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How to Throw a Tropical Party    

How to Throw a Tropical Party

How to Throw a Tropical Party

Fire up the tiki torches and get ready for some island fun! While outdoor spaces such as pool patios and backyards make excellent venues for a tropical party, it's also possible to throw a lush and lovely event indoors. By setting the scene with some key ideas, you can transform any space into the ideal venue for a beachy bash. It's easy to throw a memorably stylish themed event with these tropical party ideas from Pottery Barn.

Destination Decor

Think tiki chic for your tropical party decorations – a balance of elegance and fun that captures the island spirit with high-fashion flair. Whether you're throwing your party indoors or out, garlands are a fantastic decorative accessory. Craft an illuminated tropical garland with a strand of string lights fit with colorful paper lanterns. To enhance the theme, cover the cord between the lanterns with thatch and use palm fronds and decorative paper fruit cut-outs as additional hanging ornamentations. Palm fronds and artistic paper fruits – like bananas, coconuts, mangoes, pineapples and oranges – make excellent backdrop materials too; simply string them from fishing line and tie to a bamboo pole to make hanging tropical decor for walls, windows and doorways.

Beachside Refreshments

Serve up some classic tiki cocktails and other fruity refreshments. You can even make your water service festive by presenting guests with a drink dispenser filled with ginger- and pineapple-infused water. Fill the dispenser about halfway full with water, then add a mixture of crushed ice, sliced ginger and frozen pineapple chunks. Your cocktail menu might focus on simple tropical staples like mai tais, which you can make in batches and serve up in pitchers or a drink dispenser.
Follow these proportions to mix up 10 mai tais:
2 cups light rum
2 cups spiced rum
1 cup coconut rum
2 cups fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup grenadine
1/2 cup lime juice
Add all the ingredients to a large pitcher or punch bowl and stir, then add ice and serve. Garnish the pitcher with slices of tropical fruit and an orchid blossom.

Amazing Island Delicacies

Hawaiian pupu platters are a great choice for tropical party food. They're delicious and versatile, and you can serve up a variety of dishes to accommodate a range of different tastes and dietary preferences among your guests. Hawaiian pupus showcase the islands' deep connection to Asian cuisine and include everything from sushi and tempura veggies to tuna poke and vegan vegetable samosas. Focus on items like coconut shrimp with citrus-teriyaki dipping sauce or grilled pineapple and Maui sweet onion skewers to really highlight the island theme.

Flowering Festivities

Faux flower leis are gorgeous at a tropical party, and you can take your party ambience to the next level by offering wearable crowns, bracelets and necklaces made of real blooms. Your local florist can provide you with a large volume of stemmed orchid blossoms, which you can then string into wearable accessories using a simple needle and thread. Your florist will also likely be willing to craft the leis for you to help with party prep.