Mexican Themed Party

I am working with a client right now on a Mexican Themed birthday party for her father. She is looking for something colorful, festive, and cultural for her father and the guests to enjoy. It will be celebrated outdoors and the possibilities are endless!
A Mexican themed party can go slightly awry and can be a bit of a cliche with the usual plastic cactus and sombreros on tables. But how about bringing some true down home elements to the party? Stuff that is actually a representation of the culture?

Here are some ideas I listed drawing on my own memories growing up for inspiration and the internet for visuals.

Food

Doesn't this look so fresh and appetizing? It is so easy and convenient to hire someone to come out and take away the stress of cooking from you so you can sit back and enjoy your food and a corona. A taco caterer can come out to a party and serve everyone unlimited tacos for a few hours for as little as $300 for up to 50 people.

Growing up as a kid the one thing I looked forward to was Pan Dulce after church every Sunday. These were the reward for sitting quietly in church and boy did I love these things! They are relatively easy to make, I quickly found a recipe online at ricopandulce.com. It is easier for me, however, to go out and buy them at a Mexican Panaderia(Bakery). These would be so awesome on a table with a big coffee carafe filled with Mexican coffee, which is basically coffee with canela(cinnamon).

Cinnamon Vanilla Mexican Hot Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
WHEW! that was a mouthful!

I was watching Martha Stewart cupcake week(Big surprise)and they featured Mexican Chocolate cupcakes which I immediately thought, BINGO! This would be great for the birthday party. Now I have to make some to "test" them out and make sure they are fit for the party :)
*shameless, I know*

Or....

Mexican Wedding cookies...

recipe here

...served up on these beauties:

Beautiful presentation and they may double as a take home favor.

Side dishes such as rice, beans or chips and salsa can be served in festive and fun shaped dishes like these:

Table Top Decorations

I just love these. They are used to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos( Day of the Dead)

They would look so good on against a solid BRIGHT table cloth.

Can't forget about cute cacti(?) in the middle of all the tables as a sort of centerpiece.

Anything in abundance makes an impact and looks smashing!

celia rickwood paper flowers

Faye and Greer also blogged a while back about these flowers and these save the dates for a Mexican destination wedding from Bird and Banner.

Simple D.I.Y. project that entails, pocket folds, tissue, ink, and stamps.

For the decorations we want it to be festive and colorful and these would look great strung up from tree to tree surrounding the picnic area. A few clusters of colorful lanterns or tissue pomanders ala Martha Stewart would have a wonderful effect as well. They are called picado strands and can be made or bought online from cut-it-out.org. Some of them are so beautiful and versatile they can be used for different themed parties. They offer customs banners, definitely worth taking a look at.

Aren't they perfect for a babyshower?

These can be found here

Mexican blankets/serapes sprawled on the green grass for guests to lay down on and enjoy the sun would make for a colorful picnic.

el chamaco .com

How cute would it be to give favors and have them be little tabasco bottles?

My gosh! Endless possibilities, no? Stay tuned to see what we actually pull off on the big Day!