Hola, chicas! I always enjoy a great Cinco de Mayo dinner party, but I don’t have the time to fuss over every detail. Nor do I think a person should. Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of fun and festiveness. It should be an easy-breezy affair. This weekend I threw my own (early) Cinco de Mayo dinner party and throughout the process of putting it all together I ran into a few quick tips that I hope will help you in planning your own.
Here are my little secrets to a No Fuss Fabulous Cinco de Mayo dinner party.
Secret Uno: Mix n’ Match
The wonderful thing about Mexican culture is they embrace a wide range of color schemes. Magenta not only goes with blue, but orange, brown, yellow, purple, and red as well! So don’t be afraid of mixing and matching colors on your tablescape that you normally would not.
The same mix n’ match idea applies to your dinnerware. I mixed and matched my fleur-de-lis aged plates with modern chargers.
Secret Dos: Use What You Have
You don’t have to go to Mexico or even your local Party Place to throw a fabulous Cinco de Mayo celebration. Because of the above Mix n’ Match secret, you can easily use items that you already own. I used flower napkin rings from my summer collection and red Martini glasses with green chargers from my Christmas dinnerware collection without blinking an eye.
Secret Tres: Authentic Need Not Apply.
Your main purpose is to capture the essence of Mexican culture, not purchase tickets to Mexico City and contaminate your guest list with swine flu. You don’t have to sweat it if your food or even your decor is not perfectly authentic. Think: A for Effort. 
Personally, all of my Mexican tablecloths were way too lost in the attic for me to dig out when the time came. It was either a) burn the enchiladas or b) have an authentic tablecloth. I decided good food was more important and pulled out some colorfully printed tablecloths I had from Africa and a fun runner from Guatemala that were in my linen closet. Why I have African and Guatemalan linens in my closet while my Mexican tablecloths are neatly stored (a.k.a. lost) in the attic is a completely other story and I won’t go into that at this time. My point is though that you do not by any means need to have everything perfect. Even if you are inviting friends who are originally from Mexico they are going to appreciate your effort to celebrate their country not looking down at your oh-so-manufactured-in-America sombreros!
Secret Cuatro: The Dollar Store, Candlelight, Musica, and Glass Bottles
Okay, this secret is kind of like four secrets, but I wanted to make an even five secrets for “cinco” de Mayo, because I’m cheesy like that. I know you understand so let’s get through my four-in-one secrets. 1) The Dollar Store: Originally made in Mexico small toys make perfect favors for a Cinco De Mayo party. I loved these little wooden painted toy top monkeys and placed them next to each place setting. Not only do they make a fun conversation piece, but they are a great inexpensive toy to bring home for kids left with the babysitter. You can find many of these fun little toys at dollar stores or World Market. 2) Candlelight: The feeling of Mexico really cannot be captured at a dinner party without a little candlelight. Be creative. I used some festive vintage shot glasses I received as a wedding present and placed mini tea lights in each one. Just adding one or two candles will completely change the feel of your event. 
3) Musica: Great latin music is a must. If you don’t have time to create an itunes playlist specifically for your party, simply pull out your ipod hit genres>Latin and don’t worry. Your friends will forgive you for the Ricky Martin and the feeling of the Latin beat will bring a whole other dimension to your affair. 5) Glass bottles. Purchase glass IBC Rootbeer bottles. They give a rustic feel that you really can’t emulate in any other way.
Secret Cinco: Have Fun!
Embracing life is a theme not many cultures capture as fully as Mexicans. Enjoy your party! So what if the enchiladas are burnt and your seven layer dip is more like one mushy sauce? Your personality and dance moves will be what everyone remembers! Have fun!
Want more Cinco de Mayo ideas? Check out these other No Fuss Fabulous ideas:
No Fuss Cinco de Mayo Banner Printable
No Fuss Cinco de Mayo: Easy Guacamole, Black Bean & Corn Salsa, and 7 Layer Dip
Cinco de Mayo Sombrero Cookies!
