Sexy Latin Theme?

[TangoWedding]

FH and I met in a dance class - and fell in love doing the tango. My favorite drink is a mojito and we'll be serving a couple of kinds at the wedding. Our last name will be spanish (though we're both about as white as they come). Our first dance will be the argentine tango. We'll also be playing a lot of salsa and cha cha music at the reception. (We've taken nearly all the latin dance classes!)

Until now, I never really put all this together....but how great would a latin-type theme be with all this??

I don't want anything tex-mex looking, though (bright colors). I want it kinda dark and sultry and...TANGO. Maybe deep reds, burnt oranges, black, etc.

Until now our colors were black, white, and tiffany blue. But for no reason other than I saw an invite that I liked. :grinhappy:

So...with that said...you guys are always so creative. Any great ideas for this type of thing? Appetizer ideas? Decorations?

[shelbyoliver]

I love it let me see what I can find!!

[KMS]

That sounds like it would be a great reception to go to! Promise me a mojito and I'll go anywhere. ;) Maybe instead of appetizers you could call them "tapas" to go along with the theme. Empanadas, plantain chips w/ chimmichurri (sp?), latin cheese platter, something w/ chorizo...are a few that I can think of at the moment. As far as decorations go, I picture a lot of dramatic draped fabric to help give it a very sultry feel. A ton of candles for dim lighting. I'm not good at these things so that's all I got for ya!

[TangoWedding]

Great ideas! :D

I was also thinking about the draped fabrics in darker colors (maybe a deep red?) Ceterpieces, I see a lot of green and a lot of flickering light. Maybe simple palm leaves in tall vases surrounded by candles. I saw on here somewhere (can't find the link now) where someone did DIY lanterns wrapped in cardstock. I could do those in neat colors/patterns and use them for both the light and the palms.

Great food choices! Those all sound latin but still safe for everyone. I was afraid of the food, mostly, because everyone has their own tastes. But none of those sound too off-the-wall. Of course, we could also always have just a couple traditional favorites just in case.

I also found pictures in a magazine where a couple had a salsa/pico/guac bar!! They served everything in big gourds. Loved it! That'd be perfect!! :grinhappy:

One new question though - what about our desserts? We were going to have a cupcake stand. Do you think if we kept everything white (the original plan) that it'd look goofy with all the other stuff? Or maybe decorate them differently...darker-colored icings, maybe?

Ooooh, I'm getting so excited now! It's starting to make sense! :D

[Bradsgirl]

I don't know how you feel about the color combo of deep red and deep purple but that reminds me of a mexican/spanish sunset. That could work really well for you too. Fried ice cream would be a nice touch if it was possible for your dessert. Just a thought. Oh, or for centerpieces yhou could use terracotta pots-have your palm leaves and flowers in the colors you choose. Just a few thoughts.

[WendyNC]

A lot of latin food is really not that spicy... do you have a cuban restaurant near you? Cuban food is sooo good... and there is this famous Cuban bakery in LA that I visited, I can't think of the name now. They have these awesome fruit torte cakes ... let me see if I can look it up.... here it is, PORTO'S!!!

http://www.portosbakery.com/cakes.htm

[KMS]

Oh YES a salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo bar sounds so awesome. You've got me all excited. lol. If you wanted a traditional white cake, I think that you could totally make it work. You could just add latin touches to the cake table and that would bring together the look. Your cupcakes could be tres leches. That is perhaps my favorite spanish dessert! It's so decadent. Have you looked at the Pronovias brand of dresses? They have gorgeous latin dresses.

[TangoWedding]

Bradsgirl - The deep reds and purples sound fantastic! That's exactly what I think we're going for. I told Mr.Tango about it and he's VERY excited. I think mostly he's excited for the salsa...but that's another story. :grinhappy:

Wendy - Mmmmm...fruit tortes sound delicious! I've never had them. Nor have I had cuban food. I'll have to see if there's a restaurant around here (Oklahoma doesn't usually offer much in the way of ethnic food...we just in the last few years have started getting sushi places! LOL!)

KMS - I've never heard of tres leches either! Methinks I need to get out more! Haha! I'll certainly check out the Pronovias dresses - thanks for the tips!!

Another thing we're adding into the theme... We've been wanting invitations that kinda looked like this:

http://www.weddingpaperdivas.com/products/images/225_c3_front.jpg

But instead of the flower, have a black & white picture of us. Now that we're doing the latin theme, we can have a picture of us in the background doing a tango move. It'll get everyone in the mood to dance! :D

Thanks for all the ideas - you guys are getting my blood really pumping!

[KMS]

Oh that invitation sounds beautiful. It would really set the tone for the wedding. Tres leches cake is heavenly...everybody should be required to taste it once in their life. :D

[Bradsgirl]

...don't forget the fried ice cream!...

I was trying to post some bouquet pictures for inspiration but it won't post the stinkin picture! Anyway...I typed in red and purple bouquet into google images and there are some really pretty ones. There are a few that have the orange on them too...check them out.

[KMS]

...don't forget the fried ice cream!...

I was trying to post some bouquet pictures for inspiration but it won't post the stinkin picture! Anyway...I typed in red and purple bouquet into google images and there are some really pretty ones. There are a few that have the orange on them too...check them out.


You're in trouble missy. Fried ice cream sounds so good. lol.

[Bradsgirl]

Just remember...if you eat it, you have to post it in you journal...for EVERYONE to see....hee hee:laugh:

[KMS]

Yes, you are correct. :ooh: Self control, self control...:eat:

[Bradsgirl]

Ha. that's funny...let your smily face do all the junk food eating...

[nic1124]

OMG! I wanna come to this wedding it sounds like so much fun!

I don't have any decor /food suggestions but I think it would be neat like if you had a cocktail hour, say when you guys are off doing your photos, if someone could come in and just show any interested guests a few basic latin dance moves. IDK I guess some might find that a little wierd but I would love it, especially if you're gonna be playin alot of that music.

[TangoWedding]

I don't have any decor /food suggestions but I think it would be neat like if you had a cocktail hour, say when you guys are off doing your photos, if someone could come in and just show any interested guests a few basic latin dance moves. IDK I guess some might find that a little wierd but I would love it, especially if you're gonna be playin alot of that music.


I've wondered about that!

After taking many classes myself, I know a lot of teachers, so that's possible. I was curious if people would participate, though. Of course, *I* would love to do it, but not so sure about most people. I guess I could conduct a survey of my guests first! :D Great idea!

[TangoWedding]

Ok, I've been looking around for pictures for ideas.


I'm thinking deep red, dark brown, and deep purple linens. The venue we're renting (historical society mansion) has a ton of potted palm trees we can use around the reception area.

That will go along great with the centerpiece ideas. I'm thinking of having a lot of candle light and alternating palm branches and white orchids (depending on how it looks on the table):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/leaf.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/orchid.jpg


I can put them in either clear glass cylinder vases, or I could DIY wrap the vases with cardstock (which I read on another board), similar to these:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/lantern.jpg

Or maybe the plants in clear glass with the candles in the cardstock vases. That might be less busy.

....

[TangoWedding]

And we're thinking we can buy several small art prints and put them somewhere around...make the place more intimate. Maybe on small easels or hanging on the walls somehow? Not sure...but they'd be this sort of thing:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/rubinalr1001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/AB71197Tango-Argentina-Posters.jpg

That's all I've got so far....


Did that get anyone's creative juices flowing? :winktongue:

[thinking_much]

Wow ... those are very nice ... good find!

[Laura Clare]

I think go the themed wedding!! that would be amazing. Amarylis for table centres. really rich colours. beautiful. The Amarylus come is a deep red, almost a burgundy.
Floating hybiscus to tie in with the invite.
Hanging lanterns.
Your wedding is going to be amazing!
What are you doing for shoes, are you nervous your feet will get sore from all the dancing?

Laura Clare

[TangoWedding]

Oh my gosh, GREAT idea with the amaryllis!! I think I might like that better than the orchids! THank you! :D I can't do the hanging lanterns, though...super high ceilings in our venue. Though, I bet I could figure out some kind of table lantern to match - or even get little hook stands to hang lanterns to line the aisle for the ceremony. I'll work on that too!

SUCH good ideas, ladies. I knew I could count on you! I always read this first thing in the morning and get excited all over again! :grinhappy:

The shoes should be ok - I'll wear my regular shoes during the ceremony and pictures, but I also have shoes just for dancing. And the venue has hardwood floors, so it'll be easy to boogy in them there.

I saw a wedding once where they had a big tub full of flip flops for the guests in case their feet got tired. I loved that idea, but not sure how easy it will be to dance in them. So I might just put on the reception card that comfy shoes need to be worn so they can dance. :D

[val24]

i love your idea of the tango wedding. It sounds like it will be lots of fun and i love the colors!

[KMS]

All of the pics you posted are beautiful. I can totally imagine the wedding done w/ all of those different elements.

[Bradsgirl]

I don't know how much into the theme you want to do but a few more ideas...

1. Hire a mariachi band to play during the cocktail hour
2. Instead of putting the prints up take pictures of you and FH in that "element"...dancing and have pictures of you guys.

[TangoWedding]

We bought a few things this weekend - found some great sales, too!!!

We found a bunch of silk palms and vases that are exactly what I was looking for! These will go on about half the tables...and scattered elsewhere (probably on the buffet and the bar). The palms were $2 each bundle and the vases were $1.25 each.

I just have wadded paper in there right now to show the height, but they will be filled with clear glass beads or marbles or white sand...or something. And they are deeper green than they look - the flash washed the color out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/wedstuff001.jpg

Around these will be various votives in these holders, which I found on sale for an amazing 10¢ each at Garden Ridge (I bought 40 of them and will go back for more next week):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/wedstuff002.jpg

TEN CENTS (marked down from $2)! Wooohooooo!!

On the other half of the table will be the potted orchids or amaryllis surrounded by this type of candle lantern:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/wedstuff004.jpg


:D

[TangoWedding]

Here are the colors of paper I got for the lanterns....again, they're a little richer in real life. That flash is horrible! :grinhappy:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/zennymountain/wedstuff005.jpg

[KMS]

Wow, you got some fantastic finds!