Nothing takes a meal from “fine” to “professional grade adulting” like floral table decorations. And they don’t have to be fancy or perfect—in fact, loose, casual, natural “arrangements” are super on-trend right now. So! Grab your clippers and a bucket and head for the garden. We’ll be here when you get back with inspiration and tips. 

HOW TO CREATE FLORAL TABLE DECORATIONS

Start with a trip to the garden. Be open to what you include in your arrangement:

• Flowers—from roses to clover
• Leaves, branches, and sticks
• Grasses and weeds (literally, weeds will do—just avoid poison ivy)
• Berries

Think long and short, big and little, simple and complex, neutral and bright. Plunk them in a bucket of water to keep them happy.

Pro tip

If you don’t have a garden—or access to a friends’—hit up a local garden center or farmers market, or go for a drive down a country road and collect some ditch flowers!

FLOWER ARRANGEMENT SUPPLIES

• BUCKET

• GARDEN CLIPPERS AND PRUNING SHEARS

• CONTAINERS, DEFINED AS “ANYTHING THAT CAN HOLD WATER”

• TWINE

• OASIS FLORAL FOAM

For easy arrangements, head over to this how-to post with tips from Hallmark Photo Stylist Andy N.

For a personal touch at each setting, wrap some twine around a cloth napkin and tie on a few little flowers or a branch. Don’t worry about matching—everyone can get their own.

Use some of your hardier specimens to create a display right on the table. Build it bit by bit—start with a foundation of longer branches and tuck in bold blossoms.

Make simple centerpieces with small bowls and candlesticks.

Place your candlestick in the bowl and fill in the space around it with chunks of oasis floral foam – or if you don’t have a candlestick, just stick the taper candle directly into a piece of oasis that is cut down to fit your container.

Cut some short branches and greenery and fill in the space around the candle.

Pro tip

There’s no right or wrong way, just fill until the foam is mostly covered and it looks pretty to you!

The beauty of floral table decorations is that you can keep things simple and monochromatic or show off the colors of your garden. You can make alfresco dinner can feel like part of the environment, or bring the outdoors in. It’s an easy and fun way to make your friends feel like it’s a special event, even if what you’re dining on is the simplest of picnics or takeout!

We’d love to see how you use floral table decorations. Tag us on Instagram @think.make.share.

Love flowers? We have styling tips and more styling tips, hints on photographing flowers, and all sorts of ideas for creating beautiful arrangements.

— Erin M.