Cinco de Mayo is always a fun way to keep our pre-summer celebrations going with a festive table design and a delicious menu plan! I always want to try something new each year, and this year I went a little subdued than previous years – no llamas or vibrant colors this time! – but instead I designed the table with a seaside cantina in mind, adding fruit and succulents to give it a lush feel.
For the table foundation, I used a textured throw with fringe in keeping with a Cantina like look, then I created the place setting by adding various layers to create texture, shine and color to the table.
Here, I started with a hammered metal charger, then added rattan chargers and finished with glass charger plates with hammered metal rims – these are called Annie Glass and they are beautiful in a variety of settings! I completed the place setting with teal colored printed plates I’ve had for many years and placed a faux protea stem underneath to keep with my succulents theme. You can create a similar look using any colorful plate for your final design, and in the past I have used a melamine plate that was perfect for the color them that year.
If you’ve joined me for my other table designs, you’ll see a trend of layering with almost every place setting I create – it’s an easy way to add some visual interest to the table.
For the linens, I used a crocheted napkin underneath the main plate to complement the table throw, and a colorful striped napkin on the dinner plate to tie in the color themes of the table. I found these lovely striped napkins at Juliska that helped inspired my color theme for the table this year. Striped in blue, aqua, green, yellow and orange, they felt colorful but not overwhelming.
I finished with colorful glassware, bamboo flatware and a succulent napkin ring at each place setting to complete the look.
Instead of a large floral arrangement as the main centerpiece, I instead went with these vibrant orange flowers and added succulents to it in this fun rattan wrapped vase I found at Target for $5. Most seasonal items at stores show up early, are typically on sale, and go fast, so remember to plan ahead if you have a big occasion coming up you want to find some decorative accents for!
A note about seasonal decor. Target will typically have fun seasonal items in a display near the front entrance that are all great buys. I recommend starting early if you want to grab a few accent pieces – these vases were almost completely gone when I found them in early April!
Once some of the main pieces of the table had come together, I added various decorative accents to enhance the overall look of the table and keep the color theme going. I used sea glass accents to match to the aqua color from the napkins with votives and glass beads to break up the greenery from the succulents.
I carried the succulents to each place setting with a bud vase and the same greenery in the main florals arrangement to tie it together.
Adding some additional accents to add some shine or visual interest can be easily done with some fun salt and pepper shakers – these seemed a little old world to me and went well with my theme, as well as the hammered metal charger plates I used in the place setting.
I added various candles with votives, pillars and tapers to finish off the table. For the pillar candle, I used a rattan hurricane and placed crushed while shells at the bottom to give it a slightly beachy feel and tie to the sea glass on the table as well.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about how this Cinco de Mayo table design came together as much as we did sharing a delicious meal at it, and of course finishing with my own delicious version of tres leches cake! See you next year for something equally fun and festive, and until then, Cheers!
