5 Kentucky Derby Tablescape Ideas To Throw A Winning Party

Looking for creative Kentucky Derby Party Ideas? You are sure to find the perfect idea today. My supper club friends and I are sharing our best Derby party ideas so that you will learn how to set up 5 unique Kentucky Derby Tablescapes today. With these clever ideas, your party is sure to be a winner.

I will begin by sharing a step-by-step process for creating a unique, budget-friendly Kentucky Derby-inspired Table Setting. I’ve combined my love of simple DIY and vintage tableware to bring you an easy-to-copy tablescape. So, gather your supplies, and let’s get started.

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Supper Club

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.

• 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.

We are excited to have the talented Missy from Sonata Home Design as our guest host this month.

Planning Your Kentucky Derby Party Ideas

There are four basic steps to planning your Kentucky Derby Party Ideas.

1. Plan your table decor and decorations for your party.
2. Pick your recipes and menu.
3. Consider activities for the derby party.
4. Invite your guests.

Today, we are planning your table decor and decorations for a creative Kentucky Derby Tablescape. On Saturday, we will share all the recipes and menu ideas to make your party a success.

Steps To Plan Your Kentucky Derby Tablescape Theme

Any time you plan a themed dinner party, it’s important to determine what decor choices will capture the essence of your theme.

The Kentucky Derby is known for its excitement, yummy food, and amazing hats! You can capture that same energy by setting an elegant yet playful tablescape. You can choose to create a formal dinner table or set up for a casual party. I wanted to capture the Kentucky Derby ambiance with elegant but budget-friendly derby dinner party ideas.

Guest List and Party Invitations

Now, it’s time to determine your guest list and prepare your invitations. It’s important to know the approximate number of guests before gathering your supplies.

You can create your own invitations or purchase ready-made invites. I’ve shared a couple of invitations for your convenience. You can download these templates and make edits to use for your own party. You will notice I included a betting game, but you can decide what forms of entertainment you plan for your own party. You can see some creative ideas on the DIY Horse Race Game Tutorial.

How To Keep Your Party Budget-Friendly

Planning a large party can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.

To keep your party budget-friendly, begin with what you already own. Don’t feel you have to have a full set of china at each place setting. Mix and match patterns to make your table fun and interesting. You can mix your dishes, glassware, silverware, etc, for an eclectic table setting that will wow your guests.

Next, look for easy DIY projects to keep the cost down. My go-to stop is Dollar Tree. They have so many great seasonal decor choices and DIY materials. Today’s table includes DIY napkin rings, floral arrangements, hats, and mini-horses, plus a DIY Horse Race Game board to entertain the guests.

Don’t overlook borrowing from friends and relatives. If you are short on a few items, ask around to see if someone has something similar that you can borrow.

If you have a large party, another option is to rent some of your supplies. This will be less expensive than purchasing the extra items you may need.

What Are The Key Elements For Kentucky Derby Decorations?

The first thing I did was consider what the key elements are that are associated with the Kentucky Derby.

• Horses
• Trophies
• Roses
• Extravagant hats
• Betting
• Cocktails like Mint Julep

With these key elements in mind, begin to take an inventory of what you can use on the table. Then, make a list of items you may need to complete your tablescape.

Derby Party Location

Next, determine where you want to hold your Kentucky Derby party. I decided to hold the party in our outdoor kitchen. I decided on a pink and green tablescape using a green and white buffalo check tablecloth I already owned and adding a mixture of inexpensive tableware.

Hosting the party in this area will allow guests to mingle and provide plenty of room for the horse race games.

In addition, there is a large TV inside the DIY Reclaimed Window Cabinet so that no one will miss the two-minute race. LOL

The Place Setting

As you begin to pull your supplies together, begin with your place setting. It’s always fun to mix and match your table setting. I only used tableware that I already own to keep the cost down.

Here is the step-by-step place setting for a Kentucky Derby tablescape.

1. The lacy charger plate from Hobby Lobby
2. Vintage Dinner Plate (a thrift store find)
3. White beaded salad plate (HomeGoods find)
4. Pink and White Buffalo Check Napkins With DIY Horse Napkin Rings

In addition to the DIY horse napkin rings, a pink rose was tucked into each napkin. Two streamers of silk ribbon run the center of the table for a soft touch of pink against the checked tablecloth.

The place setting is finished off with gold and acrylic cutlery for an elegant tablescape.

Centerpiece Derby Party Ideas

Next is the creative Kentucky Derby tablescape centerpiece. First, I went to Dollar Tree to find some faux flowers and stumbled across these fun hats. It was easy to attach the flowers with hot glue to create a festive hat centerpiece.

Instead of just placing the hats on the table, they were added to white milk glass cake stands. The stands’ different heights help with the centerpiece’s visual appeal. Eucalyptus candle rings surround the base of the cake stands.

In addition to the hats, a thrifted silver urn serves as a trophy-inspired floral arrangement. The Kentucky Derby tablescape arrangement consists of a large white hydrangea at the center with a combination of white and pink roses with baby’s breath surrounding it.

Dessert plates and compote dishes surround the table centerpiece, which also includes stems of dried pink azaleas. The azaleas were used on my Spring mantel and dried so perfectly I couldn’t toss them out.

For an added Deby Party idea, DIY horse picks decorate the floral arrangement. These were easy to make with bamboo skewers and the leftover mini horses from the Horse Race Game.

Additional Decoration Ideas

The silver goblets are set up on the side cabinet and ready for the mint juleps. For added ambiance, another Dollar Tree hat with flowers decorates the outdoor kitchen vintage window cabinet.

A couple of tables are set up with the 2 DIY Horse Race Game Boards. Guests can cheer on their horses for a little friendly betting competition. We only bet with 10.00 worth of quarters, and no one goes home broke.

Creating a fun, relaxed atmosphere is key to a successful party. Provide guests with entertainment and plenty of food options. For other party games appropriate for a Kentucky Derby party, refer to the Horse Race Game Board tutorial. Look for more recipes and menu options on Saturday.

I hope this will encourage you to plan a fun gathering of friends and family. I’m always looking for an excuse to entertain.

Related Articles

• DIY Horse Race Game Board Tutorial
• 3 Fabulous DIY Kentucky Derby Party Decorations
• Parmesan Crusted Oyster Casserole – see the full menu and recipes on Saturday.
• DIY Outdoor Kitchen Before and After
• How To Build a Shabby Chic Cabinet with Reclaimed Windows

Resources

Video – Click Below To Watch

More Supper Club Kentucky Derby Tablescape Ideas

Be sure to check out these creative Kentucky Derby Tablescape Ideas.

Stacy’s – Kentucky Derby Table with Red Roses / Michele’s – Thrifted Vintage Kentucky Derby Table

Jen – Elegant Entertaining: How To Throw A Kentucky Derby Party – Ann Marie – Styling the Perfect Kentucky Derby Party Table