Celebrating Day of the Dead

Halloween is starting to permeate many countries around the world. For instance, last week when I was in Paris, the chocolate shops were embracing the holiday full on! But for my money, the Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos) Mexican tradition on November 1 is much more amazing and picturesque. In this video, you'll find a great last-minute tutorial on how to make up your face like a traditional "sugar skull," a great way to celebrate both Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.

One of the Di de los Muertos customs is to decorate your home with an altar dedicated to departed loved ones. It's not a morbid custom; the skulls do represent death of course, but the colors and sugary substance of the confectionary skulls represent the sweetness of life, so it's a celebratory mix. This video shows you some of the ways you can decorate craft skulls to celebrate.

And from the same crafter, here's her step-by-step demonstration video on making Dia de los Muertos charm bracelets.

Finally, don't be surprised to see the Day of the Dead theme creeping into weddings, too! Here is a themed wedding cake, complete with skeleton cake toppers. Click here to visit the Etsy store where you can purchase the cake toppers.

If you're interested in learning more about event and wedding planning, we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

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Curious cake toppers

In the world of weddings there are a million details to consider, but few so small and precious as the wedding cake topper. Popular since the 1950s as a symbol of togetherness, most cake toppers figuratively represent the couple. Lovebirds in an ornate nest or smiling, upright brides and grooms are the most traditional styles.

As with many wedding details, however, the cake topper has been appropriated by couples wishing to personalize their wedding. These days the options are nearly endless, but two unique styles recently caught our eye.

Day of the Dead cake toppers, realized in skull or skeleton form, are a deliciously macabre way to enhance any tower of tiers. These colorful and detailed pieces don't require a themed event or cake; in fact, they would pop on simple white buttercream or fondant.

Day of the Dead cake topper by DNA Creations

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