Mother’s Day is an essential celebration in many countries, and particularly in France, where it has retained a special place in the family events calendar. Whether you’re a local authority, an association, a business or a cultural organisation, this date is an ideal opportunity to organise a meaningful, emotional and convivial event.
But for this special day to live up to all its promises, it’s best to plan ahead. From the idea to the big day, here’s everything you need to think about to make Mother’s Day a celebration to remember.
Summary
1. Choose the right date and format for your event
The first thing to clarify is the exact date of Mother’s Day. In France, it generally falls on the last Sunday in May, except when it coincides with Pentecost, in which case it is moved to the first Sunday in June. In 2025, Mother’s Day will take place on Sunday 25 May, so make a note of this date in your diary.
Then it all depends on the format you want to offer:
- A family workshop (creative, culinary, etc.)
- A market or an event in a shopping mall
- A festive snack or a dedicated brunch
- A family show or a shared cultural moment
- A distribution of personalised gifts or samples
Remember to adapt the tone of your event: this is not a classic commercial event, but a day of tribute, recognition and tenderness. It’s this emotion that should guide your choices.
2. Identify the right partners and service providers
To organise a successful Mother’s Day, it’s essential to plan ahead when selecting your partners: entertainers, suppliers, craftspeople, local producers and florists. The period around Mothering Sunday, which falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent (usually in March), is a busy time for events and celebrations, so be sure to make your bookings as early as possible.
Depending on your format, you can call on :
- Caterers or patissiers for a gourmet snack or workshop
- DIY facilitators (jewellery, cards, homemade cosmetics, etc.)
- Artists or musicians for a simple, accessible cultural event.
- Local designers to offer a selection of Mother’s Day gifts for direct sale.
This type of partnership allows you to offer a Mother’s Day gift to each participant, create a warm atmosphere and promote local products. It’s also an opportunity to anchor your event in tradition: a day of recognition, love and homage to mothers.
To sum up, prepare a table of requirements in advance, list the local service providers, adapt your choices to your audience, and communicate clearly to ensure that the event runs smoothly, whether it takes place in England, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland or elsewhere in the world.
3. Think about communication in advance
A successful Mother’s Day starts well before the big day, with clear, gentle and well-structured communication. Announcing your event well in advance will maximise participation and create a positive expectation, particularly for families who are already looking for ideas around the date of the party.
Remember to use several channels to reach different profiles:
- Social networks: regularly publish engaging content (visuals, quotes, poems, anecdotes about the history of Mothering Day).
- E-mailing: send a personalised invitation to your contact list or user account.
- Local posters: publicise the event in your local shops, schools, cultural or social establishments.
- Local press: a short article in the local newspaper or on a local blog can make all the difference.
- Dedicated page or mini-site: bring together all the practical information (venue, appointments, timetables, access), and make it easy to sign up.
A high-quality visual, a sympathetic tagline and graphics that are consistent with the theme (flowers, hearts, soft colours) will help you to convey the values of this day of tribute, love and recognition.
By communicating in a human and sincere way, you’re helping to make this event a shared favourite, honouring both the origins of the festival and its contemporary significance.
4. Plan a family-friendly programme
Mother’s Day is not just an individual celebration, it’s a shared moment in life, often marked by tenderness, love and gratitude. To make your event a success, keep in mind its essence: a family day that should please all generations.
Organise a balanced programme that combines highlights, breaks and convivial moments. It’s not a question of multiplying the number of activities, but of putting together a series of ideas that make sense.
Ideas to consider include:
- A warm welcome with cold drinks, sweets or local produce.
- An intergenerational activity, such as a parent-child creative workshop or a gentle introduction to the arts.
- A short, simple and accessible outdoor show, such as a musical reading or a visual act.
- A space dedicated to memories, with a photo terminal or message card.
- A small, symbolic gift for each mother: a flower, a sweet note, or a child’s creation.
Prioritise quality over quantity: a few well thought-out moments will always have more impact than an overloaded programme. And to welcome everyone in the best possible conditions, arrange the space carefully: shaded areas, seating areas, a quiet area for toddlers, accessible toilets. In many articles and letters linked to this celebration, Mother’s Day is mentioned as a tribute to those who give life and support families.
5. Anticipate logistics and small details
It’s often the small logistical details that make all the difference between a smooth celebration and a stressful event. To organise your Mother’s Day successfully, every detail needs to be carefully anticipated, especially when it’s such a symbolic moment, rooted in family history and traditions.
Start by estimating the number of people expected to attend. If the number is limited, registering online with a solution like Weezevent will allow you to manage the flow with ease. It’s also a good way of building up a file that will be useful for future communications.
In terms of logistics, think about everything you need to make the day a pleasant one: tables, chairs, tablecloths, marquees, supports for workshops, as well as decorative and comfort items. And don’t forget the supplies: flowers, drinks, Mother’s Day gifts, creative materials, chocolates or items of honour to give to the mothers. It’s these little details that show the quality of your organisation and your love for this shared moment.
Don’t forget your supervisors: facilitators, reception or technical staff. Even if you don’t have a large number of staff, plan to have one or two resource people on hand to help things run more smoothly. Finally, in May, the weather can be capricious. So it’s essential to have a plan B: a covered hall, a tent or a simple adjustment to the timetable.
By preparing every detail in advance, you can ensure that the atmosphere on the big day will be as calm as possible, and that the day will be one of life, of recognition and of the emotional majority of the mothers present.
6. Don’t forget the Mother’s Day gift
This is undoubtedly the most eagerly awaited moment of the year. Giving a gift on Mother’s Day, however symbolic, is much more than a simple gesture: it’s a message of love and recognition, a nod to the unique bond between a mother and her children. As an organiser, whether you represent a local authority, a company or an association, this is a golden opportunity to add a touch of emotion to your event.
Even a small, carefully chosen Mother’s Day gift can make all the difference. It could be an object made in a workshop, a personalised souvenir, or a tastefully selected local product. Think about the setting too: a floral decoration, a few candles, a painting with poems or quotations about maternal love, a beautifully calligraphed ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ sign… Every detail counts.
And why not create a card space, where children (or older children!) can write a sweet note or draw something thoughtful for their mum? These simple but sincere gestures add to the warmth of the party. You can also arrange for a speech to thank the mothers present, or broadcast an audio or video message.
7. Save time with Weezevent solutions
If you’re offering a workshop, a registration-based activity or an event with a limited number of places, managing logistics can quickly become a headache. To help you focus on what’s essential, the atmosphere, the content, the welcome, you can rely on a complete ticketing tool like Weezevent.
In just a few clicks, you can :
- Create a free or paid ticketing service, adapted to your event format.
- Collect personalised information via a form (children’s ages, preferences, etc.).
- Automatically manage quotas and confirmations.
- Send reminder or thank-you emails.
- Scan arrivals on the day of the event with a QR code to streamline reception.
It’s a simple solution that saves you time on repetitive tasks, while making your organisation more professional. And above all, it allows you to offer a smooth, stress-free experience to your participants, a real plus, especially for a moment as sweet and symbolic as Mother’s Day.
Preparing for Mother’s Day requires a little anticipation, but above all it’s a fantastic opportunity to create links, emotion and loyalty around your structure. If you need a helping hand to manage registrations and welcome families, opt for digital solutions with Weezevent to simplify your organisation for Mother’s Day.
