Summer luau party ideas (including DIYs)

One of my favorite summer memories as a kid was when my church threw a huge luau for the community. It was pretty hardcore; we had authentic Hawaiian hula dancers and fire dancers, roasted a pig in the ground and learned how to make and swing poi balls. Some of the younger girls (ahem, including me) even led a pig processional in grass skirts and leis… of which I may or may not have pictures (of which I will NOT be sharing).

If you’re feeling the Hawaiian itch, you don’t have to go to these great lengths to have a killer luau of your own (although I am available to do a pig processional for a nominal fee). There are tons of great ideas on the interwebs to help you throw an awesome backyard luau.

First, you need an invite and some easy decor to jumpstart your party planning. I sell a customized printable luau invitation and printable luau decor package in my shop, both of which feature Hawaiian words and graphics and take care of the main planning and decorating for you. I think they’re pretty fun, but then, I am fairly biased.

The decor package is available for instant download and includes water bottle labels, food signs, “thank you” tags, and cupcake toppers. The invite has a 1-3 day turnaround time and can easily be printed on your home printer (or you can purchase printed versions and I will do the work for you).

To supplement the printables, here are some great DIY luau decoration ideas that will most definitely impress your guests:

Summer Luau Party DIY Decorations

1. Corrugated cardboard totem poles (via allyou.com)
2. Hawaiian Drink station with mason jars (via 110 Layer Cake)
3. Pineapple flower vase (via Brandy Burridge on Pinterest)
4. DIY flower lights (via Oh Happy Day)
5. Hawaiian grilled chicken (via The Girl Who Ate Everything)
6. DIY shark photo prop – this might take some art skills, but how cute the pictures would be! (via It’s the Life)
7. Hanging mason jar lights (via tatertotsandjello.com)