May 5th, better known around here as Cinco De Mayo, is such a fun reason to throw a party! Why wouldn’t you want to acknowledge a celebration revolved around tacos, nachos & margaritas!?! This year, I teamed up with a few local creatives to throw the ultimate fiesta!
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
It started with an overall theme; myself and Dawnalee from local party supply store Joonie & Joe, share the same affection for vintage, lots and lots of plants(!), the overall decor being white with subtle pops of colour and rattan.
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
Start with lots of layers of white: table cloths, crocheted & knitted blankets (think outside the box, this tablecloth is a vintage bedspread!), carpets, paper banners, plant pots, dishes, etc. Add in pops of soft, bright colors in artwork (cactus watercolour from A Pinch of Pretty), some fun plates & chargers (Joonie & Joe), a fun DIY wood & tassel garland (yours truly) and leave the rest of the colors for the plants & food. Don’t forget to add in all the rattan & brass you can find!
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
Letterboards come in handy for parties like this; you know just have to decide on which saying you want! If you don’t want to spend time rearranging all those tiny letters, have local artist Red Mermade make up a wooden sign with a festive saying or a cute cactus!
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
What’s a party without food?!? Using Taste of the Okanagan spices and dips we created a simple yet elegant spread & some yummy jalapeno margaritas! How adorable are these mini shrimp tacos! For dessert serve some ridiculously cute taco & avocado cookies from Sprinkle & Whisk and a simple cake (also Sprinkle & Whisk) with a colorful DIY cake topper from Joonie & Joe that matches your decor.
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
Creating a few separate zones in your space allows for the party to have a good flow as well as flexibility if the weather doesn’t hold up for you. The dining room can be set up for food if you’re planning on serving a big meal. Fingers crossed that the Mexican Gods of weather bring on lots of sun and you can move the bar cart outside and enjoy a poolside margarita, or two, or three!
Photo Credit: Amanda Rentiers Photography
To cap it all off, we had Amanda Rentiers Photography come and capture this ultimate fiesta! Even if your personal style is minimalistic, when it comes to this Mexican holiday, the more the merrier (& that includes margaritas!).
Ask a Designer!
If you have a troublesome room, send a photo and your design dilemma to info@courtneyungaro.com and once a month I’ll choose one lucky reader to feature and give design advice!
Courtney Ungaro is an interior designer living in Kelowna and has been working on both residential & commercial projects around the beautiful Okanagan for over 12 years. She has recently started her own company Courtney Ungaro Space + Design specializing in residential & commercial design as well as creative event styling. If she’s not on a job site or shopping for the perfect piece you can probably find her supporting a locally owned restaurant/brewery/winery with her husband and kids. Follow her projects on Instagram @courtneyungaro_
