Summer Fiesta Decor on a Budget

The bright, cheery colors of a traditional Mexican fiesta are perfect for a lively summer celebration. The most popular bright fiesta colors are red, green, yellow, bright pink and orange. The range of colors makes decorating easy and stress-free - no strict color combinations to worry about, just a rainbow of vibrant hues to add splashes of color to your party. Here are some budget-friendly, high-impact decorations you can use to create an authentic fiesta atmosphere:

Papel Picado
Papel picado simply means "cut paper" in Spanish. Traditional fiestas are draped in colorful papel picado banners crafted from hand-cut pieces of bright tissue paper. Bright, eye-catching and extremely budget-friendly, papel picado banners are perfect for lining the outdoor party area. String them from tree to tree, along the roof overhang like Christmas lights, over the party area or around the edge of food tables to swathe your party in color.

Pinatas
Find small sized star-shaped piatas from a local party store. Purchase three to seven piatas and hang them in a group at varying heights. You can either string a sturdy piece of twine or fishing line between two stationary items (trees, roof, etc.) to create a line from which to hang the piatas or simply string a bunch from the branches of backyard trees.

Candlelight and Lantern Light
Use colorful candles of all sizes along the center of tables to illuminate the party area in a soft, pretty glow. Lanterns can either be placed on the tables or hung from strong twine or fishing line from trees to enhance the festive party atmosphere.