Georgia's Coco- Day of the Dead Party

Coco- Day of the Dead Birthday Party

We had a special request from the mom of a New Year’s Eve baby to throw a Coco – Day of the Dead themed birthday party for her daughter Georgia. There was no end to the inspiration for this fun and colorful theme!

Highlights included:
• Serape table runner
• Marigold floral arrangements
• Coco themed décor
• Sugar skulls
• Alter with offerings and “family” photos
• Colorful picado banners
• Sugar skull decorated gift bags
• Coco themed cake and cupcakes

We started with a traditional multicolored serape table runner and used a Coco themed guitar resting on a Mexican clay pot as the focal point. A bright green sugar skull and a pair of colorful maracas completed the centerpiece. Marigold floral arrangements were not easy to come by in December, but florist Playa Flowers was able to find enough to fill the entire space. We created alters using painted mini crates holding ceramic containers filled with offerings. Photos of the family from the movie Coco were added, and “lighted” candles (battery operated) finished the alter.

Bright green plates with floral napkins were at each table place. Gorgeous “Frieda Kahlo” style headbands that eventually ended up in the girls’ gift bags, were placed on top of each place to add even more color to the table. We attached a variety of printed sugar skulls to gold painted milk bottles and completed the plate décor with gold painted wooden flatware with mini red roses added to each handle. Over the table, we hung two strings of colorful picado that we made using a Cricut cutter.

Behind the main table, we decorated a photo backdrop frame using strands of colorful ribbon and added a fiesta themed banner. Gift bags were decorated with images of sugar skulls (boy and girl version), with the boys’ bags sporting a colorful sombrero and the girls’ bags decorated with big aqua ribbons. Gift bags were filled with floral headbands for the girls and sombreros for the boys. All children received maracas and Coco coloring books and crayons. The party turned into a real celebration when a five-piece mariachi band, Mariachi Quinto Sol, arrived just in time to sing Happy Birthday to the birthday girl and serenade the guests with a variety of traditional Mexican songs and a few songs from Coco. They ended their performance with “Remember Me’ from Coco. It was such a special way to start our New Year’s Eve celebration and get ready for a new year!

All photos were provided by Jessie Lee Cederblom of JLCederblom Photography. Cupcakes were provided by The Happy Caker. The birthday cake was lovingly and beautifully made by Georgia’s grandmother. Entertainment was provided by the COOP South Bay play space.

PARTY PLANNER: Robyn Rockwood
PARTY VENUE: the COOP South Bay, Redondo Beach, CA
BAKER: The Happy Caker, Redondo Beach, CA
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jessie Lee Cederblom Photography, LA, CA
MARICHI: Mariachi Quinto Sol, Los Angeles CA
BANNER: ETSY/BirdsNestPaperie
COCO Alter Photos: ETSY/GarabaldiCo
VENDORS: Michael’s Craft Store
Oriental Trading

• Party Favors

  Maracas, Coco coloring books and crayons, floral headbands for the girls and sombreros for the boys

• Activities / Games

  the COOP South Bay play space - ball pit, electronic game/activity floor, bounce house, doll house, magnetic wall, race track, ride on toys, etc.