Grab a grass skirt, coconut bra and colorful lei for an adult luau. Guests in festive, Hawaiian-themed costumes get everyone in the mood to party luau style. Decorating the party venue with homemade decorations brings the theme to life even more. Homemade decorations save money without sacrificing the ambiance created by themed accents. Consider your resources and the party venue when planning your luau decorations. Does this Spark an idea?
Table Decorations
Decorate the tables with the luau theme using homemade decorations. Attach inexpensive grass hula skirts around the edges of the tables as table skirts. Use plastic leis to create a border along the top edge of the hula skirts.
Fill glass containers with sand and seashells, or arrange tropical fruits and flowers in a decorative bowl. Scatter sand or small sea shells along the table for additional decorations.
Room Decorations
Make a homemade tiki statue by stacking and taping together cardboard boxes or large cardboard tubes from commercial paper rolls. Use cardboard to cut out details to add to the tiki statue. Paint the entire statue to add details. A pair of tiki statues work well to accent doorways in the party room.
Another use for large cardboard tubes is to create homemade palm trees. Tape two or three rolls together to create the desired height. Paint the tubes brown to resemble the trunk of a palm tree. Attach artificial palm leaves to the top of the tubes or cut the leaves out of green paper. A bucket of sand serves as a base for the homemade palm trees.
Outside Decorations
If the luau fun extends to the backyard, homemade decorations help transform the tropical paradise. Arrange beach towels and lounge chairs for seating. Leis draped on the chairs add to the luau feel. To dress up tiki torches, wind leis along the pole. If you prefer a flameless tiki torch for safety, stuff red, yellow and orange tissue paper in the top to resemble flames. Cover patio table umbrellas with palm leaves to transform them into a tropical party decoration.
Picture Background
A large piece of sturdy cardboard or plywood creates a fun spot for taking pictures at the luau. Paint a luau or beach scene on the sheet. Add bodies of people standing on the beach. Ideas include a bikini babe, a muscle man or other stereotypical beach visitors. Instead of painting the faces of these characters, cut holes in the board. The guests can take turns sticking their faces in the holes for a photo opportunity. Snap a picture of each guest and send them a commemorative copy after the party.
Another option is to paint a beach scene on a piece of butcher paper. Hang the background on a wall or on the side of the house. Let the guests stand in front of the beach scene to pose for pictures.
Tags: beach scene, homemade decorations, cardboard tubes, homemade palm, homemade palm trees, hula skirts, large cardboard