by Kristy Stevens-Young

Created on: July 04, 2008

As an event planner, I have put together over a dozen backyard luaus. By following this guide, you will have all the necessary tools to host an amazing luau of your own!

Luau Invitations and Guest Greeting
You will want your invitations to let your guest know the theme of the party and that the dress code is Aloha/beach attire. You have a variety of invitation options to choose from very simple (make them to resemble Ukuleles) to a bit more involved (hula girls on the front with real grass skirts) to hand delivered pineapples with the invitation tied on to the top with raffia.

A fun idea is to include a silk flower for each invitee to be worn in order to gain entrance into the party. When the guests arrive they should be greeted by a hula Girl and/or Boy and welcomed to the party with a flower or shell Leis. Have a few extra grass skirts and beach hats on hand.

Luau Decorations and Food
You will want to turn your background into a tropic paradise for your luau. Start by placing tiki torches around the party area (and leading to the party) as well as orchid and/or hibiscus garlands around entrance ways.

A nice touch is to put up a few tents and/or gazebo like structures with the poles covered in orchid garlands and Ti leaves. To block wind, separate areas or make the areas cozier you can hang palm fronds, shell or flower garlands. You can add some large artificial palm trees and/or add some little colored lights to your own trees.

Decorate your bar, service table and guest tables with an inexpensive plastic light blue tablecloth with fishing nets attached. You can then hook on some shells and glass balls. Another option is to use a brown or tan plastic tablecloth and attach grass (raffia) hula skirts. On the tabletops, add a couple hula girl wiggle dolls (like the old dashboard ones); some loose flowers, Ti leaves, tiki statues or sprinkle some sand and beach items.

For easy snacking make some fruit kabobs and stick them into a halved pineapple or the end piece (open end down) of a carved out watermelon. Add some large shells filled with macadamia nuts and some beach buckets filled with finger snacks like dried fruit. Serve fresh fruit in in carved out pineapples and watermelons.

Pick up some inexpensive tiki bar accessories at a party store or order them online from a place like oriental trading. You can pick up coconut cups, hula girl glasses and tiki mugs, or just use what you have and add cocktail umbrellas and tropical flower straws.

You may not want to go to the

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