Pull Off a Hawaiian Luau Wedding Reception Anywhere — With Ease
The Hawaiian word luau (pronounce loo'-ow) means a feast. For the people who live in the Hawaiian Islands, a luau is a gathering of family and friends to enjoy savory food, close company and great times.
Because the atmosphere at a luau is about hanging loose — and less stuffy than the usual traditional, formal reception — guests and the wedding couple tend to be more relaxed from the start. And that allows everyone to enjoy themselves to the hilt. Plus, with a little creative styling, you can turn any backyard or banquet hall into a virtual destination wedding!
The Secret of a Successful Backyard Bash
Really encourage your guests to wear aloha attire. This lets them know they can show up in the Aloha spirit instead of the usual Formal Wedding Mood, plus it adds a ton to your reception's island atmosphere.Then, one of most cost-effective way to add a convincing touch of the tropics is to decorate liberally with fresh, loose flowers. It's amazing what a change in atmosphere a few fresh orchids here and there can manage ... or try the loose blooms of asiatic or gloriosa lilies, pincushion proteas or hibiscus.
Use these exotic florals to lend a Hawaiian touch to your wedding cake, catered plates, bar drinks, table tops, grassy areas, and float-in-water features.
You can even encourage guests to pick up a loose orchid and tuck it in a buttonhole or behind their ear. By the way, in Hawaii, wearing a flower behind an ear is a message with a specific meaning: behind the left ear means you're taken; behind the right means you're available.
Atmospheric Attraction
How much Hawaiiana your reception should hold is up your personal preference ... and budget. Here are some more ways to bring the islands to your backyard or ballroom:Dress Up Your Guests. Have a few game children dressed in hula outfits greet your guests with armfuls of silk or shell leis (or ti leaf leis for the men).
Razzle-Dazzle 'Em. Hire a live Hawaiian band, and book a troupe of hula dancers ... or even fire dancers ... for a guaranteed high point your guests will buzz about for weeks afterward. Then, bring the fun to the floor by hiring a professional hula instructor to give a basic lesson. Encourage guests even more by offering a fresh floral lei to the first six people on the dance floor.
Virtual Vacation. Set up a sweet tropical scene and a snapper with an instant Polaroid camera, so guests can take a keepsake photo and place it in your guest book.
Tropical Trivia. Translate your guests' names into Hawaiian, and put the intriguing results on their place cards. Then, scatter a few cards on each table containing Hawaiian words and their English meanings, or fun Hawaii-related facts. They'll serve to entertain your guests, give them a conversational starter and teach them a bit about the islands.
Living Beauty. Use whole fresh pineapples and loose orchid blooms to add punch to your centerpieces. Eye-pleasing offerings like fruit kebabs serve both as refreshment and decor. Simple piles of black river stones look stunning next to a white or purple orchid bloom or an asian stargazer lily. And tiki torches are an inexpensive, must-have frame for any tropical setting.
Still, even if your budget's tight, don't be afraid to improvise. For example, you could always play Hawaiian CDs instead of booking a live band. And you could always a special friend (or bridesmaid!) to rent a Learn to Hula DVD and teach the results to adventurous guests. Just keep in mind it's your special day, so focus on whatever appeals to you.
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I am the volunteer coordinator at a nursing home and we are planning our annual volunteer banquet in Sept and want to do a luau any ideas
meagan,
check walmart for summer luau decor, they should be marking it down. leis for everyone. also look at saveoncrafts.com they have a ton of very inexpensive stuff.
here are some planning links:
*how to plan a luau
*luau theme party
*luau theme
Can you help me find some kind of stamp were you can put metalic names on black river stones? I saw one I loved the name of the guest was “coleen” and it was on http://www.theknot.com and it was a couple named Cerena and Brian who got married in Stroudsburg Pennsylvania at a place called the “stroudsmoor country inn” . If you are wondering why I am telling you all this..it’s because there are pictures on http://www.theknot.com if you put in this infromation so you can see the final product of what I am looking to do :) THANKS SO MUCH
-Tara 
tara, unfortunatle i am not much help. it appears to be a custom stamp. any print or craft store should have what your looking for.
I am getting married in the Dominican Republica and then coming back to the states to have a reception. I would like to have a tropical theme with a limited budget, I need ideas. It would be such a great help .. Thank you
Hi Neal, I’m sure you have lots of planning done now, but here are a few more ideas for you!
First, a board full of some inexpensive ideas (see pic). Not sure how formal you wanted, but the first photo is a great way to decorate elegantly but simply. Check out this larger pic for a better look. You see there are some real blooms there, which looks classy, but not many. The fake orchid bracelets are cute on the napkins. Inexpensive sand, shells and jars extend the centerpiece and painted wooden table numbers with the ribbons & shells are sweet and jazzy. This is a really great creation.
If you don’t mind getting a little more “festive” get some tan grass table skirting for the head table or banquet tables, this comes in 9 foot lengths. You don’t have to top it with cheesy fake flowers, again use monstera leaves or palm fronds with a few real florals and fresh pineapples.
If your friends/family will get into the fun ask them to dress “cabana” and maybe get some inexpensive silk hibiscus hair combs, have a cute child hand them out from a pretty basket. No woman fails to feel festive with a flower in her hair.
Hopefully some of the other pics provide inspiration. If you have a friend who’s good at pumpkin carving, some of those watermelons would set the mood. How about tiered hibiscus cupcakes instead of a cake? Pineapples can make great CPs on top of monstera leaves or tatami mats.
Glowing paper lanterns are BIG drama and so cost-effective! Large colorful paper parasols can also be hung upside down, even lit with twinkle lights, or used to line a path. It’s easy to dress up tiki torches and make them look custom and chic. Use organza ribbon, then tie on flowers, huge shells, starfish. Use cocktail umbrellas generously! You could tuck them into truffles or citrus fruit halves and attach a small name card.
Finally, line up lots of exotic looking punch, really jazz this up with creative flavors and bright colors in martha stewart big glass jars. Make blue lemonade for the kids. Slice up fresh fruit to put in the punch and use fresh springs of mint.
Finally, the big guns (ambiance)! With a budget you can rent palm trees, fabulous. But even without, you can “make” palm trees by attaching fronds (real or fake) to poles. Light them up with twinkle lights. Or if you are a great gardener, buy some hibiscus plants ahead of time. They can really grow into monsters with a green thumb! Great for the corners of the room, again light them with twinkle lights for an evening wedding.
Oh, and one last idea: DIY network has a GREAT how-to on creating your own cymbidium orchid bouquets. If you are adventurous this will show you just how to do it and have a VERY high-end bouquet for scads less!
Is there any way I could get bigger pix of that collage? I need it to be be bigger so we can see more detail. Thank you!
Heidi try clicking on the collage, then click on it again, you should see a magnifying glass icon appear over the pic. With the second click it should open up pretty large … hth!
These are absolutely wonderful ideas for a tropical theme wedding! My fiance and I want to go to Hawaii to get married but would also like to celebrate once with return for family and friends who may not be able to join us. I will surely use these in planning. Thank you Dawn P.
I just got engaged Sat and we’re getting married the end of Jul (this year)…I am having a very simple outdoor wedding with a (luau type) reception. I can’t spend a whole lot. I still want it to be very “tasteful” at the same time. With getting started on ideas, I’m struggling. I want flowers everywhere!! In my flowergirl’s hair, my hair. I just need help in getting started. I would love to run off and get married but can’t !!1 Help, I want it to be FUN, unique, and memorable for EVERYONE!!!!
Order decorations fom oriental trading company they are very reasonable and quite beautiful. wal-mart has live hibiscus plants that are beautiful.