Luau Tips

Special touches of Aloha turn a good luau into an amazing luau! Below are tips and suggestions to easily create an amazing luau or Hawaii themed 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. In Hawaii luaus are held for occasions like birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, bridal & baby showers, rehearsal dinners, weddings receptions, family reunions, class reunions, office parties, award banquets, etc. Having a Luau theme party allows anyone to enjoy a bit of Hawaii wherever they are.

The tips and ideas provided below and within this website make it easy to create a fun authentic Hawaiian luau anywhere anytime!

Send Hawaii Theme Invitations
to Your Luau Guests

You can easily create your own luau invitations using your home computer and printer. There are many free to use fonts and graphics available online to download. You can also add touches of Hawaii to professionally printed invitations if you are not the creative type. Incorporate popular words and phrases as well as translate the guest(s) of honor first names into Hawaiian and address the invitation to include the invited guest’s name into Hawaiian!
Click here to view Luau invitations on Amazon.
Click here to review a resource of popular Hawaiian words and phrase.
Click here to review a resource of first names translated into Hawaiian.

Encourage Your Luau Guests to Wear Hawaiian Attire

Hawaii attire is very popular and many people have a Hawaiian shirt or dress in their wardrobe, especially those who have visited Hawaii. Since Hawaiian attire is popular many stores offer it. Thrift stores are also a great resource for Aloha attire.
Click here to view Hawaiian attire on Amazon.

The Guest(s) of Honor Should Wear A Lei

In the Hawaiian culture a lei is a garland typically made of real flowers, silk flowers, nuts, shells, leaves, or feathers. Leis can be worn around the neck, head, wrist, and ankles. A lei is a great way to 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 recommended as a nice economical alternative to fresh leis which require expensive express shipping and special packaging because they are perishable. There are now many lifelike looking silk leis which will look amazing for the entire event and not fade like fresh leis, they also make a great keepsake from the special celebration!

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/boys dress in Hawaii attire or as hula girls/boys and greet each guest as they arrive with a lei. Silk leis or shell leis are the most economical options when you plan to adorn a number of people in leis and make great keepsakes from the luau.

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 and will not wilt or turn brown in the sun. They can also be used to decorate buffet displays, dining tables, the bar, lawns, and dance floor. Combine the loose blooms with items like hula wigglers, tropical wooden bowls with macadamia nuts and pineapple hard candy, Hawaii theme guest book, or fresh pineapples to create festive table centerpieces and guest book table decorations. 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.

Create Tropical Table Centerpieces

Easily create tropical centerpieces for your luau using items like dashboard hula wigglers, fresh pineapples, lifelike silk plumeria blooms, tropical wooden bowls with macadamia nuts and pineapple hard candy, candles in real bamboo or coconut shells, and leis with real flowers, silk flowers, nuts, shells, leaves. They really set the Hawaii mood and then you can give items like fresh pineapples and dashboard hula wigglers away as game or door prizes to your guests at the end of the luau.

Use Strands of Flowers to Decorate

Strands of flowers are the easiest way to add a tropical touch to arches, line the isle, decorate fences and table skirts. wrap around trees, bushes, stair railings and more.
Silk flower strands will be the most durable in outdoor or warm settings so they don’t wilt or brown and look beautiful for your entire event. After your celebration is over you can reuse the silk flower strands as beautiful Christmas tree garland and a wonderful keepsake from your special celebration!

Circle of Flowers

In Hawaii a circle of flowers is used to mark a special place, like where a wedding couple will exchange vows or where someone important will be standing when making a speech. For a luau a circle of flowers is ideal for marking the area announcements will be made from, creating an extra special atmosphere around the person of honor, or a photo location for guests to capture festive memories from the celebration.

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 below remove the fuel holder and put the fresh or silk flower stems in it’s place. Orchid sprays, fresh tropical flowers, or artificial tropical flowers are great for tiki torch flower displays. Silk leis are ideal for attaching 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.

Have Candles in Real Coconut Shell or Bamboo on the Tables

For evening luaus candles in real bamboo or coconut shells are great to place on the tables and fill the air with the fragrance of Hawaii.

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. You can also write the names on Aloha my name is name tags. Click here for phonetic translations of first names into Hawaiian.

Hawaii Flower Behind the Ear Tradition

Have lifelike silk plumeria or fresh orchid 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.

Use Fun Items for Food and Beverage Presentation

Use tiki’s and tiki torches on the buffet tables and around venue.

Hawaii themed fairy lights add a fun fantasy atmosphere and come in orchids, plumerias, pineapples, flip flops, and tiki.

Lifelike silk potted palm trees and lighted palm trees can easily transform a reception hall or backyard into a tropical Hawaiian retreat.

Have Hawaii theme place markers at tables to let guests know where to sit.

Use grass skirts, loose silk or fresh blooms, silk tropical leaves and ti leaves, and silk leis to decorate the tables.

Create tropical fruit and cheese kabobs and serve them poked into a fresh pineapple.

Use beach pail and sand toys as serving dishes and bowls to hold foods. Use kiddie pool filled with ice to chill beverages. Serve drinks in tiki mugs or coconut cups.

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. I 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 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.

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.

Serve Tropical Fruits

Serve tropical fruits found in Hawaii like pineapples, papaya, mango, oranges, bananas, coconuts, lychee, dragon fruit, soursop, guava, passion fruit and any other exotic tropical fruits you can acquire. Some of your luau guests may have never seen or tasted some of these fruits and you can provide a unique experience by offering samples of these exotic fruits.

Add in some other fruits like kiwi, strawberries, and grapes to create things like fruit salad or fruit skewers. Fruit also be grilled, served with ice cream or chocolate sauce, or just enjoyed in it’s natural state! Papaya, pineapple, and mango each can be used to create yummy salsas as well!

Pineapples and papayas are an excellent side to serve at any luau because they both have have enzymes that aides in digestion. When picking a pineapple out at the grocery store they should be yellow in color and give off a sweet smell. Pineapples do not ripen any further once they are picked so be sure it is ripe and smells sweet! Sometimes pineapple can be a bit too acidic and may actually burn the lips and mouth. If your pineapple is too acidic sprinkle it with salt to counter act it and bring out the sweetness!

Decorate the Luau Cake With a Hawaii Flare

It is easy to turn a simple cake into a tropical cake by adding:
*fresh orchids,silk plumeria blooms, or fresh tropical flowers
*gum paste orchids, hibiscus, and/or plumeria blooms
* edible plumeria and other wafer paper flowers
* sugar surfboards
* Hawaii theme cake decorations
* use Hawaii theme cake knife and server
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 popular luau cake recipes.

Serenade Your Luau Guests with Hawaiian Music

There are several options to add Hawaiian music to your luau and many different styles of Hawaiian music to choose from!
*Hawaiian bands are located all over the USA and you can hire a band to play live for your guests. Google “Hawaiian band” + the name of your town or state to locate them.
*Play cds of Hawaiian music or download Hawaiian music.
*Stream a Hawaiian radio station for music on your computer or smart phone.
Click here to review Hawaiian radio stations you can listen to on your computer.

Teach Your Guests to Hula & Hold a Hula Contest

Hula is how ancient Hawaiians documented their history and shared it with others. It not only is dancing but story telling. Hula dancing is now popular all over the world! You can hire a hula dancer to come to dance for your guests and even teach them a few hula moves! Google “hula” + the name of your town or state to locate them.
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 on our website. Click here to view information on basic hula moves.

Have Your Luau Guests Make A Lei

A lei is a garland of flowers and is most commonly worn around the neck but can also be worn around the head, wrist and ankles. It is not difficult create basic leis using tropical flowers, like orchids, or using flowers more common to where you live like carnations, rosebuds, bozu, daisies, etc. Silk flowers can also be used! Leis are fun to create and making them will be a memorable experience for your guests.
Click here for our instructions on how to create basic flower leis.

Hire a Fire Knife Dancer to Perform

Fire knife dancing is a popular at commercial luau’s in Hawaii however, it is not actually a Hawaiian tradition, it is Samoan. But it is spectacular to see and a fun event for any luau! There are fire knife dancers located all over the world and you can hire one to perform at your luau. Google “fire knife dancer” + the name of your town or state to locate them.

Offer Props and Fun Backgrounds for Fun Memorable Luau Photos

A fun way to get luau guests in the mood is to put on Hawaiian music, props, and a fun background to get them acting a bit silly and take photos to remember the luau! Some popular props are hula skirts, coconut bra, bikini tops, old fashion bathing suits, snorkel mask and flippers, silk leis, stuffed tropical birds, tiki mugs, ukulele, etc. You can make backdrops and props out of cardboard like surfboards, tikis, sharks, tropical fish, pineapples, etc. There are companies that can be hired for parties that have props and a photo booth or you can create the experience yourself. Don’t forget to take a group photo!

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!

Have a Hawaii Theme Guest book for Luau Guests to Sign

Set up a guest book table with a Hawaii theme guest book. Have your guests 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 guest book 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.
You can create a festive guest book table by using a Hawaii theme guest book, dashboard hula wigglers, fresh pineapples, fresh loose orchids, lifelike silk plumeria blooms, tropical wooden bowls with macadamia nuts and pineapple hard candy, candles in real bamboo or coconut shells, and silk, kukui nut or shell leis.

My Amazon Picks

Advanced Graphics Hawaiians with Ukelele Stand-in Life Size Cardboard…

happy deals Adult Size TAN Grass Hula Skirt with Coconut Bra – 34″ Flower Trim Waist Luau

“This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com”