How to Put Together the Perfect Thanksgiving Floral Arrangement for Your Table

I joined the flower world back in 2016. I was a math major in college craving a creative outlet and reached out to a florist I thought had a cool vibe to surround myself with beautiful work. Turned out I had a total passion for it and have been creating ever since. I peeled off from her company to start my own back in the fall of 2020.

A few basic rules to follow:

1. The flowers should be about 1.5x the height of the vase, however, you don’t want them too high–otherwise you’ll block conversation at the dinner table. That’s why lower vases are usually best. CDS Note: Try our Hawkins Aurora Sphere Vases in size small.
2. If you’re overwhelmed by color, stick with monochrome blooms and greens, which is the easiest palette to work with. This could mean different shades of pink – blooms and filler – with greenery to complete the arrangement.
3. Bunching up some chicken wire placed tightly into the bottom of the vase can help keep the stems in place, especially if you’re using lower bowls for a dinnertime centerpiece.

Top tip: keep one element of your table multicolored, the other solid. So, if you have funky printed table linens, keep the flower palette to a minimum. If you’re doing muted place settings, flowers are a great spot for adding a whimsical pop of color.

There’s a very classic “soft fall” palette: cream, burgundy, burnt orange, and hints of blush. But I also think keeping it neutral-toned, and adding hints of dried elements, has a fall spirit.

Dahlias, cornflowers, and garden roses.

Whether you’re using grocery store-bought or flower market flowers, I recommend purchasing the day before your event. You could probably get away with two days if the flowers are kept cool and out of the sun, but one day is best for freshness without adding stress to the event day.

Get creative with the items you already have in your house. I’ve used cereal bowls, mason jars, and bud vases to hold flowers. Adding mismatched candles from the house is another way to add ambiance. In terms of the flowers themselves, I’ve clipped local flowers from the neighborhood, or invited guests to clip a stem or two on their way over to add to the table (great icebreaker). Once, I even did an all-greens table from clippings of my houseplants. As additional tablescape filler, I’ve sprinkled simple Christmas ornaments, mini disco balls, fruit slices, or coffee mugs of crayons (butcher paper as tablecloth!!) to add more personality to the table without spending too much on flowers. I believe an organic free form tablescape invites warmth and comfort to the dinner vibe, so embrace the mismatched chaos with items you already own.

That’s all from Emma! We hope you’re as inspired as we are to get creative with your Thanksgiving florals.

If you’re in LA, be sure to check out Roobarb Studio. If not, follow along on Instagram at @roobarbstudio.