Rehearsal Dinner II

 Here’s the second lovely rehearsal dinner from Style Me Pretty.  More pictures here.  I love the rich colors and use of ribbons, just not the cheesy photo op…apparently, this was a Mexican-themed affair.

Dia de los Muertos

Day of the Dead (Nov.1 & 2)  is not a grotesque holiday as some think, but a colorful celebration of the lives of friends and relatives who have passed. I particularly love these Day of the Dead themed parties.

For information on the origins and traditions of Day of the Dead click here or here

 

 

  

1. Kim Le Photography 2. Day of the Dead Wedding Reception  4.  Flickr Papel Picado

Fiesta Time details

the Soundtrack & the Outfit

I always try to have a few songs that go along with our theme.  This soundtrack would be great as a background to dinner conversation, or as guests arrive.  I know there’s a way that I can post this playlist directly on my blog, but for the life of me I can’t figure it out.  Bear with me and click on this link:

Fiesta Mix Soundtrack

 

1. Helena Eyelet Dress from Delias is the perfect accent to the papel picado

2. Fun, Chunky jewelry like these Dioscuri Medallion Necklace from Nordies are very Frida-esque

3. Pair with cool leather sandals from Old Navy

update: I’ve partially re-created the soundtrack list, since the original link no longer works.

 

 

Fiesta Time: menu

When it comes to Mexican food, I like it simple. chips/guacamole and salsa, tacos, beans and rice. This menu also works for a party, because it’s easy to put together. The beans and rice can be made the night before, guac is easy to whip up, and the guys can grill the meat, you can also buy yummy carnitas from Costco.  Or, you could opt to hire a taco guy to come out and take care of that for you (I’d choose this option). Oh yeah, and mom can make the salsa.

Recipes:

1.  Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

2.  Guacamole

3.  Mexican Rice (see below for recipe)

4.  Black Beans

Fiesta Time: Decor

My little sister is planning a graduation party in just a few weeks, and she still can’t decide if she wants to do a fiesta themed party or a summer picnic. I’ve put together a few ideas to help her decide.

Mexican Fiesta

The Inspiration: The best papel picado ever. Most of the papel picado available to buy is either themed (think “Mi Amor” or “Mis Quince”), or red, white, and green. This orange papel picado from Casa Bonampak is subtle, generic, and oh so pretty. You could of course make your own papel picado, but it’s very tedious to make and hard to save.

Use luminarias to line the walkway and illuminate the way for guests. Check out these simple instructions from Sav on Crafts.