze, even if you are a beginner at floral arrangements. This is not only the perfect addition to your Mother’s Day table centerpiece, but would be perfect for bridal showers, baby showers, graduations and weddings. I think this would be lovely across the head table at a wedding, don’t you? In all of these examples you can simple customize the colors to fit the occasion.

If real flowers aren’t your thing, you can also incorporate faux flowers, which have come a long way over the years in their overall appearance. There are some that look so real, I have to touch them to see if they really are! 🙂 Below are some faux florals I have used in the past. If you’re in the market for realistic florals, I highly recommend checking out Afloral. They have an absolutely amazing selection of gorgeous faux florals that will last you for years.

Aren’t these plates stunning? They’re perfect for all spring and summer long.

PLACE SETTINGS

Once the centerpiece or middle of the table is set, you can move on to place settings. While there are traditional place setting rules for setting a table, I prefer to use creativity when it comes to silverware and napkin placement, for example. You’re probably not setting a table for the Queen of England or for a fancy dinner at a country club. You’re likely setting a table for your friends and family who will (hopefully) simply appreciate all the effort you put into the gathering. That being said, the fork(s) goes on the left side of the plate with the largest fork closest to the plate. The knife and spoon go on the right side of the plate. The knife (blade facing toward the plate) should be closest to the plate with the spoon to the right of the knife. With each place setting, you will want a placemat or charger (or both!) plates, napkins, silverware, and glasses (coffee / tea cups). You may also choose to add a napkin ring or a place card holder with place cards. If you want to really take your tablescape to the next level, you can add a little doodad or sprig of greenery / baby’s breath in the napkin. That is totally optional as you might want to keep it simple and style the napkin on the place setting instead like the below photos.

If you’re just getting started collecting tableware, I highly recommend investing in a set of these woven chargers. They go with just about any décor style and add a nice layer of texture and interest to (almost) any table.

MEAL PLAN / WHAT TO SERVE

As simple as it sounds, I always ask my mom what she wants to eat that day. Usually for her, that’s a juicy steak and grilled veggies. Maybe you already know her favorite foods and have some great recipes you can make. If you’re not feeling quite so confident with your culinary skills, don’t be afraid to take short cuts! Maybe you can order out for something she loves, pick up her favorite dessert from the local bakery or have a plate of cookies incorporated into the centerpiece! Whatever you do, do NOT let her lift a finger. No cutting the cake and definitely NO DISHES. Just let her sip her wine or tea in peace. 🙂

I hope these Mother’s Day table decor and centerpiece ideas help you plan the most beautiful brunch (or lunch or dinner). Cheers to the most wonderful Mother’s Day celebration yet! Celebrate your own mom, a special mom you know or any mother figures in your life! Happy Mother’s Day!

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy this tablescape post as well which expands on the first few pictures in the post. You can also visit my Amazon Storefront for more of my favorite table setting items and more! Before you know it, we’ll be on to 4th of July ideas!

See ya on the next post!

-The Chic(ish) Chick

Want to see more ideas like these Mother’s day table decor and centerpieces ideas? Check out my Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or YouTube pages!