The popular Mexican Fiesta or South of the Border Party offers a wide range of decorating, food, drink, & music options with universal appeal. The rustic, festive decorations create a casual and comfortable mood for an indoor or outdoor party anytime of the year.

Mexican Fiesta theme decorations are also great to have on hand to throw together a last-minute celebration or margarita happy hour.

Mexican Fiesta Decorating Basics

There are four basic rules we follow to achieve a delicate balance of a fun and engaging party atmosphere that will also convey taste and sophistication:

1)  Strategic placement:

• Choose locations most guests will eventually visit to place your decorations.
  
• Arrange accents where guests are likely to "stumble upon" them.
• Plan decorations to be discovered over the duration of the party.
• Key strategic positions include:
  

ENTRANCE ==>

Make a great first impression and set the mood for your arriving guests with a hanging ceramic chili pepper ristra at the front entrance.

Tasteful and understated, this authentic symbol of Mexican cooking is attractive and does not drip juice!  Hang as a kitchen decoration after your Mexican Fiesta is over. 

The brass wreath door hanger is also included in our Mexican Fiesta party packages.

<== BAR & COCKTAILS

The bar and cocktails are ideal strategic decorating areas because, not only are Margaritas central to your Mexican Fiesta theme, but every guest will also visit or socialize near the bar.
 
Bar:  The brightly colored Mexican serape is a universal symbol of our South of the Border neighbors and makes an excellent bar decoration that will also contain much of the bar mess. 

Use a theme-inspired tabletop decoration such as the ceramic chili canister for visual interest. Also, place some painted Mexican maracas on the bar or in the party area.

Add a miniature Mexican flag in a houseplant or use a tealight, with the wick removed, as a base. Then, scatter colorful metallic Mexican Ole confetti of sombreros, maracas, and chili peppers in Mexican Fiesta colors of purple, green, gold, and red for extra sparkle.

A border of Mexican flags will reinforce your colors of red, green, & white.  Hang them high behind the bar or in the party area to maximize visibility.
Alternatively, you can easily define a Mexican theme for the room by running serapes mid-wall behind the bar or in any area.  Saguaro cactus candlesticks also make a bold southwestern statement and work well on the bar along with blooming saguaro cactus & hummingbird beverage napkins.

Add height and color to the bar area with a hanging chili pepper ristra. And you know you will need salt for margarita rims and tequila shots, so use decorative shakers, like a sleeping hombre and Mexican jug or a sombrero and saguaro cactus set.

Cocktails:  Each cocktail is a perfect opportunity to add some Mexican Fiesta spirit. First, make a Mexican-inspired cocktail and name it for the event or guest of honor; find plenty of cocktail suggestions in our Mexican Drink Ideas section.

Rim your margaritas with salt and garnish with a lime-slice topped with a Mexican flag toothpick. Use green cactus swizzle sticks and serve on colorful theme-inspired cocktail napkins, like a blooming cactus and humming birds.

BATHROOM ==>

Virtually every guest will visit the bathroom at some point, making it an excellent showplace for your distinctive decorations.

Tastefully coordinate your bathroom decorations with the whimsical and colorful combination of sun and cactus in this display of towels, soap, and votive holder decoration, which includes:

• Hand-stitched machine-embroidered guest towels of two patterns of cacti & suns
  
• An artistic Saguaro cactus & sun votive candle holder decoration
  
• Aztec sun soap
  
• Saguaro cactus soap

Not only will you have a captive audience, but it keeps your party interesting as guests discover surprises throughout the evening.

Sprinkle a few pieces of Mexican Ole confetti for continuity and a dash of shimmer and shine.

<== DINNER PARTY

Dazzle your guests with a cheerful display of color for your Mexican Fiesta dinner party. Start with a natural background by setting a wood table with rattan placemats.

Alternatively, use a white tablecloth and napkins to make your color decorations pop out. Complete each place setting with multi-colored stoneware dishes and Mexican glassware with cactus stirrers.

Use a Mexican serape down the center of your table for to give an authentic look.  Always use a low profile centerpiece arrangement, such as Mexican maracas and a mini Charro sombrero, so that guests can see each other across the table. 

Add height and style with these blooming Saguaro cactus candlesticks made of metal.  Theme-related ceramic sombrero and cactus salt & pepper shakers add a tasteful detail

Finally, sprinkle Mexican theme confetti sparingly down the center of the table around your centerpiece. Check out out the dinner party section for more dinner party planning tips.

HORS D'OEUVRE TRAYS ==>

Passing hors d'oeuvres on silver trays with doilies not only adds a touch of style and elegance, but introduces another level of excitement as guests anticipate the next tray of intricately assembled appetizers. 

In addition to wowing the crowd with your detailed bites, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce another Mexican Fiesta themed surprise to each guest as the tray is passed. 

Buy small and sturdy accents as serving tray centerpieces for your hors d'oeuvre to delight your guests over the duration of the party, we've used a miniature Charro sombrero, a red parrot box, and an ornament of a gecko leaning against a Saguaro cactus and sipping a margarita.  Use the tray centerpieces as party area decorations once the appetizer has been served.

Use miniature Mexican flag toothpicks instead of traditional toothpicks for an exceptional presentation. For a birthday party, also place multi-colored Happy Birthday food picks randomly in a tray of hors d'oeuvres to reinforce the occasion. We have also included a number of appetizer recipes in the Mexican Fiesta Food Ideas section.

<== RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES

Often overlooked is the most obvious strategic location for your decorations, right before their eyes.  Position decorations at or above eye level by raising them up or hanging them from the ceiling.

Use a tall tower vase for a bright and cheerful bouquet of Mexican paper flowers and hang decorative Mexican puppets, like this bandido or outlaw.

This display also features a striped Mexican blanket raised to mid-wall.  Brightly colored Mexican maracas, a saguaro cactus votive candle holder, and a sitting clown marionette puppet complete the scene.

CONFETTI ==>

Theme-related confetti is an easy way to add subtle details and lift spirits. Create a big impact with tiny details by scattering confetti sparingly on the bar, in the bathroom, and on the dinner table. 

For a Mexican Fiesta, use a mix of sombreros, maracas, and chili peppers in the fiesta colors of purple, green, gold, and red. If you are mailing invitations or thank you notes, add just a sprinkle of confetti fun and festivity in each envelope.

<== PARTY AREA & LIGHTING 

Use votive candle holders liberally in green, red, and frosted white to add indirect lighting.  Place votives & decorations in the party area at or just above eye level for better visibility.  Position votive candle holders and decorations on the staircase, mantel, high shelves or hang them on the wall.

A strand of margarita string lights through the stairway balusters, behind the bar, around a doorway, or along a mantel make a cheerful theme-inspired decoration for a day or night party.  Use white glow sticks to temporarily light walkways and steps.

Ideally, your party area should be just large enough to accommodate your guests to encourage mingling and conversation while discouraging sitting. For outdoor parties, try to create a designated party area around the bar featuring chili pepper string lights.

PACKAGES

PartySwizzle.com offers a number of decoration packages shipped directly to you.  In addition to saving time & money, you will receive:

• Fun & engaging decorations
• Unique selection unavailable at stores
  
• Coordinated details including everything you need to decorate
  
• Stress-free shopping
  

PartySwizzle.com packages are designed to convey your good taste and sophistication and are based upon party type and size, including:

• Mexican Fiesta Dinner Party Centerpiece Package
• Mexican Fiesta Dinner Table Centerpiece
• Mexican Fiesta Bathroom Decorating Package
  
• Mexican Fiesta Bathroom Decorating
• Cinco de Mayo Add-on Package
• Cinco de Mayo Party Extras
  

2)  Repetition:  Choose colors and/or motifs and repeat them as often as possible to reinforce your theme.

• Colors: Use the Mexican national colors of red, green, and white.
  
• Motifs:    
  
• Select a primary motif, such as the Saguaro cactus.
  
• Include other Mexican symbols and/or shapes throughout: serapes, sombreros, maracas, donkeys, suns, pinatas, margaritas, Mexican flags, chili peppers, parrots, mariachis, geckos, tequila, guitars.
  

3)  Tasteful decorations:

• Buy quality and understated accents that are thoughtful and clever.
• Seek out the unique and distinctive to make things memorable.
• Avoid gaudy, in-your-face decorations.
• Pass over common and cheap-looking paper and plastic items.

4)  Neutral background:

• Neutralize the background when necessary to make your decorations stand out. For example use a white tablecloth on your dinner table.
  
• Remove competing colors and objects in the party areas that distract from your theme.
  
• Use your theme colors of red, white & green whenever possible.