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Creative Table Ideas for A Mother’s Day Luncheon

Want to make Mother’s Day extra special this year? Check out these creative Mother’s Day Luncheon Ideas. Decorate your table with this fun, budget-friendly DIY ideas and have the best Mother’s Day gathering ever.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate Mother’s Day?

Would you prefer a meal at your favorite restaurant or spend time with your family in a more intimate setting?

Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas for setting a creative table.

How To Plan A Memorable Event

As we plan to celebrate Mother’s Day, let’s consider what will make the day special for all who attend.

Plan an event that shows your mother that you’ve spent time considering what will make her happy.

It’s not about spending lots of money but rather about creating lasting memories and attention to detail.

You can plan an event that your family will be reminiscing about for years.

Let’s begin by planning a luncheon or dinner party to bring the family together.

Creative Mother’s Day Luncheon Ideas

May is a beautiful time of year for alfresco dining, and I’m planning a luncheon at our outdoor kitchen dining area for Mother’s Day.

The outdoor table is filled with creative Mother’s Day Luncheon ideas and DIY projects that I know you will want to use all Summer long.

DIY Ideas for a Mother's Day Luncheon tablescape.

(Posts on The Ponds Farmhouse may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See the full disclosure details here.)

Today’s tablescape is part of our monthly Supper Club Series.

If you are joining us for the first time, we are a group of friends who love to entertain, and when entertaining in person wasn’t recommended, we started a virtual supper club in January 2021.

We are from different areas of the country, and it’s always fun to see each person’s interpretation of the monthly theme. Meet the Supper Club Hosts.

  • Stacy Ling, Bricks N Blooms from New Jersey
  • Michele, Vintage Home Designs from Texas
  • Jennifer, Midwest Life & Style from Nebraska
  • Anne & AnnMarie, Simply 2 Mom’s from North Carolina
  • I’m also from North Carolina.

(Posts on The Ponds Farmhouse may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See the full disclosure details here.)

The DIY Projects

First, let’s determine how to create a budget-minded table setting. Y’all know I love using DIY projects to design unique tablescapes to make every event extra special.

Were you able to see last week’s decorative table stand tutorial by chance? I’ve wanted an over-the-table decorative stand rod for a couple of years, and Brad helped to make one for this year’s Mother’s Day Luncheon.

Don’t you love how it turned out? It’s perfect for today’s table ideas, and I know I’ll use it for many functions this Summer and Fall.

Alfresco dining for a Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas.  See DIY projects for budget friendly tablescape ideas.

Another idea is to pull flower throw pillows from the porch and other areas around the farmhouse to make the outdoor dining area more comfortable.

This favorite DIY scrap fabric flower pillow cover is perfect for the table theme. Plus, a pillow like this would make a great Mother’s Day gift using children’s clothing or other cherished materials to create the design.

DIY scrap fabric pillow cover with plants that will be transplanted into the yard after the luncheon.

Finally, I made cutlery pocket holders and flower pot pockets using recycled materials for an economic DIY project.

The flower theme DIY plant pots are filled with fresh flowers and hang from the decorative table stand.

Recycled DIY Plant Pot Pockets hang from a DIY Decorative Table Stand.

The DIY Cutlery Pockets are my favorite Mother’s Day Luncheon Idea. They are made with 100% recycled materials and will make a cute take-home gift for each guest.

However, I’m tempted to keep them all. LOL

You can see the full tutorial for How to Make DIY plant pots and Cutlery holders.

Place sittings with DIY recycled cutlery pockets made from tin cans and aluminum flowers for Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas

Mother’s Day Luncheon Ideas

Next, you want to decide on your tableware.

Y’all know I love setting a beautiful table, and since the outdoor bistro tables are casual, I felt a tablecloth was needed.

The DIY planters and cutlery pockets inspired the color choices, and I always check my tableware supplies before making any new purchases.

The pink and white gingham tablecloth was used once on last year’s Country Garden Party Table.

It’s a festive color choice for this year’s luncheon table.

Alfresco Dining for Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas with pink & White tablecloth, DIY flower pots and peonies - mini golden doodle.

Next, adorable greenery placemats from Hobby Lobby add a fun alfresco garden touch to the luncheon table setting. Although they are a new purchase, they were 40% off and every affordable.

Pink and white tablecloth with greenery placemats for Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas for the tablescape.

And they are topped with simple vintage white ironstone dishes, which don’t compete with the fun cutlery pockets and placemats.

I have a good supply of white dishes I’ve collected over time, so there are enough for the whole table setting.

Pro Tips

Don’t worry if you don’t have enough matching tableware for all your guests. Mixing and matching dishes, silverware, glassware, etc is perfectly acceptable.

I will intentionally mix patterns to make the table more interesting on many of my tablescapes.

Mother's Day Alfresco Luncheon table at outdoor kitchen with DIY cutlery holders.

In addition, using white plates allows you to pull more colors from the DIY cutlery pockets to add colorful napkins.

I combined golden yellow napkins with solid white inside the pockets.

I found several place settings of vintage silverware at a Habitat Restore for only 10 cents a piece and the water goblet for only $1.00 each.

These economical purchases will allow you to splurge on other areas of your party.

Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas for DIY recycled silverware pockets from tin cans & aluminum flowers.

Pro Tips

Shopping in thrift stores and second-hand shops is a great way to add to your tableware collections. You’ll be amazed at how much money you can save.

Pick up vintage plates, silverware, and glasses when you find a great deal; before long, you’ll find a great collection for your dinner parties.

Mother’s Day Luncheon Ideas for Table Centerpiece

Next, we need a table centerpiece to complete the Mother’s Day Luncheon Ideas.

The DIY plant pots hang above the table and are filled with fresh flowers from the local garden center. I choose petunias & marigolds to fill them.

Since the table stand is filled with hanging pots, simple flowers are a better choice for the table centerpiece.

I decided a couple of small bud vases would be just the ticket.

Fortunately, my peonies provided some free blooms. They are mixed with some faux flowers and rosemary from my garden.

Can you tell which is which?

Alfresco Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas.

Also, the decorative stand at the ends of the table makes a great spot to add potted plants.

You can use clay pots or add more aluminum flowers to larger tin cans to use as containers.

Pro Tips

Another budget table decorating idea is to use fresh flowers that you plan to plant in your garden.

The petunias and marigolds can later be transplanted into larger containers or planted directly into the landscape. They get to double duty and save you money in the process.

However, you want to keep them moist. The best way to keep the flowers from drying out is to wrap them and the soil with wax paper before placing them in the container.

This also prevents any leakage onto the table below.

Add fresh flowers to DIY plant pot pockets that hang above the luncheon table for Mother's Day.

However, you may prefer fresh-cut flowers for your hanging plant containers.

If so, wrap the stems in wet paper towels before adding the wax paper. And be sure to keep the towel moist until you can add the flowers to a vase.

Add fresh flowers to DIY plant pot pockets that hang above the luncheon table for Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas.

I loved putting this Mother’s Day Luncheon Table together and stayed within budget to create a unique and memorable table setting. I hope you like it.

I’m so glad you stopped by today, and look forward to sharing more adventures with you.

Add fresh flowers to DIY plant pot pockets that hang above the luncheon table for Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas.

More Outdoor Dining Ideas

Mother's Day Luncheon Ideas for a creative table setting.

Up next is Kate’s beautiful blue & white tablescape.

Kate at Southern Home & Hospitality / Stacy Ling at Bricks N Blooms

Michele at Vintage Home Designs / Jennifer at Midwest Life and Style

Anne & AnnMarie at Simply 2 Moms / Rudy at The Ponds Farmhouse

Pin It To Remember It

Did you find some great ideas you’d like to save for future reference? Hover over the images you’d like to save and pin to your favorite Pinterest Boards when you see the PIN button.

Creative Table Ideas for Mother's Day Luncheon, Alfresco Dining with DIY tableware projects made from recycled materials.

Wendy McMonigle

Saturday 13th of May 2023

Your table looks amazing Rachel, love your crushed can idea. It turned out perfect.

Rachel

Saturday 13th of May 2023

Wendy, I appreciate your encouragement and sweet comments.

Cindy@CountyRoad407

Thursday 4th of May 2023

Oh my golly I want to jump in and relax, sit and chat with you! Thank you for sharing this on Farmhouse Friday. Featuring it tomorrow. pinned x 4!

Rachel

Friday 5th of May 2023

Cindy, You are so supportive and kind. Thank you.

AnnMarie | Simply2Moms

Tuesday 2nd of May 2023

Such a fun vibrant table Rachel. I love that over the table rod...totally making myself one of those. Pinned!

Rachel

Friday 5th of May 2023

AnnMarie, It's so easy to make.

Jen

Sunday 30th of April 2023

Rachel your table is absolutely beautiful! And I love your DIY over-the-table rod. So creative and it really adds to the pretty outdoor setting. Perfect for a Mother's Day luncheon.

Rachel

Sunday 30th of April 2023

Jen, I'm so glad you like it. thank you.

stacy

Saturday 29th of April 2023

I wish we lived closer! That table looks amazing! Love it!!!

Rachel

Saturday 29th of April 2023

Stacy, I agree. Thanks so much.