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Luau Party!

Luaus are colorful and fun, and the food is fabulous. 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 it out...

Sweet 16 Invitations

Make a flier or buy a luau invitation at your local party/stationery store, but instead of sending it alone, prove you're creative and include a flower hair comb for your girlfriends and a flower wrist/ankle lei for the guys. Tell them they must wear the enclosed pieces on their bodies somewhere, and that you want them to dress luau-creative. That will get them talking long before the party!

Don't forget Party411 has great personalized Sweet 16 invitations at our Sweet 16 Creations For You Shop.

Outside Entrance

To make a grand entrance, place bamboo tiki torches outside your door as the first indication to your guests that this is going to be the luau to remember. You may even want to adorn your porch rail or doorway with parrot and/or palm tree lights for a festive effect. Add a CD player with 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.

Inside Entrance

Use netting as your backdrop. Have a big basket of multi-color leis inside the door where people can help themselves to a few. I would plan on 5 or 6 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 them 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).

Backyard

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. Tribal masks are fun, too. Hang wind chimes and wooden parrots to give a complete background to your setting. Shells, sand and perhaps a mini-pool is order here as well. If you really want to go crazy, rent realistic looking fake palm trees and wooden totem poles to place around the yard/patio. Candle votives are a must, but don’t forget the citronella candles.

Seating Cards or Name Tags

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 thought: 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.

Another thought on this is to use starfish or sand dollars and write the name of the person on it. For nametags, string some ribbon around it.

Buffets

Using grass skirts, make a 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 skirting to the edges. Add fabulous tropical Mylar balloons (all you need is some helium) in the shape of fish, palm trees and other related shapes, 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 fabulous foil-wrapped chocolate fish and island party confetti across your table. Your guests will really WOW at your thoughtfulness and carry-through. Provide tropical toothpicks as a final touch. Use baskets on each buffet to hold luncheon napkins, luau-themed plates, cutlery and cups. You may even want to get matching guest towels for your powder room! Check out these luau themed paper goods. 

Tables

A flamingo air walker (a helium balloon with feet) makes for a great centerpiece and is something different than the norm. Don't forget to add confetti and more foil wrapped chocolate fish. 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 a fish piñata as your centerpieces or if you prefer, hang them above the tables.

Bar

The first drink should be served complete with tropical straws and tropical drink stirrers. You may want to add some pineapple votive candles to create some atmosphere--and you may want to add some tropical lights around the bar as well. Don’t forget the all-important coconut cups, whether plastic or made from real coconuts (how dedicated do you want to be to making this as authentic as possible for your guests?)

Menu

Sweet and sour meatballs
Cinnamon chips with pineapple salsa

Sweet potatoes
Chicken long rice
Poi
Beef teriyaki
Hawaiian chicken with ham and pineapple

Chocolate cake and/or coconut cake

Favors

Fish squirts (little rubber fish that you fill with water, squeeze and squirt) are great fun if the party is outside. Another idea is to send guests home with their own plastic tropical beverage glasses. These are very cute and can be found in housewares stores. We especially like the coconut monkeys, one each for guys and gals.

Fill the room with balloons in tropical colors (great as centerpieces tied off a "real" pineapple), flowers and you'll have a party to remember. Oh, and one last thing--don't forget to do the limbo! All you need is an official limbo kit (two poles and a limbo stick! Why not decorate them with lights, too?)

For a great table look and other décor, go to our South Seas party.

And for that special Konga Line or for a luau your friends will be talking about long after the sun goes down, here are even more ideas:

• Luau Lights - A Polynesian Flair! Palm tree and parrot lights will accent your Luau  or Backyard Party. Put them on the bar, around the buffet, on the deck or around a doorway. Lights are 14'long with 10 assorted covers.
• Sun Lights - If palm trees and parrot lights aren’t your thing, try these!
• Tropical Sun and Aloha Paper Goods  - these are both great designs that will dress up your table and dress up the room. And better yet, use them and there’s no dishes to wash!
• Leis - choose from any number in any number of colors. Put them in a basket at the door or hand them out (dressed as a hula girl or boy!)…
• Flower combs and wrist leis - the final touch in the lei department.
• Beachcomber Hats - in straw, in neon—what more could you ask for!
• Flower Leis - Flowers All Around! Just in time for those great summer luau parties. Our assorted silk flower leis come 12 to a pack. Mix with matching combs and bracelets. 
• Tropical Beads -  Accent your Luau Party with our tropical fruit beads. 
• Mini Luau Decorating Kit - Mini Decorating Kit! Accent your luau theme with these decorations. Includes 2-12" Sea Horses, 1-14" Hula Centerpiece, 4-12" Luau Cutouts, 1-12' Leaf Garland, and 1 14" Luau Sign
• Luau Decorama - Includes 2-12" seahorse cutouts, 1-14" hula centerpiece, 4-12" luau cutouts and 1-12' garland
• Palm Tree Decorations! - accent your Luau with these 5' metallic palm trees.
• Luau CD and Luau Tape - Sounds of the Islands that include Hawaii Five-0, Surfin’ USA, Copacabana, Kokomo, Good Vibrations, Oye Como Va, Iko Iko, Escape, Wipeout, Red Red Wine and more!
• Aloha Party CD - here’s what’s on this tropical party CD… Tropical Dream, Hawaiian Breeze, Jamaican Nights, Hula Days, Rio Fiesta, Caribbean Paradise, Let's Just Hula, Bahama Beach, Honolulu Moonlight, Maui Magic, Carnivale Sunset, San Juan Winters, Aqua Blues, Volcano Surfing
• Glow - from straws that glow in the dark (now that makes for interesting backyard evening fiesta, no?) to necklaces, earrings (known to be worn as a nose ring by many a beer-toting male)--these are the perfect favors.
• Neon Hair Clips and Braided Hair Extensions with beads - these favors are great fun for your guests, and the pictures you’ll have to look at 10 years from now.
• Hula Hoops - dress your guests in hula skirts and then have a hula hoop contest. If they can do the hula hoop, they can do the hula!
• Hula Skirts - not the usual skirt but a metallic multi-color ones. True Hawaiians will be so jealous.
• Blues Bros. Flip-Up Sun Glasses - not to mention rubber neon, animal print and more, sunglasses make a great favor and look terrific wrapped around the napkin to dress up your table.
• Party Cameras - don’t you want your friends to have pictures of their friends doing the hula? Worth some bucks, I bet.

Games and Activities

A luau should have authentic Hawaiian dancers, hire the hula and fire-eating kind. The Limbo is always entertaining for those participating and those watching. Get a pole and go for it.

If you want more, try make your own leis, a pig roast and more music.

Don't forget to check out our complete list of Sweet 16 Party Games!

For authentic luau recipes and history, visit oldhawaii.com/luau

Have fun! And remember, don’t get too crazy when you’re behind the wheel (or you’re grounded for life)…

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