Author |
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Fabnsab
Member
08-07-2000
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 2:06 am
Hi all, I am throwing a luau for my husbands graduation party. He is nearly through with law school, FINALLY! It has taken him a total of 6 years to finish. It was one of those "if it can go wrong, it will" situations for us. And so many people supported him through it all. We just want to go all out and throw a big party for everyone to celebrate. We wanted it outdoors but the end of May in Ohio is very unpredictable. We can still do it indoors quite nicely, I think. We have a few spaces in mind- typical party rooms with banquet tables, chairs, and four empty walls. Anyone have any menu, game, or decorating ideas for me? Here's some facts... there will be about 50-70ppl there. Alot of them older(50+) and many of them sticks in the mud( i mean that in the nicest way). There won't be hardly any children at all. My best friend and I are doing all the cooking. We can go the grill way or the chafing dish way. It will depend on the menu, I think. There won't be any alcohol. We're going to have a smoothie bar instead. I would like a hula dancer performance but Ohio doesn't seem to be the mecca for Polynesion revues so I may be out of luck with that one. Ok, bring on the brilliant ideas! I can't wait to read what you guys come up with. There have to be some luau veterans out there! Thanks in advance!! Aloha BTW, heres a cute site. I thought to make every guest a name tag with their hawaiian name on it. Hubby says its a little corny, but I think the cuteness overrrides the corny-ness. http://www.hisurf.com/hawaiian/names.html
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Maris
Member
03-28-2002
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 5:18 am
This is a great place for ideas and also to get supplies for parties: http://www.party411.com/theme28.html you can get inexpensive supplies at this site. Make lei's for all the women (very easy to make). Decorate the tables with grass skirts. Dancing? The limbo of course.
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Maris
Member
03-28-2002
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 5:28 am
great wholesale place to buy party favors and supplies: http://www.partysecret.com/luausupplies.shtml
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Resortgirl
Member
09-23-2000
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 6:04 am
We did a luau once and got all of our stuff from Oriental Trading company. It was really cheap! clickhere
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 6:19 am
Oriental Trading Co is great!!!!
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Pcakes2
Member
08-29-2001
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 8:19 am
Their is an equivalent to Oriental Trading on the East Coast, so shipping would be less expensive...as soon as I can remember the name, I will post it.
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Mak1
Member
08-12-2002
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 9:23 am
Stumps can give you a lot of ideas, too. You can order a catalog, or order products directly from their website. Here's their luau collection: Shindigz by Stumps
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Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 11:31 am
I would check out Oriental Trading too. There is also LUAU PARTY SUPPLIES How to Throw a Luau Bring a taste of the islands to your backyard by throwing your own luau. It's not as difficult as you might think. Steps: 1. Hold your luau outdoors. 2. Set up a few tiki lamps and citronella candles around your yard to brighten your event and ward off insects. 3. Play Hawaiian music on your stereo to set the mood. 4. Greet your guests with shell or flower leis. Shell and synthetic flower leis are inexpensive and can be purchased at most party supply stores. Though a bit costlier, real flower leis are quite simple to make and add elegance as well as authenticity to your luau. 5. Serve a traditional luau menu, including kalua pig, chicken long rice, lomi lomi salmon and haupia. (See Related eHows for recipes.) Try your hand at making poi, or pounded taro root, if you want to be adventurous. 6. Make tropical drinks, such as mai tais, pina coladas and daiquiris. (You can make them non-alcoholic) 7. Set up a single large table for your entrees, and decorate it with centerpieces of coconuts and tropical flowers. Serve the entrees buffet-style. 8. Use paper plates and plastic flatware, and encourage your guests to eat with their hands. Luaus are incredibly casual affairs. 9. Place large grass mats on the ground and encourage your guests to sit on them. Tips: Let your guests know well in advance that your party is a luau so that they may dress appropriately in grass skirts or Hawaiian shirts. 5 tips from eHow users: 1. My tip would be to go to oldhawaii.com's luau pages http://oldhawaii.com/luau and follow the dozens of pages filled with luau tips, recipes, hula stuff and a ton of other stuff! 2. If you really want to go all out on your luau, then do what I did: Create your very own tiki-hut by buying some bamboo poles and palm thatching! It looks great indoors and outdoors. 3. For my birthday, I hired a professional hula instructor to come to my house and give my guests a lesson. It was a hit and all the guests, including myself, enjoyed it more than anything! 4. I threw my first luau and as my guests came in I put out a table with name tags with my guests' names on them - but not just any names, their Hawaiian names. I looked up all my guests' names on the Internet! 5. I bought a screened gazebo and served food on a buffet table inside it; outside, built a bonfire along with tiki torches and citronella. Made for great ambience and all of my guests loved it! Oldhawaii.com has great recipes - try the coconut shrimp. EHOW-HOW TO THROW A LUAU HOW TO COOK A KALUA PIG As far as games go: 1. Limbo rock contest 2. Charades or name that song (Don Ho music) 3. Plan a mystery murder 4. Have everyone make leis
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Halfunit
Member
09-02-2001
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 11:42 am
Pearly Shells Polynesian Revue Cleveland (216) 371-8583 Margie's Hula Halau Cleveland (216) 451-3841 Sisters of the Islands Chesterland (440) 729-0306 I agree with those that have suggested Oriental Trading! I use them for Halloween stuff. Sign up for one of their catalogs to be mailed to you.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 2:07 pm
I love a party where I can get lei-d.
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Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 2:27 pm
LEIS FOR PAMY LUAU PARTY PLANNER CHECKLIST (this has lots of games listed too)
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Fabnsab
Member
08-07-2000
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 2:58 pm
Thanks all! What great sites! I am going to go and price compare now. I can't wait till tomorrow to call those numbers, Halfunit. Thanks so much! Even though my motherinlaw said a hula dancer was inappropriate. Of course she told hubby that and not me. Does she think the girl is going to strip or something!!?? As you can see, there won't be any "getting lei-d" puns at this party...LOL Keep em coming!
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Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 3:57 pm
Tell her a luau without a hula dancer is like a wedding without the bride! OK, I am keeping them coming. Can you tell I always wanted to plan a luau? MORE PARTY DECORATIONS There actually is a Lethal Luau Murder Mystery Party Game. Too bad it is only for a maximum of 8 players.
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Seamonkey
Member
09-07-2000
| Sunday, January 30, 2005 - 11:08 pm
Here's a store we have locally (but may be elsewhere.. well it is HQd in Honolulu Hilo Hattie
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