• Capture the feeling of the tropics at your luau party.tiki on the beach image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
  
  Even if you live far from the beaches of Hawaii, you can still capture that tropical spirit in your party by throwing a luau party. This engaging party concept allows guests to imagine themselves on the soft, sandy beaches under the white Hawaiian moonlight as they mix and mingle with their friends. To turn your simple party into a luau extravaganza, you need only a few simple and inexpensive supplies.
  
  

Hawaiian Clothing

• Party guests at a luau party must look the part. Encourage guests to come in Hawaiian attire, donning their best floral shirt and grass skirt. A courageous few may even try a coconut bra. Add to their attire by providing your guests with leas as they enter the event. Bestow the lay upon them in typical Hawaiian fashion by asking them to bow their heads and placing it on their neck.
  
  

Coconut Cups and Drink Umbrellas

• Any drink tastes better when sipped from a festive coconut or topped with a colorful umbrella. Purchase plastic cups shaped like coconut shells, and disposable umbrellas to add excitement to your party beverages.
  
  

Tiki Bar

• Serve your beverages from a Tiki bar by buying or building one of these luau standards. Purchase Tiki bars pre-built from a party supply store or craft your own by covering a pre-existing bar with brown grass and green palms. Use extra grass skirts to dress up your bar without breaking the bank.
  
  

Tiki Torches

• Light up your event with tiki torches. These traditional beach-party light fixtures can be purchased during the summer months from many hardware or department stores. Stick these lights into the ground, fill them with the requisite lighter fluid and light the wick. Make sure to keep these lights well away from the party area or dance floor, as you don't want to risk a guest's lea or grass skirt going up in flames.
  
  

Thatched Umbrellas

• If all or part of your party will take place while the sun is still up, provide your guests with some shade by placing thatched umbrellas around the party areas. These shade producers feature the same brown grass that adorns grass skirts and tiki bars. Purchase a thatched umbrella ready-made, or create your own by wrapping grass skirts or other brown grass pieces around an existing outdoor umbrella.
  
  

Beach Balls

• Provide your guests with an enjoyable diversion by buying and blowing up some beach balls. Before guests arrive, place an assortment of these brightly colored balls on your dance floor. As guests start to sway to the music, these balls will take flight and add excitement to your party.
  
  

Limbo Set

• Limbo is a luau standard. Use an old broom stick or thick dowel to create your limbo bar, and invite party guests to "get down" as they compete against others in the flexibility challenge.