5 Table setting Ideas for the Graduate & Grad Hat DIY

by Candace Hafen May 20, 2021

Kindergarten, High School, College… do you have a grad at your house this year? Graduating is a milestone that should be celebrated! Our family just celebrated our oldest child graduating High School so I know If you have a graduate, how you want to make their day special and show them how proud you are!

There are lots of ways to make this day extraordinary; setting a fun table on graduation day or creating a special place setting just for them is one simple way to do it! It can be their morning breakfast or a special dinner together, what matters is doing something to make this day special. Today I’m sharing 5 simple table setting ideas for grads and a quick tutorial for making a miniature grad hat to use!

1- Super Simple Look

This simple, but striking look starts with a neutral base with the Round Woven placemat from the Shoppe and simple white plates. I added in our black and natural petite stripe cloth napkins and topped it with a DIY mini grad hat. (Grad hat tutorial at the end of this post.)

2- School Colors

Using school colors is a definite fun touch for a grad place setting. Start with a neutral base like this Round Woven placemat and white plates. Accent with a colored cloth napkin (or in this case 2 paper napkins) in their school colors. Use our DIY grad hat as an accent. A fun grad paper plate is also a nice touch to add more personality.

3- Fancy Grad

A little elegance goes a long way to make a meal feel special. This black and white stripe base (our Black & Natural Stripe placemat and napkin) sets the classic stage for getting fancy. Adding a gold charger and gold utensils really makes this look. When you make your DIY mini grad hat, size it to fit the inside of your goblet for a super fun drink topper! I added the words using a “Congrats Grad” cake topper and just removed the stick!

If you are looking to create a really elegant and grad table for your special dinner, check out this blog post... Celebrating Your Grad at Home... an Elegant Family Party. You can grab the 2022 Wood Cut Out in our Shoppe! It works great for your backdrop accent, a table accent or even a photo prop!

4- Diploma anyone?

I love the simple style of this one... The "diploma," is made by rolling a white cloth napkin and tying it with a red ribbon. It's the perfect grad touch against the black and white placemat. Accent with a DIY grad hat to really top things off.

5- Add a little color:

Black and white or a neutral base is so classic for graduation, but you can spice it up with a little color. Take the classic diploma napkin from above, Use a round placemat base and add a colored plate to match the ribbon or in your school colors.

Mini Grad Hat DIY

I hope these ideas inspire you to create your own special grad place setting! No matter which one you choose, these mini grad hats are a great addition. Click the video to see how to make them.