turn a good luau into an amazing luau!
Below are tips and suggestions to easily create a luau or Hawaii theme celebration anywhere!
Special touches
of Aloha
turn a good luau into an amazing luau!
Below are tips and suggestions to easily create a luau or Hawaii theme celebration
anywhere!
The
Hawaiian word "Lu'au" (pronounce loo-ow) means 'a feast'. A
luau is not necessarily a public affair on the luau grounds of a Hotel. For the people who
live in the Hawaiian Islands a luau is a gathering of family and friends to enjoy good
food, good company, and good times! There may or may not be spontaneous ukulele or guitar
playing by uncle, with everyone singing, and auntie dancing the hula.
Luaus are a fun way to enjoy quality family time and are especially held for occasions
like birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, bridal & baby showers, rehearsal dinners,
weddings receptions, family reunions, class reunions and more. You can enjoy a fun
authentic Hawaiian luau with your friends and family anywhere, anytime. The
atmosphere at a luau is "Hang Loose". Luaus are ideal if you are planning a
party with many people meeting for the first time. Your guests are more relaxed right from
the start. We offer a wealth of information to assist you in hosting a Hawaii theme
party anytime, anywhere...
If you would
like to offer additional luau suggestions or share photos from your luau email us at islandfriends@aol.com
Send
Hawaii Theme Invitations to Your Luau Guests
You can create your own luau invitations using your home computer
and printer or add touches of Hawaii to professionally printed invitations. You can
incorporate popular words and phrases as well as translate guests first names into
Hawaiian.
Click here to review our
resource of popular Hawaiian words and phrase.
Click here to review our resource of
first names into Hawaiian.
Encourage Your Luau Guests to
Wear Hawaiian Attire
Click here to review our links to a few
places that offers Hawaii attire online.
The
Guest of Honor Should Wear A Lei
In the Hawaiian culture a lei is a garland or necklace and they
are typically made of real flowers, silk flowers, nuts, shells, leaves, or feathers. A lei
can acknowledge someone of great importance, such as a guest of honor. A lei can also be
given to express love, appreciation and show respect. If all of the guests will also be
wearing leis the guest of honor should wear a different lei or a fancier to make them
stand out. For men who do not want to wear flowers popular masculine leis are maile leis
or kukui nut leis. Maile leis are green leafy vine looking leis. Kukui nut leis are made
from the nut of the state tree and in ancient Hawaiian times were only give to people of
great importance since they were very sacred. Silk leis, kukui nut leis and shell leis
which are a nice economical alternative to fresh leis which require expensive express
shipping and special packaging.
To view authentic kukui
nut lei options available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click here.
To view lifelike silk lei
options and real shell lei options available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in
the USA click here.
Have a
Hula Girl or Girls Welcome Your Luau Guests with Leis
If you would like to adorn all of your luau guests in leis a
great thing to do is have one or a few girls dress in Hawaii attire or as hula girls and
greet each guest as they arrive with a lei. Silk leis, nut leis, or shell leis are the
most economical options when you plan to adorn a number of people in leis. Shell leis are
the most cost effective lei available and make great keepsakes from the luau.
To view authentic kukui
nut lei options available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click here.
To view lifelike silk lei
options and real shell lei options available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in
the USA click here.
Use Loose Blooms to
Decorate
Lifelike silk loose plumeria blooms are great to use to decorate,
they really turn an area into a tropical paradise. They can also be used to decorate
buffet displays, dining tables, the bar, lawns, and dance floor. Encourage your guests to
pick up a loose bloom and for the men put them in a button hole. For the ladies they can
easily put them in their hair by using bobby pins.
Click here to view
lifelike silk loose plumeria blooms and lifelike silk Hawaiian lawae ferns available for
shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Click here for Hawaiian Kissing Couple figurines available for shipping from
Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Create
Tropical Table Centerpieces
Easily create tropical centerpieces for your luau using items
like Hawaiian kissing couple figurines, dashboard hula wigglers, fresh pineapples,
lifelike silk plumeria blooms, lifelike silk Hawaiian lawae ferns, silk leis, candles in
real bamboo or coconut shells, and silk or shell leis. They really set the Hawaii mood and
then you can give items like fresh pineapples, Hawaiian kissing couple figurines and
dashboard hula wigglers away as game or door prizes to your guests at the end of the luau.
Click here to view photos of other
table centerpiece suggestions.
Click here for Hawaiian Kissing Couple figurines available for shipping from
Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Click
here to view cute dashboard hula wigglers available for shipping from Hawaii to
destinations in the USA.
Click here to view
lifelike silk loose plumeria blooms and lifelike silk Hawaiian lawae ferns available for
shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Click here to view
lifelike silk leis and shell available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the
USA.
Click here to view Hawaii
fragrance candles in real bamboo and coconut shells available for shipping from Hawaii to
destinations in the USA.
Use
Strands of Flowers to Decorate Arches, Alters, and Isles at the Ceremony
Strands of flowers are the easiest way to add a tropical touch to
arches, line the isle, decorate fences and table skirts and more.
Click
here to review 10-foot long lifelike silk plumeria strands available for shipping from
Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Tiki
Torches Make Great Decorations for Day or Evening Luaus
Tiki Torches are a great way to add a tropical atmosphere. If the
luau is in the evening the torches can be lit, if the luau is during the day the tiki
torch makes a great flower arrangement holder. To use as a flower arrangement holder as
shown above remove the fuel holder and put the fresh or silk flower stems in it's place.
Orchid sprays, shower tree branches, anthuriums and other tropical flowers are great for
tiki torch flower displays. Silk leis are ideal for tying on to the torch stand to add
more tropical flare. Lightweight chiffon fabric can also be tied between the tiki torches
to create an isle, section off areas, etc. Tiki torches are typically available in home
improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes and can also be found in the patio section of
stores like Walmart and Kmart.
To view lifelike silk leis
you can use to decorate tiki torches available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in
the USA click here.
Have
Candles in Real Coconut Shell or Bamboo on the Tables
For evening luaus candles in real coconut shells are great to
place on the tables. Candles in real bamboo stalks are also available and add a tropical
twist.
Click here to view Hawaii
theme candles available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Provide
Name Tags for Your Guests with Their First Name Translated Into Hawaiian
Luau guests find it fun to learn what their name would be in
Hawaiian. Using your home computer and printer create name tags using label stickers.
Print on them your guests first names translated into Hawaiian.
Click here for phonetic translations of first
names into Hawaiian.
Hawaii
Flower Behind the Ear Tradition
If you have flowers blooms available for your guests to wear
behind their ear the tradition in Hawaii is if you are single the flower should be worn
behind the right ear and if you are taken then the flower should be worn behind the left
ear.
To
view lifelike silk loose plumeria blooms available for shipping from Hawaii to
destinations in the USA click here.
To view
silk flower hair clips available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click
here.
Make
Hawaii Theme Cookies for Desert, to Use as Place Setting Cards,
or for a Decorating Activity for Guests
If you enjoy cookie making and decorating you can create
adorable Hawaii theme cookies. They can be used as dessert or add names to them and use
them as table place cards. A fun activity to do with luau guests, especially kids, is to
offer them undecorated cookies and a bunch of decorating supplies and have them decorate
their own cookies. Tip: If you don't like to bake you can take the Hawaii
theme cookie cutters to a professional bakery and they will make them for you.
Click
here to view adorable Hawaii theme cookie cutters available for shipment to destinations
in the USA.
Click here to view
suggestions on having cookie decorating at your luau event.
Use
Fun Items for Food and Beverage Presentation
Rather than using
a typical cooler to store your canned and bottled beverages fill up a plastic or blow up
kiddy pool with ice and use that!
Instead of typical
serving bowls and platters to serve punch, salads, macadamia nuts treats, chips, or other
buffet items use large sea shells or beach pails as a fun alternative. Small shells are
great to hold condiments like salt and pepper.
Use grass skirts to go
around the outside of tables.
Use fish nets and sea
shells to decorate tables, the patio and/or dance floor areas.
Use beach sand or pool
filter sand to the decorate patio and/or dance floor area.
Rather than using sand to
decorate food display tables and dining tables where it could get into food use brown
sugar instead.
Click here to view
macadamia nuts treats like salted macadamia nuts, macadamia nut chocolates, macadamia nut
popcorn, macadamia nut cookies, and more available for shipping from Hawaii to
destinations in the USA.
To view hula skirts
available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click here.
Serve
Popular Luau Foods
Introduce your luau guests to foods and beverages which are
favorites in the Hawaiian Islands by serving items such as kalua pig, teriyaki beef,
mahi-mahi, laulau, mochiko chicken, shoyu chicken, huli-huli chicken, chicken long rice,
potato-mac salad, lomi lomi salmon, haupia, macadamia nut cream pie, mochi, mai tais, and
blue Hawaiians. We offer recipes for these and more so you can make them yourself or hire
a caterer to make them for you. We also offer recipes specific to having a luau theme
Thanksgiving dinner and a luau theme Christmas party.
If you go to a luau in the Hawaiian Islands you are usually
able to see how an entire pig is roasted underground in a traditional Hawaiian imu pit
which is an underground oven. It takes a day to prepare the imu pit and a day to slow
roast the pig in the pit. It is a lot of work but the meat just falls off the bones and is
very tender and delicious. This roasted pig is called kalua pig. We offer directions on
making kalua pig using an authentic Hawaiian imu pit. We also offer easier methods for
making kalua pig by oven roasting it or using a slow cooker in our popular luau foods
recipes.
To view recipes for popular luau foods and
beverages click here.
To view recipes for having a luau
theme Thanksgiving click here.
To view recipes and games for having a
luau theme Christmas party click here.
To view instructions on cooking with a
traditional Hawaiian imu pit click here.
To view links to caterers
which offer Hawaiian cuisine click here.
Serve
Poi, A Traditional Hawaiian Luau Item
Poi is a starch food that typically accompanies an authentic
Hawaiian luau. Poi was eaten by the ancient Hawaiians and is attributed to keeping them so
healthy. It is still enjoyed by people in Hawaii as a side dish or a snack. Poi
accompanies dishes like Kalua pig and laulau really well. Poi is made from the taro root
which is similar looking to a yam root. To make poi the taro root is pounded repeatedly
with a heavy rock or wooden implement called a poi pounder and mixed with a little water
at a time until the taro is mashed and the consistency of pudding. Poi is purple in color
and is traditionally eaten with the fingers. Eating taro can be compared to having mashed
potatoes with a meal but is much healthier for you. For your luau you may now want to
pound your poi yourself since it is a lot of work. There is now an easier way to get poi
then pounding it, it is to make it from dehydrated poi. It is 100% taro which was made
into poi then all the water is removed to create the powdered poi. You only need to add
water to the powdered poi and you instantly have authentic Hawaiian poi without all the
work of having to pound it yourself.
To
view authentic Hawaiian powdered poi available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations
in the USA click here.
Serve
Tropical Fruits from Hawaii
Pineapples are delicious and good
for you. They are high in vitamin C and have an enzyme that aides in digestion. A tip for
serving fresh pineapples is to leaving the skin on cut the top off then cute each
pineapple into quarters length wise. You can then cut the quarter into portions but don't
cut it all the way through the skin. The skin will act as a serving bowl and each quarter
can be put on a table. Those who want some can easily break off a single serving
portion.
To create Pineapple Boats by taking a whole pineapple with the skin and top
still on and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop/cut out the pineapple meat leaving the skin
and top. Then fill each pineapple half with the pineapple pieces and other fruits like
sliced banana, apples slices, grapes, strawberries, etc.
Pineapples make a great item to stick fruit skewers into for serving. Create fruit skewers
using items like different kinds of melon, kiwi, pineapple chunks, papaya, and
strawberries. Then stick the skewer pointy end into the pineapple to serve.
Papaya are another delicious tropical fruit popular in the Hawaiian
Islands. Papaya are great sliced into spears and served on their own or cut into cubes and
put into a fruit salad or on fruit skewers. Fresh papaya also makes a great salsa! Fresh
papaya are also healthy for you and contains enzymes which are excellent for your
digestive system. They are a perfect complement to any luau!
Decorate
the Luau Cake With a Hawaii Flare
Use adorable Hawaiian kissing couple figurines
and/or loose fresh or silk tropical blooms to easily turn any plain cake into a tropical
delight! Whether you bake the cake yourself or get a store bought cake this is a simple
but impressive way to decorate the cake for your luau.
Click
here for Hawaiian Kissing Couple figurines available for shipping from Hawaii to
destinations in the USA.
To
view lifelike silk loose plumeria blooms available for shipping from Hawaii to
destinations in the USA click here.
Click here for popular luau cake recipes.
Serenade
Your Luau Guests with Hawaiian Music
Hawaiian bands are all over the USA and you can hire a band to
play live for your guests. You can also play cds of Hawaiian music or play streaming
Hawaiian music on your computer.
Click here to review
Hawaiian music CDs available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Click here to review Hawaiian bands
you can hire to play live at your luau.
Click here to review Hawaiian radio stations
you can listen to on your computer.
Hire a
Hula Dancer to Perform or Teach Hula
Hula dancing is popular all over the world. We offer a resource
of listing for hula performers for hire where you can have them come to dance for your
guests or even teach them a few hula moves! You don't have to hire a
professional hula dancer, you can learn how to hula and teach your guests! We offer
information on basic hula moves.
Click here to view listing for hula
performers around the world.
Click here to view information on basic
hula moves.
Hire a
Fire Knife Dancer to Perform
Fire knife dancing is a popular event at a luau but it is not
actually a Hawaiian tradition, it is Samoan. But it is spectacular to see! We offer a
resource of listing for fire knife performers for hire where you can have them come to
dance for your guests.
Click here to view listings of fire
knife dancers for hire.
Offer
a Hula Outfit or Outfits for Luau Guests to Wear for Photos
A fun way to get luau guests in the mood is to put on
Hawaiian music and offer a few hula outfits, maybe real coconut bra, and silk leis for
them to put on and try a few hula moves. It makes for great photos and lots of laughs. A
Hula outfit is also great thing to have the guest of honor wear at a little girl luau
parties!
To view hula outfits and
real coconut bras available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click
here.
To view lifelike silk
flower leis available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click here.
To view Hawaiian music CDs
available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click here.
CUSTOMER COMMENT FROM SOMEONE WHO HELD A LUAU USING OUR TIPS, FRESH LEIS,
HULA SKIRT, & COCONUT BRA:
My deluxe liberty lei and deluxe haku (“head wreath” as everyone kept calling
it) were absolutely gorgeous and I received several compliments. The hula skirt and
coconut bra I ordered was a source of entertainment for all. I decided to wear something
with a little more coverage than it provided. I ended up hanging it on the wall for
decoration and before the night was over most of the MEN had put it on and performed the
“hula”. But, I don’t think what they were doing could REALLY qualify as the
“hula”! (The hula dancer shown in the photo has a wig on that I just happen to
have handy!) - Terry C,
Play
Fun Hawaii Theme Games
Entertain your guests by playing fun Hawaii theme games that
everyone will enjoy like the tacky tourist relay, toss the coconut, musical beach towels,
hula hoop races, judge who has the loudest aloha shirt and more!
To view suggestions for Hawaii theme games
click here.
To view suggestions for Hawaii theme
Christmas games click here.
Provide Fun Photo
Opportunities for Luau Guests
Luaus are a lot of fun and should provide for a lot of fun photo
memories. Have a digital camera handy and be sure your batteries are well charged.
Encourage your guests to bring their camera or have a few disposable cameras on hand for
guests to use. A fun thing to do for your guests is to have a photo station set up where
your guests get a keepsake photo taken. Fun ideas for a photo station are:
- set up a Hawaii scenic backdrop and have guests take photos as they enter
- offer guests items they can put on for the photo like a hula skirt, mu'u mu'u, beach
hat, silk leis, snorkel mask and flippers, oversized sunglasses, wigs, etc. Offer props
like a boogie board, beach ball, surfboard, inflatable floaties, etc. An ironing board
makes a great make shift surfboard so your guests can hang ten for a fun photo!
- Make a fake giant wave or Hawaiian scene with a face cut out. If you are creative you
can do this using plywood, cardboard or and old sheet for the backdrop and paint, poster
paint or markers to decorate it.
To view hula outfits and
real coconut bras available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click
here.
To view
lifelike silk flower leis available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA
click here.
Have a Hawaii
Theme Guestbook for Guests to Sign
Set up a guest book table with a Hawaii theme guestbook. Have them
provide their email address so you can email them photos from the luau as well as thank
them for attending. If you have loose blooms on your guestbook table you can also have a
sign on the table asking your guests to please sign the guest book and take an bloom for
behind their ear or for their button hole.
To view a
Hawaii theme guestbook available for shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA click
here
Click here to view
lifelike silk loose plumeria blooms and lifelike silk Hawaiian lawae ferns available for
shipping from Hawaii to destinations in the USA.
Click
here to view cute dashboard hula wigglers available for shipping from Hawaii to
destinations in the USA.
CUSTOMER COMMENT: "Our 50th Anniversary (Midwest)
Hawaiian Luau went so well last week. We are especially grateful to you for making that
so. We utilized almost every aspect of your luau tips - from menus to games and
especially to the flowers and ti leaves. I was so skeptical about the leis arriving safely
and fresh - and they turned out wonderfully. In Iowa a lei is a real rarity and
especially appreciated....and using the ti leaves on the tables produced a wonderful
backdrop for the fruit centerpieces. Well, you get the idea. We had a very successful
party, and couldn't have done it nearly so well without your tips and services. Mahalo is
the best way to conclude!" Jim & Joe W., Iowa
Do you have
an idea for hosting a luau? We would love to hear about it! Email us the details to islandfriends@aol.com
If
you have photographs from your Hawaiian theme celebration showing how you transformed your
party or wedding into a Hawaii oasis that you would like to share and have posted on this
web site please email them to us at islandfriends@aol.com
Be sure to
check out our
additional tips and resources
for having a Hawaii theme luau!
|
If you are having a Luau, Hawaiian theme wedding or vow renewal in our Island Gift Shop we
offer decorations like this adorable Hawaiian Kissing Couple
Cake Top/S&P Shakers as well as lifelike silk leis and lifelike silk
decorations, macadamia nut treats, hula supplies, Hawaiian music and more bring authentic
touches of Hawaii to your celebration! Quick Links to items in our Island Gift Shop for your
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This web site filled with FREE Hawaii theme information and resources is sponsored by our online Island Gift Shop at www.alohafriendsshop.com where you can enjoy or share treasures from Hawaii anytime and add authentic touches of Hawaii to your celebration. If you enjoy or web site and find the information useful please support our site by buying something from our online Island Gift Shop!
Disclaimer : This page was created by and is maintained by Mike & Kim Crinella. All information, graphics, and photos contained in this web site are property of Mike & Kim Crinella. If you would like to contact us with questions, orders, or to notify us of any problems while navigating through our site please email us at islandfriends@aol.com
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