The menu is planned, the guests are invited. It’s Mother’s Day, and it’s time to set the table! Plates, utensils, drinkware, napkins… quick: What’s missing? One or more Mother’s Day centerpieces to spark conversation! Here are 12 ideas for floral table centerpieces that will wow guests — not just on Mother’s Day, but on any special occasion.
Flowers, of course, are a top choice for centerpieces year round, but they’re a big part of Mother’s Day in general. Americans spend upwards of $29 per person for flowers on Mother’s Day — that’s $2.4 billion nationwide!
Back when Mother’s Day began in 1908, the white carnation was the bloom of choice, because it never drops its petals, just as mothers never stop loving their children. These days, just about any springtime blossom conveys that same message of appreciation and love. Here are some ideas for Mother’s Day centerpieces that you might want to try creating!
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1. A teapot, short and stout
This year, do a little upcycling and arrange your Mother’s Day flowers in a teapot. You can even mix and match several for an eclectic display. Line them up along the buffet or down the middle of the table, or scatter them around a bit.
Whether you choose silver, ceramic, china or something else, having the story behind the teapots makes for interesting conversation. For example, maybe your teapot belonged to a family member, or perhaps it came from an estate sale of someone in your community.
Making a teapot floral arrangement is simple. You’ll need a teapot, of course, plus some floral foam, scissors and a bouquet of flowers. Insert the floral foam into the teapot. Then, trim the stems to the desired length, and arrange the flowers in the teapot. There’s no wrong way to arrange flowers, but generally speaking, the taller blossoms work best in the center, while the shorter blooms can fill in the gaps around them.
If you’re a guest this year, bring a teapot centerpiece as a hostess gift to show your appreciation. (If the hostess is also a mom, so much the better!) You just can’t go wrong with flowers.
If you don’t have any teapots, head over to the thrift or antique store to find one or more that speak to you — the more unusual, the better.
2. Blooming mules
Moscow mules aren’t the only thing fit for copper mugs. In the same way these beautifully shiny cups keep their ginger beer and whiskey combos cool, they’ll keep flower stems chilled and blooms looking fresh. Plus, copper mugs look ultra-cool.
A copper mug filled with flowers makes a darling centerpiece, adding color and dimension to your table. You can even make one for every place setting and use them to anchor placecards and serve as take-home favors. Simply fill each mug with cool water and arrange the flowers. Put the largest bloom in the middle, then fill in with smaller flowers and greenery.
Use your mom’s favorite flowers, or pick up an arrangement at the grocery store and break it apart into smaller bouquets, cutting the stems to the appropriate heights.
Personalize the centerpiece with photos; using a different one for each arrangement will bring to mind a memory everywhere Mom looks — a great way to show her how much you’ve appreciated her through the years. Simply affix a wallet-sized photo to a bamboo skewer or floral cardholder, trim if necessary, and arrange with the flowers.
Copper mugs are pretty popular these days, so you’ll be able to find them in just about any home or department store. You might even see them at large grocery stores. Again, check thrift stores, too; Moscow mules were the all the rage in the 1940s.
In the unlikely event that you can’t find copper mugs, use some pretty coffee mugs or teacups. Think about what Mom likes. Does she collect hand-painted mugs? Does she like a certain pattern of china? How about a souvenir mug from a place she loves?
3. A table runner of blooms
Falling as it does on the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day can present an opportunity to dine al fresco. Fresh flowers are an ideal fit for this setting, and this table runner would be a stunning centerpiece. It’s so easy to make: Simply braid together flowers as you would for a wreath or lei.
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This example uses large peony blossoms and stems, Juliet garden roses, apricot parrot tulips and ranunculus, but you can use any flowers with long stems. Gerber daisies are ideal, for example; just add some roses and baby’s breath. Greenery and grasses work well, too. Try a combo of eucalyptus, fern branches and boxwood. You can even clip some large blossoms and stick them into the centerpiece, if you can’t quite braid them all together.
Carry the theme through by putting the same type of flowers you use in your centerpiece at each place setting — or change it up with orchids, lavender, bluebells or small tea roses. The delighted guests can take home the blossoms as keepsakes.
Check out these 9 other gorgeous Mother’s Day centerpiece ideas:
1. Floating flowers aglow with tealights
2. Mother’s Day bouquet centerpiece
4. Paper-wrapped tin can centerpieces