It’s Tiki Time: How to Host a Luau Party

Aloha! If you’re looking for ways to host a luau party or Hawaiian-themed bash, you’re in the right place. A luau party is one of the most fun — and delicious! — events you can host. With tasty foods, gorgeous floral leis, and shady palm trees, this party theme has everything you need for a fun and memorable event.

Here, we’ll offer tips for planning your luau party. You’ll find ideas from traditional food to party decor to stunning invites that will have your guests eagerly awaiting the big day. After all, it’s tiki time!

Luau Party Decor

There’s nothing quite as fun as decorating for a theme party. If you’re hosting a tiki party or a Hawaiian luau event, decorating is key to setting the mood. Luau party decor includes fun elements like flamingos, palm trees, tiki torches, and floral leis. Start by deciding where and how you want to host your luau party. You can make this theme work for a birthday pool party, backyard wedding reception, bridal shower BBQ, or sweet baby shower event.

Once you’ve decided what type of tropical luau party you’re hosting, it’s time to start decorating. For a pool party, beach balls, flamingo floaties, and inflatable palm trees all add to the atmosphere. Tropical flowers and tropical leaves transport guests to an exotic locale, making your event feel like an escape. For a fancier shindig or evening soirée, you can add string lights and paper lanterns to create an inviting setting.

Other luau party decorations include seashells and surfboards. Look for table covers that feature tropical elements like palm trees or flowers from Hawaii. Dot the table with seashells and starfish decor for a beachy vibe. You can even use a surfboard as a table by propping it up on two small end tables. Alternatively, a surfboard makes a great prop if you’re having a photo booth.

Say aloha to each guest at the door with a flower lei to make them feel like they’re really on the island. Use leis made of real flowers if you’re hosting an upscale event or stick to faux silk versions for a more casual (and affordable) option. 

You can also get guests in on the fun by setting a dress code. Encourage guests to sport their best Hawaiian shirt or vacation attire. Hula skirts, grass skirts, and flip-flops are perfect for tropical parties. Floral dresses and brightly colored suits are a great way for guests to get in the spirit of a more formal luau event. Not only is dressing up fun but the themed attire also makes party games like the limbo even more memorable.

Luau Party Food

Whether you’re roasting a full pig in an in-ground pit or keeping things lighter, having themed food is key to pulling off this type of event. Fortunately, planning a delicious luau meal doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking.

Traditionally, luaus include foods like poke (a raw fish dish), poi (a starchy paste made from taro), and haupia (a sweet coconut dessert). The meal typically centers around a Kalua pig, which is a pig roasted in an underground oven. If you don’t have an underground oven in your backyard (who does?!), don’t sweat it. You can simply roast the pig in your home oven or skip it altogether and choose other tasty meats or a vegan menu. There are plenty of less traditional interpretations of luau food.

Greet guests with a light appetizer like fried pita crisps and tropical salsa with island favorites like mangoes and pineapple. You can also serve up grilled fruit skewers featuring pineapple and peaches.

For the main course, surf and turf hits the mark if you’re going for a fancy luau theme. Grilled shrimp is a great main dish, and a delicious complement for grilled pineapple. You can whip it up as part of a heartier rice dish or serve it on a skewer instead. Other main dish ideas include poke bowls and slow cooker pulled pork. For an afternoon event, you can stick to finger food like pulled pork sandwiches.

Serve your food on plates featuring hibiscus flowers or use real banana leaves and palm leaves to spice up your serving trays. Wooden tableware adds a natural touch, and bamboo options bring a touch of the Polynesian islands to your celebration. For a child’s birthday party, you can use napkins and paper plates featuring the beloved Polynesian character Moana. For an adult event, look for serving ware with flowers, bright colors, and other tropical elements.

You can also use diced pieces of fruit to adorn the trays and serving dishes. An uncut pineapple makes a perfect centerpiece, and a raffia skirt is ideal as a table skirt or decorative addition to a tiki bar.

Don’t forget the drinks! After all, a luau party just isn’t the same without a blended beverage topped with an umbrella. Some drink ideas include mai tais, daiquiris, and rum slushies. Serve drinks in coconut cups and garnish with fresh fruit.

Luau Party Invites

Once you know what type of event you’re hosting and who’s made the guest list, you can pick out stunning invitations to get guests excited about the big day. Whether you’re hosting a summer party or a luau party for a special event, there’s an invite for you. At Greenvelope, we offer a huge range of digital invitations. You’ll find everything from glamorous invites for weddings to casual invitations for summer BBQs. Here are some of our favorite luau party invites.

1. Dusky Leaves Invitation

Design: Claudia Owen

This leafy invite is perfect for engagement parties and bridal showers as well as casual birthday events. The tropical leaves are available in three vibrant color palettes to reflect the upbeat mood of the event. It’s the perfect way to invite guests to a tropical luau party or pool bash.

2. Luau Crown Invitation

Design: frau brandt (photo courtesy of Patrick Nied)

Hosting an event for someone special? Put them front and center with this luau crown photo invite. Great for birthday parties and graduations, it puts a floral focus on the honoree. The crown is completely adjustable so you can move it to fit your favorite photo.

3. Chromatic Palms Invitation

Design: Manu Torres

The splashy colors and tropical leaves on this luau invite say it all. This event is going to be full of fun and cheery vibes. Bold and playful, it’s perfect for luau events to celebrate birthday parties and wedding showers alike.

4. Aloha Waikiki Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

This retro invite creates a dreamy vision of the Hawaiian landscape. It features a surfboard framed by the setting sun and Hawaii’s famous coastline, creating the perfect snapshot of a relaxing retreat. Use it for all of your luau parties — from summer BBQs to upscale luau bridal showers.

5. It’s a Luau! Invitation

Design: Loree Mayer Design

Hibiscus, palm fronds, and monstera leaves adorn this brightly-colored luau invitation. It’s ideal for teen birthday parties or office get-togethers. Make it your own by customizing the font and color scheme.

6. Luau Stamp Invitation

Design: Lisa Travis

This tropical invite features eye-catching block-printed flowers and cheerful hand lettering. It’s the perfect way to gather friends and family for a day at the beach or to celebrate one of life’s special moments.

7. Flamingo Luau Invitation

Design: Jennifer Wick

This sweet invite features everything you need for a luau party: frolicking flamingos, swaying palm trees, and delightful pineapples. The delicate lettering and cute illustrations make it perfect for baby events as well as formal luau galas.

8. Luau Flowers Invitation

Design: Owl and Toad

Make a fabulous first impression with this vibrant luau party invite. The bright colors are sure to catch your guests’ eyes and pique their interest in your upcoming event. The playful lettering adds a hint of fun, and the bold text makes it easy to read all the vital details for the event.

Live It up at Your Dream Luau

Whether you’re looking for birthday party ideas or fun ways to celebrate a bachelorette, a luau is a great option. With these luau party ideas, you can transport guests to a tropical paradise for a day or night of fun, food, and relaxation. From luau party supplies like flamingos and palm trees to tasty treats like tropical salsa and grilled pineapple, you have everything you need to pull off a successful luau-themed party.

For incredible luau party invitations, browse our huge selection of invites to find the perfect one for your event. We carry a large range of invites for other types of parties, too. Whether you’re hosting an evening fundraising gala or a neighborhood BBQ, our blog offers tips on how to host theme parties and what to include in your invites.