Grab the tissues because my mom is truly one of the reasons I love entertaining as much as I do. She’s taught me so much about making each day and every meal special, no matter the occasion.

If you’re looking for an alternative to the classic floral centerpiece, then I have just the one for you. You guessed it. It’s one of my mom’s.

Stocking up on crystal, silver, and glass candlesticks in varying heights is something I definitely got from my mother. She has always recommended this and I’m so glad I’ve heeded her advice. It’s so helpful to have a wide array of candlesticks to work with – they’re the easiest way to add height to your table and that candlelit glow all around. I love that she’s worked in tapered candlesticks as well as pillar candles.

Centering everything is a classic lace-trimmed runner. On top of it, she added dried magnolia leaves, pumpkins, and gourds. Instead of weaving in eucalyptus or other greenery, the dried magnolia leaves add a beautiful and soft warmth to the table. The stacked gourds and pumpkins are fabulous, and another example of “more is more” really working.

To add height and interest without blocking sight lines, she used one of her large silver revere bowls (Can you ever have too many of these? Read our popular post on how to show them off here)  she arranged dried hydrangea blooms and more of the dried magnolia leaves. I love the way the silver bowl glistens with the glow of the candlelight. It’s a stunning way to elevate a table spread.

Here are a few good rules to a good centerpiece:

  1. Add varying height. You can see the big impact this makes in the candles here.
  2. Filler is key. You don’t want there to be too much empty space. The dried magnolia leaves here eliminate unneeded white space and make everything cohesive.
  3. Stacking and overlapping add interest. This gives your centerpiece a sense of movement and keeps things dynamic.
  4. Make sure your centerpiece is at a good height. What you don’t want to have is centerpiece that’s too tall so that your guests can’t see around it to have a conversation. Now, I say this, but I definitely stretch this rule at times, so I wouldn’t say it’s a hard and fast one. I always try to “sit” in each seat to make sure that I can still see around to the other guests, although traditionally you would converse with the guest on your right and left throughout the night.
  5. Be creative. Have fun with your centerpiece and don’t be afraid to really weave in the theme of the night or other seasonal considerations. It’s a perfect conversation starter. Tablescapes are also a fabulous way to show off those collectibles. Darling Herend bunnies, those adorable foxes you found at a local antique shop – tuck them into the dried magnolia leaves!