To save money on the dessert bar, we had a hybrid of store-bought items as well as custom-made baked goods. The vanilla cupcakes are store bought but we purchased these fiesta-themed cupcake toppers to make them a part of the theme! 

We ordered these custom fiesta and cactus cookies from a local bakery who did custom orders (pictured above). And a family friend made the Margarita Cake Pops and Macarons (pictured below). For the Pan Dulce and Churros, we got them from our local Mexican grocery store and Mexican bakery! We cut the churros into smaller pieces to make our dollar stretch but it also made it easier for our guests to eat. 

We used these dessert platters and this to display them.

We also set up a beverage station with a variety for guests to choose from. We had a Margarita Bar, using plastic margarita glasses that were already rimmed with salt. We filled this beverage dispenser with margarita mix and had liquor options on the side for guests to make the beverage as strong as they'd like.

We printed our own signs using my home printer and used these gold picture frames for the signage at each table. The best thing about having gold frames like this is they can be used for a variety of events and celebrations!

 

We draped matching garlands across the front of each table to add some color and texture to an otherwise plain white tablecloth. I recommend investing in some white linen event table cloths. We purchased these years ago and they have more than paid for themselves over the course of hundreds of events and holidays. We use them for Thanksgiving, birthdays, we let family and friends borrow them for their weddings and showers too. The linen feels much more professional than a plastic disposable table cloth. It hangs over the table well and can be folded to hang over smaller tables. They are pretty easy to clean, we just throw them in the wash with vinegar, oxy-clean and bleach. If they come back from an event totally stained, we will dry clean it in extreme cases but we've only had to do that once.

For the food signs, we used black chalk-friendly signs but instead of using chalk we used gold sharpie. 

The food buffet was catered by a local Mexican restaurant, one of our favorites in the city - Taqueria Buenavista. However, we did set up the display ourselves using chafing stands to keep the food warm and these clear condiment trays. The clear platters worked out wonderfully to showcase the bright, vibrant freshness of the food! We used this multi-compartment tray for toppings, these large bowls, and these platters. 

Our salsa bowls were a little bit too shallow, I would recommend using something like this instead to prevent splatter. 

In addition to the margarita bar, we also had Jarritos sodas in different flavors on display (with ice and cups nearby) as well as Corona with lime of course! To jazz up the sodas for the kids, we added party straws with cactus toppers on them and rose gold straws with mini versions of traditional papel picado, which are cut paper flags used in celebrations or life events. 

I couldn't locate the seller who we purchased from but here are some other options for the cactus straws and rose gold straws paired with these mini papel picado flags from Etsy!

For the table runners, we purchased them from a seller local to us but they can also be found on Amazon here! 

And we always want to be appreciative of the culture we are celebrating by tastefully presenting the food and themes. We used authentic items such as the blankets runners, the mini piñatas, terracotta planters, and desert theming to pay homage to Mexican culture without donning sombreros and fake mustaches. While we love those too, we can incorporate the symbols of the culture (like our sombrero cookies) without mockery (like wearing a fake mustache and sombrero for sh*ts and giggles). Mexican culture is so much more deep, beautiful and rich in heritage than party-store marketing represents. We had an amazing time at our wedding shower celebrating Cinco de Mayo, enjoying our favorite foods and hope you found inspiration in this to host your own beautiful fiesta!

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