27 Must-See Dia de los Muertos Wedding Ideas

Samantha Tagher
Nov 01, 2014

You may have picked up on the fact that we were kind of excited for Halloween. Just a little bit. But that didn’t mean that we forgot today was Dia de los Muertos, a day that brings with it a whole different kind of celebration and a rainbow’s worth of bright, beautiful decorations and festivities. If you don’t have anything planned for today, RSVP to these Dia de los Muertos-themed weddings. If you’re planning your nuptials around the time of this Mexican holiday, check out these 27 must-see ideas for the themed wedding of the year. (2015 ;)

1. Flower Arrangements: Liven up a black vase with vibrant flowers for the ideal Dia de los Muertos centerpiece. (via Hostess With The Mostess)

2. Bright Wedding Cake: You won’t be seeing any simple white fondant-covered cakes here. Instead, think bright colored tiers accented with flowers. (via Burnetts Boards)

3. Epic Backdrop: An epic backdrop is the perfect addition to your ceremony or photo booth at the end of the night. (via Frosted Petticoat)

4. Place Setting + Name Tags: Looking for a unique name tag for your place settings? DIY painted wood tags for your guests to ooh and aah over. (via Ruffled)

5. Novia Chair: Oh, yes. Your table for two just got *way* cuter. Hang “Novia” and “Novio” signs on your bride and groom chairs. (via WantThatWedding)

6. Costume Jewelry: Give your classic wedding look a little extra something with a skull statement necklace. (via Offbeat Bride)

7. Bright Bouquet: Nothing says Dia de los Muertos like bright colors, and that doesn’t stop at your bouquet. We especially love the pink peonies. (via Green Wedding Shoes)

8. Groom’s Boutonniere: Don’t forget about your groom! Add a touch of your theme to the men of the wedding party with embroidered collars and a bright boutonniere. (via Green Wedding Shoes)

9. Party Favor Bags: I don’t think skulls could get any more adorable… he’s on one knee! Totes adorbs. (via A Bride’s Life)

10. Bride and Groom Chairs: Bride and groom signs are the new thing in the wedding world. Take yours to the next level with a skull and scallops. (via A Bride’s Life)

11. Floral Headpiece: No, we didn’t forget about your look. A Dia de los Muertos wedding is basically asking for an awesome headpiece and beautiful dress. (via Wedding Chicks)

12. Bold Centerpieces: One of the easiest ways to show off your theme is through centerpiece accessories. Trust us, your tablescape will thank you for choosing these candles and plants. (via Green Wedding Shoes)

13. Natural Cake: Bride and groom cake toppers are so yesterday. Give your wedding a natural vibe with a plant topper. (via Burnetts Board)

14. Cactus Centerpiece: Centerpieces don’t have to be over the top. Take a trip to the farmer’s market for an easy addition to your tablescape. (via Wedding Chicks)

15. Skull Cookies: A party isn’t complete without a little sugar. Sweeten up your wedding with these oh-so-festive skull cookies. (via Sweet Sugar Belle)

16. Table for Two: This is the perfect private table for the new husband and wife. And you can’t miss those epic streamers! (via Green Wedding Shoes)

17. Welcome Sign: Welcome your guests to the most special day of your life with a gold accented wedding board. (via Wedding Chicks)

18. Cake Table: The cake table is always a sight to see at the reception. Give it a little va va voom with vibrant accessories. (via Green Wedding Shoes)

19. RSVP Stationery: RSVPs are usually a pretty boring extra that comes with the wedding invite, but not these! Make yours unique with fun stationery. (via Wedding Chicks)

20. Maracas: Place maracas on each chair for some seriously winning party favors. (via Rock N Roll Bride)

21. Unique Wedding Dress: We’ve shown y’all quite a few wedding dresses in the past, but nothing quite like this one. The stunning floral pattern is the icing on the cake to your nuptials. (via Style Me Pretty)

22. Wedding Party Style: Go for a casual look for your wedding party with mismatched dresses and gingham shirts. And a collar for the ring bearer ;) (via Ruffled)

23. Candle Centerpiece: Don’t forget to add candles and skulls to your centerpiece. They’re a Dia de los Muertos must! (via Rock N Roll Bride)

24. Ombre Cake: You can’t have a wedding without an epic cake. We’re big fans of the ombre floral pattern they achieved in this design. (via The Knot)

25. Striped Aisle: Instead of a classic white aisle, opt for a brightly-colored blanket. It brings some extra flair to an already colorful wedding theme. (via Bridesmaid)

26. Wedding Invite: Now, this might take some planning ahead of time, but these wedding invites are totally cool and will surely get your guests excited about your big day. (via The Knot)

27. Paper Flower Backdrop ($1,000): Not only do we love the paper backdrop (because when have we said no to a backdrop?!) but we’re also obsessed with the bright chairs connected by an ampersand. So cute!

Are you excited for Dia de los Muertos? What are your plans? Tell us in the comments below.

Upgrade Your Thanksgiving With A Crescent-Roll Cornucopia

This edible crescent-roll cornucopia is our way of making a normal cheese boardmore festive — and definitely more fun — during the holiday season. Our go-to this time of year is a massive cheese plate that can stand alone and be the main attraction, or the starter for a larger meal. Press on for the surprisingly easy steps to braid a breaded cornucopia.

Chris Andre

Materials + Tools:

  • 1 roll of tin foil
  • 2 packages of crescent rolls
  • 1 egg (for egg wash before cornucopia goes into the oven), optional

Chris Andre

Instructions:

Start by sculpting tin foil into the shape of a cornucopia (it looks like a cone with an upturned tail). Pro tip: Lightly pack tin foil so it's easier to remove later from your baked cornucopia. Crescent rolls should be buttery enough that this shouldn't be difficult.

Chris Andre

Your tin foil mold should look a little something like this.

Chris Andre

Pop open the crescent rolls and cut the triangles into strips. Pinch together the ends of strips to make strips longer.

Chris Andre

Braid crescent roll strips. You can make these as fancy as you want. Not a braiding pro? Skip this step and leave those strips alone.

Chris Andre

Wrap tin foil cornucopia with braids/strips. Make sure you cover all the tin foil. Leave a little wiggle room at the opening of the cornucopia, so that when you’re done baking you can pull some of that tin foil out.

Chris Andre

Use any extra dough to cover the bottom of your cornucopia. Pinch the sides and anchor those braids/strips in.

Chris Andre

Brush on egg wash before placing your cornucopia in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Take out of oven and cover spots of cornucopia that are already golden brown with extra tin foil. Bake for another 20 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chris Andre

Let it cool down until it’s easy to handle. Remove tin foil.

Chris Andre

Place cornucopia in corner of your cheese plate. Arrange cheese on your serving tray.

Chris Andre

Add crackers — we like to have two or three options.

Chris Andre

Don’t forget to fill up your cornucopia. It's called "the horn of plenty" for a reason. Fill with fresh fruit like grapes, apples, and pears.

Chris Andre

Add nuts like walnuts and pistachios to fill in any empty spaces. Garnish with fresh herbs like rosemary and sage to finish it off.

Chris Andre

Voilà! Invite over your friends, open a bottle of wine, and dig in!

Chris Andre

A cornucopia cheese board will become your new favorite holiday tradition.

Show us your crescent-roll cornucopias on Instagram and check out our baking classes (and our Easy Thanksgiving Desserts piece) for more holiday food inspo!

DIY Production and Styling: Paris Fried

Paris Fried: Paris loves any excuse to celebrate and throw a themed party. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and has a terrible sweet tooth. When she's not crafting in her studio, she's at the farmers' market buying seasonal produce or at her favorite local theater watching double features.

This post has been updated.

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Your Ultimate Guide To Holiday Shopping In 2024

Though Black Friday is traditionally the official start of the holiday shopping season, we argue that it’s been kicking since mid-October. We know, we know: it still feels extremely early to start thinking about the holidays, but they’ll be here before you know it! Plus, many brands and retailers are already promoting their holiday goodies with plenty of sales and discounts available right now.

If you’re ready to embark on your holiday shopping journey, but still need answers to questions like ‘when’s the best time to shop?’ and ‘where should I shop for gifts?’ and even ‘how the heck do I save money this season?’, you’ve come to the right place. Consider this your go-to guide for holiday shopping in 2024.

Scroll on for our best guidance on navigating this busy time of year and finding the best gifts possible!

When's the best time to do holiday shopping?

Kaboompics / PEXELS

The best time to do holiday shopping really all depends on your personal shopping goals. Do you want to get a jump on items you know will sell out soon? Do you want to save the most money possible? Do you want to focus on handmade, personalized gifts? These factors will undoubtedly influence your holiday shopping schedule.

Cottonbro Studio / PEXELS

Shopping early can be advantageous for all of the aforementioned goals. A lot of retailers start promoting their holiday products early on, giving you ample time to snatch up that limited-time lip kit or fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing way before the holidays.

Plus, some of the best deals for holiday shopping happen ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – in 2023, Experian observed a surge in early spending in October, thanks to early discounts, a trend likely to continue in 2024.

Finally, shopping early can be especially helpful if your plan is to focus on handmade or personalized gifts, giving the artisan you buy from (or yourself, if you’re DIY-ing your gifts) plenty of time to craft the item with love and care.

Gallup reported in 2023 that one in four shoppers start shopping as early as September, a trend likely to continue in 2024 – so you might already be embarking on your shopping spree!

Mikhail Nilov / PEXELS

If right now is just still too darn early for you to start holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to shop since so many retailers offer their largest discounts of the entire year. Plus, the late November-early December timeline can feel a bit more appropriate for the gifting season opposed to late October-early November, when everyone’s still recovering from Halloween.

The only thing to consider during this time is the shipping timelines for the items you purchase – but most retailers will typically advise their specific shipping schedules, so you don’t risk your goodies arriving late.

Where should I shop for gifts?

Ron Lach / PEXELS

You have three main options when it comes to where to shop for holiday gifts: online, in-store, and via our amazing gift guides. Of course, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Shopping in-store offers a tangible experience: the opportunity to hold specific items in your hands and gauge exactly what they’ll be like when you give them as a gift. The pitfall with shopping in-person is that it typically requires a commute and journeys through potentially very busy malls and shopping strips, which can add to the already-stressful holiday experience.

In-store shopping can be more physically exhausting, but it’s all about preference! Sometimes strolling through the stores that get all dolled up for Christmas is the best part of the season.

Andrea Piacquadio / PEXELS

Per Google, 65% of those planning to shop for the holidays say they will shop online more. Shopping for gifts online can be super helpful since you can centralize your findings in your browser’s bookmark tab or via virtual cart(s). Plus, shopping online can pose more opportunities for saving some money: lots of retailers typically offer discount codes for online users, especially if you sign up for their digital marketing channels (like email and text) and make a purchase.

Shopping online isn’t just shopping, either. The internet can be a stellar research tool to help you vet whether certain products are worth it, where they can be bought, and when they’ll be available. In fact, Google reported that more than half of U.S. holiday shoppers who went into a store last year say they looked up product reviews online and/or located an item in-store by checking it online.

Kaboompics / PEXELS

Last but not least, scrolling gift guides has to be our favorite place to shop for gifts – and not just because we write and publish them.

At their very core, gift guides help streamline the holiday shopping process, alleviating the stress that bubbles up when you’re wondering what the heck to shop for in the first place. Our gift guides are backed by real people, real experiences, and real opinions from our editorial team. We only promote products that we really love and believe in, oftentimes ones we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves.

We have gift guides for just about everyone on your list, with more on the way! Check ‘em out:

What are the best kinds of gifts to give?

Kaboompics / PEXELS

The best kinds of gifts to give are thoughtful gifts that consider the giftee’s interests, wants, and needs. These gifts can be sentimental, practical, or both simultaneously. What matters most in a gift is that it’ll be meaningful to them past just the holiday season, whether it’s helping them get through daily tasks, reminding them of a memorable trip or event, or giving them small doses of joy.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for personalized and unique gifts that reflect the recipient's personality and interests,” says Mia Anderson, Owner of ChicSew. “With the rise of online shopping, many consumers are opting for curated gift boxes or experiences that add a special touch.”

Cottonbro Studio / PEXELS

Gift boxes, personalized items, books of interest, self-care goodies, and even gift cards can all be thoughtful gifts depending on the recipient. If you have no clue what your giftee is into, it’s not a bad idea to ask them what they want the most!

“My idea of a great gift is something that is in tandem with the recipient's interest and offers something new to the person, be it learning a new skill, enjoying a calming activity, or simply spending quality time with the family,” says Alfred Christ, Sales Manager & Marketer at Robotime. “This season, we encourage shoppers to shift their focus on quality and the memories their gifts will create and not just merely material aspects.”

When is Black Friday?

Sora Shimazaki / PEXELS

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday lands on November 29.

When is Cyber Monday?

Kindel Media / PEXELS

Cyber Monday is typcally the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday will land on December 2. Oftentimes, retailers and brands extend their online offers through the week (coined Cyber Week) after the event. Salesforce reported that 67% of shoppers in 2024 plan on shopping during Cyber Week!

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on our best 2024 gift guides, shopping advice, and all things holiday!

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When Is Starbucks' Red Cup Day?

The holidays at Starbucks are creeping up on us, people! Peppermint Mocha season will return on November 7. If you’re a die-hard Starbucks fan, you know Red Cup Day is a whole holiday in itself – the frenzy for a free reusable cup is truly no joke. There’s even an entire website dedicated to counting down the madness! Even though there’s no official word on when Red Cup Day 2024 will be, there are several clues that cue us into the annual event. Scroll on for details!

What is Red Cup Day?

Starbucks

Red Cup Day is Starbucks’ highly-awaited annual event that marks the start of holiday beverage season at the coffee chain. For one day only (and while supplies last), customers who order any of Starbucks’ holiday drinks will receive a reusable red cup that features a bespoke design for the respective year.

Starbucks

Here’s a list of all the drinks rumored to be available on the Starbucks holiday menu starting November 7:

  • Peppermint Mocha
  • Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
  • Caramel Brûlée Latte
  • Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
  • Chestnut Praline Latte
  • Salted Pecan Crunch Cold Brew
  • Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai

What do the red cups look like for 2024?

Starbucks

Starbucks hasn’t officially announced when Red Cup Day will be for 2024, let alone what the famed red cups will look like this go-around. The one obvious point is that the cups will be red! They’ll also likely feature some festive motifs that echo the holiday season. Last year’s red cups boasted playful white and green stars and ornament-like shapes.

Why should I participate in Red Cup Day?

Starbucks

Red Cup Day = freebies, which can feel really rewarding if you’re really into receiving free goodies. Plus, it’s just a fun way to lean into the holiday spirit. The red reusable cup keeps giving beyond Red Cup Day, though! Every time you use the reusable cup for future Starbucks orders, you get a 10-cent discount as well as 25 bonus stars toward your Starbucks Rewards account to save up for more discounts on drinks, food, and merchandise.

When is Starbucks' Red Cup Day 2024?

Starbucks

Again, Starbucks hasn’t alerted us on when Red Cup Day will be for 2024, but based on previous Red Cup Days, we can infer it’ll land on the third Thursday of November. In 2022, Red Cup Day happened on November 17, and for 2023, it was November 16. The third Thursday of November in 2024 hits on November 21, so mark your calendars, everyone!

Additionally, check back here for official info as Red Cup Day approaches.

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This post has been updated.

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