Mardi Gras Table Setting Ideas

Once you have your Mardi Gras menu planned, your feast is as easy as assembling the recipes (and the ones found here really are that simple) and setting a table worthy of Mardi Gras.

Hushed subtleties are not what you’re looking for here. You want your table to shout, “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

If you have gold chargers (or if you can borrow or buy cheaply at thrift stores), place them under simple white servings plates for a touch of glam. Look for “gold” plastic silverware. Find solid-colored napkins in green, purple and gold. Goblets – gold rimmed if you can find them – will be especially at home on a table set for your reveling guests.

Choose a solid-colored tablecloth – again in a Mardi Gras color – and scatter shiny bead necklaces anywhere and everywhere. Fill clear martini glasses with more of these beads and gently press one votive candle into each until secure. Light candles before guests arrive for lovely and brilliant centerpieces. Make place cards by creating small crowns from construction paper.

As for that menu: You’ll want to find as many “gold” and “silver” platters as you can. (Shiny plastic trays are easily found at dollar stores.) Spoon your King Cake Dip into a large martini glass, then place the glass in a large, deep and wide bowl (think large mixing bowl). Fill the cinnamon-sugar crisps in the bowl around the stem of the glass for an all-in-one crisps-and-dip.

Pour that Cajun-Spiced Popcorn into an elegant bowl, but also provide small brown paper bags or plastic red-and-white striped popcorn bags (found at grocery stores and dollar stores) to keep the carnival vibe going. Fill a bunch and set them out for grab-and-go snacking.

Your mains and sides will look especially stunning (and delicious) served on and in those fancy gold and silver platters and bowls mentioned earlier. Be sure to use equally elegant serving utensils. A set of tongs from a silver ice bucket make an easy serving tool for the Bourbon Street Chicken Thighs or Jambalaya Stuffed Mushrooms.

As for beverages, the above-mentioned goblets are beautiful glasses in which to present the Bananas Foster Cocktail and stark white mugs are a fun way to serve an iced coffee cocktail.