Hawaiian Luau

My neighbor had a luau birthday party a few weeks ago and borrowed some of my luau decor and party favors. It reminded me of the luau I threw my husband when he got his undergrad several years ago. We were living in an apartment complex at the time so I used the pool and clubhouse for the party. My sister-in-law, April, helped out and we threw a great party. I thought I'd share our party ideas with you since it's summer and the perfect time to throw a luau. Turns out I don't have many pictures other than people hanging around by the pool and people in front of our backdrop but I'll list the ideas we didn't take pictures of. I still have the sign, the surfboard, grass table skirts, leis, a fish net, shells, a little hula dancer and lots of little party favors so I'm sure I'll throw another one sometime. Here is my husband and I.

The punch table...didn't get a picture of the food buffet. Some cute boys who attended...showing off other props we used for the backdrop pictures.

• The invites were fairly simple but had way too much personal and location info to share.
• We set up a two rows of tiki torches leading into the entry way of the clubhouse.
• We bought most of our decor and favors at a local store that carries carnival and novelty items similar to Oriental Trading Co.
• We set up a small baby pool full of various sizes of beach balls for people to play with and take home.
• We had a treasure chest filled with "gold." For the gold we used mini candy bars in gold wrappers like mini Snickers, Rolos and mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
• We set up a backdrop and took everyone's picture. We used blue paper that I bought on the rolls. I painted the "Aloha" sign and a surf board on foam board. We had straw hats, beach balls, and flower and shell leis for people to wear and hold so everyone had a different pose. I bought palm trees and a few other plants at Garden Ridge and then just took them back the next day. I know...not very PC BUT I only took pictures of them. No harm done!
• For food we had various appetizers and desserts including lots of fruit with pineapple center pieces, coconut macaroons, and I honestly don't remember the rest. The clubhouse had a refrigerator and a microwave so we were a little limited on what we could prepare on site.
• We bought those little drink umbrellas and put them throughout the buffet and in drinks.
• We acquired* some large canna leaves to lay under the punch bowl and on the buffet table. We also decorated with some other flowers, orchids, whole coconuts, limes and lots of sea shells.

*The acquiring of the canna leaves may or may not have involved a neighbors canna plants out in the back alley. April, you remember don't you???