Luau Surprise -30yr- Swim Suits & Neon Paint

Surprise 30th luau Party " Adults Only"  My sister Tammie is Turning 30 this August 2002 and I could not be happier about this. She is the baby of the family next to our own kids. So this is what I am doing for her. I have chosen colors of Tangerine and Lime Green and Hot pink for her table covers and place settings. I am having it catered complete with "The Margarita Man" and a really cool band. Her party will be at my home by the pool "LUAU ATTIRE A  MUST".

I have rented round tables and chairs (because I think they look more grown up) every other table will be different colors. We will be lighting up the trees with white twinkle lights but the fun is all in the decorations. Since my part time job is a balloon decorator. I have decided to do a canopy of glow in the dark balloons over the tables (black lights are needed to make them glow) that later will be used for a balloon release. I was really stuck on centerpieces. so here is a cheep way to decorate.

I am having some of my trees cut down in the back yard. So I have them cutting them into foot long pieces for me,  my husband will drill wholes down the center of them. So they are standing straight up once the wholes are drilled in I will take fresh flowers and arrange them in the wood for centerpieces. I also am having my husband take some of the wood and drill it very thinly so that I can take stencils of palm trees and etch them into the wood so that I can drop candles down them for a more elegant look for the food tables.. Each guest will have assigned seating so I have place cards with their names in Hawaiian and English.

The fun part about the whole evening is the cake. I wanted something very different. So I have chosen to not have a traditional large cake but to have each guest have their own cake (about the size of your hand like a miniature wedding cake) they will be frosted with Tangerine, lime green and Hot pink frosting with very tropical flowers. When it is time to serve the cakes and sing the big Birthday song. The lights will dim and every guest will be receiving sparklers that they will light themselves with the candles on the table. As we all sing the Happy birthday song and the sparklers are glowing. I have hired 3 of the teenage girls from our block to come out with these cakes handing them out to everyone. As soon as she blows out the candles my husband and father will light off 4 sky rockets (this worked out great since 4th of July was yesterday. 

We have decided to not play games but rather to hire a company that comes in (since we will all be in swim suits) they bring neon paint and black lights for all to enjoy. (we can rub it all over each other. I have also decided that I did not want to have the 30ish gag gifts for her so I have put on the invitation that their presence is gift enough but if they feel so inclined to give a money tree would be there to send her to a day spa for her actual birthday. I am having a florist come in and float fresh flowers in my pool and drape my patio cover with tropical fresh flowers and Banana leaves. Every guest will receive fresh flower lei's..

Then the ladies will all give my sister a rub down with fresh water that has fragrant flower petals in it to relax her and make her smell tropical as they rub the water on her they give good wishes for a bright year to come. I have had the florist make a special head piece for her and lei. I  have hired a photographer and video photographer to follow us threw the whole event.

Oh, as party favors my husband and I have been collecting pictures of her from the family. We have put a sort of magazine together Calling it "Tammie" It has a gorgeous 8x10 picture of her on the front with titles of what to expect inside.  We put pictures of her as a baby, and accomplishment in her life. Pictures of graduation, prom with her hubby, her wedding, her holding all her children for the first time. Etc. each picture had the date and a small article about the event. The back page we have asked each of her family including her kids and niece and nephews to write something special about her. And has a picture of each kids or relative who wrote it It’s a tear jerker.  My husband did a wonderful job on this.

I have to admit this party has been very costly. But she is so well worth it. The centerpieces were the less expensive since the logs will be free. We will be sending out at the end of this month 122 invites… I cant wait.