How to Throw a (Minimal) Spring Dinner Party Just in Time for Mother’s Day

Spring is here and Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so I wanted to share a spring themed tablescape that doubles as a Mother’s Day brunch idea.

As usual, there were a handful of DIY elements that made putting together this more minimal tablescape a reality. So I’ll explain exactly how I put everything together for this after the jump. Click through for more.

Find Your Light! My favorite tip for dinner parties is to choose the room with the best light, especially for spring and summer when it stays light out so much longer. Even if it means that you have to move a few furniture pieces (not that you HAVE to or anything).

On a nice day, I have been known to bring an indoor dining table outdoors if need be – which may or may not make me crazy. TBD. But the point here is that with a minimal tablescape, giving guests something else to focus on (like the beautiful view) is super helpful in creating good vibes / party ambience.

Mix and Match! I love mixing and matching tableware for parties. And it’s especially practical for large groups – because who really have 15 of the same plates anyway, right?! So for this party, I used my basic white plates (that I use a lot) as the base plate, then a smaller pink specialty plate on top, and then a teeny tiny handmade ceramic plate on top of that.

Is that too many plates?! Probably. BUT you can do it anyway you’d like, and I’m partial to this look because it feels layered but not overly stuffy or fancy. To add something a little different, I used vintage silverware, which had really interesting ornate engravings, to balance out the simplicity of the plates. And then used striped linen napkins that felt casual and light to balance the formalness of legit silverware.

Flower Power! If you’ve been following along here for any amount of time, you know that I NEVER forget the flowers at a dinner party. With a minimal setup like this one, the flowers can really shine and they’re super easy to put together.

There are so many beautiful, seasonal flowers available in the spring, so they should be easy to find locally…even at the grocery store. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods usually have the best flower selection in terms of grocery options.

The Name Game! For informal dinner parties, place cards are totally unnecessary. BUT I almost always add them (and people can switch seats to wherever they want) just so everyone has a little something withe their name on it. I think it makes guests feel special.

These leather place cards are a simple DIY. Just cut pieces of leather down to size (if the leather is thick, wet it first to soften and make it easier to cut) and add each person’s first name with a paint pen.

Drink Up! What’s a good dinner party without some wine, right? Just make sure to pick up a couple of options for guests (since some will prefer red over white and vice versa…or opt for something light and springy, like a light rosé.

Got any plans for a spring dinner party of your own? What are your tips for throwing a minimal / effortless get-together?

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