Luau Party Ideas: How to plan the perfect luau theme party!

 Luaus are one of our favorite parties here at Party411.com--they are colorful and fun, and the food is fabulous (what more is there to a luau, except cool tropical drinks?). So, if you ask me, I think planning a luau is a great way to have a party. Limbo on down the page and check out these fun luau party ideas...

Luau invites: wording ideas and more

Luau Party Decorations and Party Supplies: welcome your guests and decorate the party room

Make it easy for people to spot your house with balloons and a luau personalized banner out front. To make a grand entrance, place inflatable palm trees outside your door as the first indication to your guests that this is going to be the luau to remember.

Hollowed out pineapples, coconuts and oranges make great votive and tealight holders. You can use them to decorate your tables, or line them along a mantle, or a porch railing.

Colorful beach towels draped over chairs, tables, the fence, or even hanging on the wall will bring color to the party room.

Play island music to create the perfect atmosphere. If you are really adventurous and can stand the ridicule and neighbor gossip, use pink flamingos to adorn your front yard or line them up the driveway or front sidewalk.

For a very memorable greeting, set up a female or male life-sized luau cutout of you (or your friends!) with a speech bubble welcoming your guests to the party.

Have a big basket of multi-color leis inside the door where people can help themselves to a few. I would plan on a few per person so that they can be creative and festive with their leis.

If you think you have the time, stand at the door and greet everyone with a lei--this is always a nice gesture and a traditional way of saying aloha.

If you are really talented, have a ukulele on hand to serenade your guests as they enter. Maybe put a note on the basket urging your guests to wear them wherever they please. This will make for fun photo opportunities (you can send them later as a thank you for attending the party).

Outdoor Luau Decorations: ideas for Your Backyard, deck or porch

The backyard is just as fun to decorate as the rest of the house, so don't neglect this space if weather permits or if you plan to expand the party outside. Paper lanterns might be a nice touch, whether inside or in the back yard. A tiki bubble machine is also very fun!
 

Luau theme table Decorations; ideas for centerpieces, the tables and the bufftet

Decorating your luau tables will really set the scene and highlight all the wonder island food and drinks:

• Use a raffia table skirt around the buffet table to bring Hawaii right inside your home.  Use a green plastic or linen tablecloth over the buffet and pin the raffia skirting to the edges.
• Add fabulous tropical Mylar balloons (all you need is some helium) so buffets can be seen from anywhere at the party.
• Use beachcomber hats (multi-color or plain) upside down to hold different snacks and munchies.
• Throw a mixture of foil-wrapped chocolate fish and confetti across your table, or break apart a silk flower lei and scatter the flowers.
• Provide tropical toothpicksfor fruit and other nibbles.
• Use baskets on each buffet to hold Luau theme paper goods, cutlery and cups.
• Add some luau lights and tiki candles to the bar area.
• Make sure to use tropical colors for your tablecloths--yellow, green, hot pink, melon, orange and bright blue. Add your own seashells, maracas and sand.
• Another great ideas is to use piñatas as your centerpieces, or if you prefer, hang them above the tables.

Luau Seating Card Ideas:
If you are assigning seats or if you want to give out nametags (and this is wise when you have a lot of friends that don't know each other), here's a few fun ideas:

• Thongs - You know, the rubber kind you wear on your feet with a flower in the center? They make for a great nametag or seating card. Just write the name in magic marker, add a 25¢ chain or ribbon (necklace) and voila--a humorous way to get people talking about your creativity and their thongs. Line them up alphabetically on a table near the entrance.
• Starfish or Sand Dollars - Write the name of the person on it. For name tags, string some ribbon around it.
• Luau Drink Parasol - Add a small tag with a name! Color of umbrella could also designate table.
• Catch of the Day - Add a name and table number with marker to an inflatable fish and display them in netting
• Rafia Fan - Will keep guests cool at your luau. Hang on the chair with personalized name tag to double as favor and seating card.
• Message in a Bottle - Add a little sand and a name tag on the outside of the bottle

Luau theme Party food

The food at any luau party is important! Here are a few of our favorite luau party foods -

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches (great with baked beans)
• Grilled Shrimp or Mahi Mahi
• Pig Roast (if you are really commited!)
• Pinapple Salsa and Chips
• Mini Ham Sandwiches on Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
• Fruit Cups or Kabobs
• Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
• Hawaiian Fried Rice with Chicken and Pinapple Kabobs
• Ambrodia Salad
• Goldfish Crackers

 Luau theme Party Bar: glasses, decoration ideas and drink ideas

• For a cute addition to your drinks, freeze gummy fish and sharks in ice cubes!
• Rent a slushie machine and serve frozen drinks with tiny umbrellas!
• If you can't swing a drink machine, buy the tubs of pre-mixed margaritas and then serve the drinks in fantastic luau themed glasses.

Luau Party Music, Luau Party Games and Luau Party Activities
Good luau music not only sets the mood but you learn to do the Hula or the Limbo. Here is a great luau party playlist:

• Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
• Aloha Oe - Johnny Cash
• The Gilligan's Island Theme
• Hukilau Song - Don Ho
• Ukulele Lady - Bette Midler
• Wipeout - The Surfaris
• Soul Bossa Nova – Quincy Jones
• Kokomo - The Beach Boys
• Island Girl - Elton John
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
• Surfin USA - Beach Boys
• The Pina Colada Song - Escape
• Banana Boat Song - Harry Belafonte
• The Girl from Ipanema - Frank Sinatra or Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz
• The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens

Luau Party Games and Luau Party Activities. The Game Girl has the “rules” for Limbo, Mai Tai Limbo, The Tacky Tourist Relay and the Hula Hoop Spin Off. Just visit our Luau Game Page. Or there is always fun to be had with a piñata!

Luau Party Photo Booth

Set up a luau photo booth area where guests can get a little dressed up and take some great pictures!

• Custom Luau Party Tiki Photo Op - This is a fun photo op you can set along a 6' table and guests stick their faces into the tiki heads! add your custom wording or logo to the sign.

 Luau Party Favors
A big part of any luau is letting your guests dress up. You have plenty of costumes and accessories to choose from including leis, hula skirts, and even coconut tops. (My buddy John puts on this coconut top at every luau and beach party and we laugh every single time.)

So pass out the wearables and get everyone ready to party! These will work for anyone -

• Leis
• Grass skirts
• Beachcomber hats
• Sunglasses

Your guests can't help but have a great time in a pair of fun glasses and a glow necklace! The best part is that these fun wearables double as great party favors.

Bubbles and squirt fish are great fun favors for the kids. Put them in a pail with a shovel, along with a pack of sidewalk chalk and some candy.

If you want a more traditional party favor to hand out as your guests leave, try a personalized luau candy bar wrapper or personalized luau candy or mint tin! It is a sweet way to thank all of your guests for coming. Though I am sure everyone will be thanking you for the great time they had at your luau party!