How do you decorate a graduation party table? Here are some super magical Graduation table decor ideas, exciting DIY girly grad party table centerpieces and ideas you will love!
These are perfect for your outdoor or indoor Graduation occasion or party! To protect your table from the elements, a great DIY solution is to choose to set up your table between two spaced apart trees, then create an overhead shelter, using a tarpaulin sheet. This is a great option and saves you having to hire out or purchase a gazebo or party tent for the occasion.
You could also use tall fencing or similar garden structures if no trees are available, in a similar way, which will allow you to enjoy a covered space, meaning you can enjoy your event no matter the weather.
Best graduation centerpiece ideas for 2023
1. A tear and share cupcake centrepiece
One of the most simple yet cutest centerpieces for your graduation party table, why not create a cupcake pullapart, by arranging plain undecorated cupcakes in your chosen formation, then icing them all together as one. This makes for such a pretty centerpiece!
2. Cupcakes spelling out your class year
Following on from n.1, why not arrange cupcakes spelling out your class year – or create a cardboard cutout base and fill it with cute mini cupcakes – or cookie cupcakes like Millie’s Cookies do!
3. A tower of ombre graduation cupcakes
Ombre cupcakes will make such a statement and look gorgeous in photos. You could decorate them with funny and quirky toppers – maybe print funny photos from funny memories, back them on to card or cardstock, then fix them on to mini cocktail sticks or party skewers. DIY personalised cupcake toppers, voila!
4. Photo and flowers arrangement
You can never go wrong combining photos and flowers together! This can accord with every theme, will make the table super pretty and guests will love reliving the special memories through the photos. To keep things low budget, you could use a selection of flowers from the garden in May, June, July and DIY your own arrangement.
5. An arrangement of painted shells with messages inside
These look so beautiful and are super easy to DIY! Shells such as oyster shells are perfect for this and you could use gold paint to decorate the outer shell and paint beautiful designs on the inside. As a finishing touch, you could attach or paint cute messages on to the interior of the shell, or tie a tag or label with a written memory on to each one.
6. An ice block reveal!
A really fun interactive table centerpiece idea your guests will love! Why not freeze a special centerpiece that your guests wil love in a block of ice and bring it out once all guests are seated or gathered around the table. You can then allow it to melt as guests are eating or gathering around the table, gradually revealing the surprise within. This is a great way to wow your guests and keep them guessing!
7. Design a cardboard cutout base of your class year and fill with fortune cookies
Fortune cookies make adorable graduation party favors too!
8. Mini gardening bundles as party favours
Speaking of party favours, why not try a ‘rooting for you’ party theme and gift your guests miniature gardening kits to match. This could include a little pamphlet guide, a selection of seeds, some twine, all incased inside a pot, tied with ribbon in your school colours. This is such a unique idea and is eco friendly too, it’s like giving a miniature garden as a gift. Miniature gardening is perfect for those who live in a city or urban area, or don’t have access to a garden or allotment, as you can start one in a pot or hanging basket, so your garden can be taken with you and moved wherever you go. Why not start them off on their miniature gardening journey and give them the gift of almost everything you could need to keep your garden going all year, tied with a pretty ribbon!
8. A stacked doughnut centrepiece
This centerpiece idea will look epic every time!
9. A cardboard cut out of your class year filled with blooms
Such a beautiful and elegant table centerpiece idea, this looks super romantic and dreamy! Fill it with tons of multicoloured flowers for a boho inspired twist!
11. Fill a bowl with secret love letters
Everyone is randomly assigned one person and has to write a love letter to them in their honour – such a fun party table attraction that will be popular with guests! Each letter could be rolled up and tied with a ribbon – try ribbons in your school colours – with labels attached spelling each of your guests names.
12. Arrange some creative pick and mix sweets/candy with cute labels
You could choose these specially to cater to your graduation party theme, such as Smarties, Nerds, gummy ‘book worms’, mini hearts for nursing students and miniature toothbrush sweets for a dental graduate – you could even include some ‘encourage-mints’!
13. A movie night themed graduation party centerpiece
Why not created a multi tiered movie night themed party table with all the movie night essentials!
14. A tiered arrangement of graduation themed macarons
Why not create or commission some adorable graduation themed macarons, stamped or decorated with your school logo. A macaron tower looks so magical and will be sure to wow guests!
15. An arrangement of diploma napkins
Useful and practical, yet adorable and clever! This idea makes your whole table look so elegant, chic and opulent, this would be perfect for a Bridgerton themed Graduation party!
16. A tiered arrangement of shots with edible glitter
One of the cutest and most elegant and dreamy college graduation party centerpieces! You could recreate this with mocktails for the most epic high school graduation centerpiece. You could even add some edible flower petals and slices of fruit on the side!
17. A tiered arrangement of paper aeroplanes
All you need is paper and a tiered stand for this amazing arrangement! This would be perfect for an adventure or travel themed graduation party and guests can practise throwing them!
18. Pretty and decorative ornate photo frames
Filled with all your favourite photos and memories for guests to enjoy! One of the cutest statement yet simple graduation centerpieces that will get guests talking and reliving all the good times.
19. A ceiling table centerpiece idea
Why not tie some pretty ceiling balloons above the center of your party table and attach some beautiful sparkly streamers. You could then attach some adorable bits and pieces to the ends, such as photos, memories, or tie up rolls of candy paper money.
20. A rainbow ombre graduation table arrangement
Arrange sweets in rainbow formation, or in your school, uni or college colours! This idea looks so stunning and effective – you won’t be able to stop staring at your table display!
Graduation party centerpieces with mason jars
1. Pop some fairy lights inside
An oldie but a goodie, this will be sure to make your table look super magical! You could even add some flowers in there, for midsummer’s night dream vibes!
2. Different sized mason jars arranged by height
Arrange them so that they gradate from tallest to smallest, this arrangement idea will look so chic and classy!
3. Rose gold mason jars
An oldie but a goodie, you won’t be able to stop staring at this beautiful grad party table centerpiece idea! Rose gold just shines everytime and looks super girly!
4. Jars filled with mini polaroid pictures and baby’s breath blooms
This looks so delicate, classy and romantic! One of the most adorable flower centerpieces for graduation party!
5. Fill a mason jar with rolled up candy paper money
As a play on real money, but almost just as fun! This would be a fantastic idea if you’re looking for graduation party centerpieces for guys as this is an amazing unisex graduation party idea everyone will enjoy! You can even gift them to your guests as party favors afterwards.
6. Fill a jar with skewers with miniature pegs and attach childhood photos
It’s such a fun and cute creative Graduation idea and means everyone can compare their childhood photos and memories and reminisce together
7. Paper mache over mason jars using printed photos of you and your classmates
They will look so cool and colourful and you could even pop a tea light inside (just with the lid off!) to turn them in to lanterns. Just print lots of copies of your favourite pictures and memories on to printer paper, with a matte or non glossy finish, then use them to decorate your mason jar!
8. Fill the jar with ‘smart cookies’ on sticks!
These are like cakepops – but with cookies instead! These also make amazing creative grad party favors for your guests to take home with them!
9. A jar full of lemons
Can look extremely chic, all the Mediterranean vibes, plus is a low cost way to create an extremely glamorous table centerpiece. You could compliment the party table decor by serving lemonade to guests!
10. Jars filled with smore ingredients
Different layers of crackers, mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces on top makes for an adorable and delicious table centerpiece!
