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Luau

 

 

 

Party Ideas by Party Consultant Michelle Hylton         Updated: 11/04/2009

www.PartyShelf.com

 

Luaus can be used for many celebrations including the following:

Birthdays

Family Reunions

Wedding Shower (For couples heading to Hawaii for their honeymoon)

Corporate Kick-Offs

Neighborhood Parties

Social Organization's Gatherings

Class Reunions 

Fund-Raisers

The key to having a great Luau is decor, music and food.  So, lets get started in planning your Luau event! 

 

There are several styles for a Luau party and it depends on your taste, location and age of party goers.  Here are some suggestions for age groups.

 

Children Parties - The "Coral Reef"  theme is great for children who love the ocean and fish.

The "Let's Hula" party is ideal for little girls, who love to dance and dress up. Another popular idea is involving a cartoon or TV character. You could have a SpongeBob Luau, Hannah Montana Luau, Mickey & Minnie Luau and so on. Mix both luau and character theme partyware and add games related to the characters for fun!  

 

Teen Parties - For the guys, it's definitely our "Luau Shirt" theme that seems cool enough and not to girly. For teen girls, them love the "Flip Flops" and the "Tropical Cool" theme.

 

Young Adults (College Students) - There seems to be a draw between our "Tiki" and "Luau Shirt" themes.  I think they enjoy the Tiki look especially for beach parties, while the shirt theme for pool side parties.

 

Adults - Though all of our themes have been popular with adults, the two that are most popular are the "Luau Shirt" and "Paradise" themes. 

 

Party Locations - Most Luau parties are centered around water, whether its a pool, lake, or beach.  I hosted a Luau party as a house warming party, though we did not have a pool, I still incorporated water into our theme. Think about water games, like balloon toss, squirt gun fights, sponge races, ice-cube races, Kiddie pool games and the good ole sprinkler!  

 

Luau Mystery Dinner Party - PartyShelf.com

Luau Murder MysteryNEW!

 

Luau Murder Mystery Night -Serve up some excitement! Make your next dinner party memorable by hosting a  Hawaiian murder mystery.  Everyone's a suspect when murder is on the menu. Aloha and welcome to Hawaii. There is a luau for Chase Diamond to celebrate his birthday. The impromptu party quickly turns to a woeful wake when a Chase is poisoned. Was it a friend or foe who fatally freshened his favorite cocktail? Your guests will include Holly Day, the vacationing wife of a billionaire, scuba diving instructor Rip Tide and New York fashion model Nadia Seymour, among others. Someone has poisoned a private detective, and there is no shortage of suspects! This mystery dinner party game for adults includes recipes, a shopping list, invitations, place cards, full profiles of all the characters, dialogue for different scenes in the mystery and even recipes for an authentic Hawaiian meal! Each player dresses up and plays the role of a suspect to the murder.  For 6 to 8 players.
 

View my suggestions below for party decorations, games, activities and food below.

 

INVITATIONS IDEAS

Tropical Sun 

Tiki Island

Paradise

Tropical Sun Invitations

Lavish Island Blooms, a parrot, water and the sun adorn this Tropical Sun theme.

Tiki Invitations for a Luau

Set the tropical mood with these vibrant colors represented in this Tiki themed invitation

Paradise Luau Invitations

Invite your guest to a Jungle Paradise Luau.

     

 Luau Party

Totally Tiki

Cabana Rio

Lua Party Invitations

This Luau Shirt Party Invitations lends itself to any tropical theme. Also, great for Tacky Tourist parties!

Tropical Cool Tiki Invitations

Totally Tiki Invitations will set the tone for a tropical cool event.

Rio Cabana Invitations

Take your party to Rio with this colorful tropical look. Our Rio Cabana invitations set the tone for your Salsa events.
 

     

Flip Flop Luau

Let's Hula

Create Your Own

Flip Flop Luau

Invite your guests to party at the beach or by the pool with our Flip Flop Invitations.  Also, great for teen parties!

Let's Hula Luau Invitation

Let your guest know there's going to be some dancing at this Luau with the let's hula

invitation.  Also great for kids parties!

6" Beach Ball - Create an Invitation

Send your guest a beach ball invitation. Use our either our 6" or 16" plastic beach ball, write party details on deflated ball with permanent marker. 

     

Message in a Bottle!

Tiki Time*New

Sunny Days*New

luau bottle invitation

Invite your guests to your Luau with our Luau Bottle Invite!  Includes:

(6) Mailable Bottles with cork

     top and tape,
(6) Invitations and Ribbons,
(6) Labels, sand and mini leis

     for each bottle.

Tiki Theme - PartyShelf.com

Tiki Time Invitations

 

Sunny Days Summer Theme Invitations - PartyShelf.com

Sunny Days Invitations

     
Welcome To Paradise*New    

Luau Shirt Shape Invitation - PartyShelf.com

Island Invitations

   

 

                                                    

DECORATING IDEAS

Table Decor 

Room, Poolside or Beach Decor

More Ideas 

Luau Party Table Raffia skirt

Choose from any of the following Luau themes to decorate your Luau buffet table.

Luau Party

Let's Hula

Tiki

Jungle Paradise

Tropical Cool

Coral Reef

Tropical Sun

Flamingo

Cabana Rio

Flip Flops

Surf's Up

 

New in 2009!

Tiki Time

Sunny Days

Island Attitude

 

 

What's a Luau without fancy drinks in colorful cups with fancy straws!

 

Use our flower slap bracelets or silk flower bracelets as napkin rings. 

 

Try one of these for your table centerpieces.

 

 

Coconut Band Duo

Bamboo Candle Torch

20" Palm Centerpiece  

 

For that buffet table, you can't miss with our raffia table skirt .

 

More Luau Table Decor

Luau Scene Setters

 

Customized Luau Banners

Luau Custom Banners

 

Luau Ceiling Decorations - ParytShelf.com
Ceiling Decorations

 

Tropical Deck Fringe

 

 

Luau Balloons

Luau Balloons

 

Luau Inflatables

Inflatables

Try draping our fish netting on the walls, decks, and tables.  Use seashells, pineapples, tropical house plants and silk flowers to decorate the party  area or tables.

 

Tiki Pinata

Tiki Piñata

Piñatas are great for decorating or using as table backdrops.

Neon Folding Fans - Great for Summer Parties!

Neon Folding Fan

Use these colorful fans for decoration and when it gets too hot let your guests use them to cool off!

 

Don't forget our Pineapple Cooler, great for those non-alcoholic beverages.  

 

Dress yourself and your guests for the occasion with:

 

Luau Leis - Many Varieties to Choose From!

Leis

 

Hula Skirts and Tops

Hula Skirts & Tops

 Shark Hats & Other Luau Hats

Shark Hat & Other Luau Hats

 

                                                 

GAME IDEAS

Hula Hoop Contest

Always a favorite for all ages.  It's a simple contest of who can hula the longest.  For a large family or adult gatherings, have contest for kids, ladies and men separately.  

Limbo/Water Limbo

How low can you go!   Form a line and have your guest limbo under the pole. Hands can't touch the ground!  Add music and your set!    If guest are in swimsuits, try water limbo with your garden hose. 

 

6' Roll Up Limbo Poll

Bamboo Limbo Kit

Flowered Limbo Kit
Limbo Music

 

Hawaiian Trivia

Play a trivia game about the Hawaiian Islands or Hawaii Five-O.

 Hula Hoop Race

Divide guest into teams of 4. You will need as many hula hoops as there are teams.  Set up a starting line and a turnaround line.  The first person on the team must hula down to the turnaround line and back to the starting line, then pass off the hula to the next team player.  Each player must hula down and back, the first team to finish WINS!

Dress-Up Race

You'll need two of each of these items:

        

         Coconut bikini top

         Adult Flower Lei Set
         Beach comber hat

         Funky Glasses

         40" Inflatable Ukulele

 

Set up a starting line and a    turnaround point.  At the turnaround point, set out a box or laundry basket filled with items listed above.  Divide your guest into two teams.  Each team member must run to the laundry basket or box, put on all the Hawaiian clothing, run around the laundry basket or box four times, undress putting the items back into the basket and then run back to tag the next team member to do the same.  First team to finish WINS!  You can also change the running around the box, to having each team member hula hoop for at least four complete turns. 

 

Pass The Coconut

Just like Hot Potato, pass the coconut to music, when the music stops and your holding the coconut, you are out.  Last person to remain is the WINNER!

 

 

Water Balloon Toss

If your Luau is outside this summer and you need something to cool off

your guest, have a water balloon toss!  Before the party fill balloons with water.  Divide guest into teams of two (couples are fun too!).  Line up team players opposite each other and evenly lined up with all other teams (start about 5 feet apart for adults or teens, 2 feet if doing this with kids). The first team player gets a water balloon and tosses it to his teammate.  Then the teammates that just caught the balloon must take one step backwards and toss it back.  Continue

tossing back and forth, taking one step back before the toss.  If the balloon breaks your team is out.  The last team with a water balloon WINS!

Hula Bender

 

Its Hula Bender, great for ages 5 and up. Game includes Spinning Wheel and 6' colorful plastic game board.

Piñata Busting

Set up in an open area, always supervise when children are involved.

Use our blind fold and bat kit and one of our Luau Themed piñatas.

Treasure Chest

 

Tiki

 

 

ACTIVITIES

Volleyball

Bocce Ball Croquet
Badminton Tug O'War Best Dressed or Wacky Tourist Contest 
Big Splash Pool Contest Best Hat (tell guest in your invitation to to make a fun Luau hat to wear at the party) Crafts for kids:

Luau Shell Visor

Luau Flower Name Necklace 

 

 

                                             

  

PARTY 

 EXTRAS

Wooden Pineapple Bowls
Wooden Pineapple Bowls
Luau Plastic Shell Plates
Plastic Shell Plates
Luau Umbrella Straws
Umbrella Straws
Tropical Food Covers
Tropical Food Covers
Tropical Flower Picks
Tropical Flower Picks
Neon Margarita cups
Neon Margarita Cups
5' Inflatable Palm Tree - Great for Luau Parties!
5' Inflatable Palm Tree
Palm Tree Balloon Weight
Palm Tree Balloon Weight
Solid Color Partyware - PartyShelf.com
Everyday
Party Cutlery Packs - PartyShelf.com
Cutlery Packs

Corporate/Business Imprinted Party Items - PartyShelf.com

 Imprinted Party Items

          

FOOD IDEAS 

Main Dishes - Huli Huli Chicken 

                    Macadamia crusted salmon

                    Coconut Fried Shrimp

                    Pork Kabobs (with red/green peppers, pineapple and 1/2 inch thick corn on

                                       the cob slice)

                    Pork Ribs

                    Full Roasted Pig (brought in by a caterer)

Side Dishes  - Fruit/ Cheese Plates  (don't forget the fancy food picks)

                    Rice Dishes 

                    Aloha Sweet Potatoes

                    Mandarin Orange Salad 

                 Vegetable and dip

                    Lettuce Wraps -rice, peanut or plum sauce

                    Chicken Salad served in a hollowed out pineapple

                    Grilled vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers and asparagus

          

Desserts -     Carve out a watermelon (basket look or animal shape) and place cubes of

                    watermelon, cherries, strawberries, pineapples, and other melon balls.  

 

                    Sherbet

                    Pineapple upside down cake 

                    Macadamia Coconut Cake

 

 

Drinks -         For kids you can serve Hawaiian punch in a bowl.  Fancy it up by making  ice

                    cubes with strawberries, blueberries or raspberries inside ahead of

                    time.  Just fill ice tray halfway and add fruit and freeze.

 

                    For teens, have fruit smoothie bar, cranberry slush or virgin drinks.

 

                    For adults, you can serve juice cocktail, sodas, piña colada, Mai Tai,

                    strawberry daiquiri (make a batch that's non-alcoholic too!), punches

                    and other mixed drinks you feel are appropriate. Here's a recipe for a Luau 

                    punch:

 

LUAU PUNCH
1 gallon pineapple juice
6 ounces lime juice
2 quarts vodka
2 quarts 7UP or Sierra Mist
1 quart brandy
1 quart tonic
Ice cubes to chill

Mix all ingredients in a large punch bowl.

Don't forget the colorful garnish such as pineapple wedges, strawberries, raspberries and umbrella straws can be put in every beverage.

 

Taste of Hawaii Recipes

 

                                

Luau Links   

 

 

 

 

May Day is Lei Day- Send a Lei Day Card! Brighten May Day at the office or school with a plastic lei for everyone! 

 

 Shop luau decorations and favors.       

 

Luau Party Supplies

 

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Party Consultant M. Hylton
Copyright © 2009 [PartyShelf.com]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 11/04/09