This past weekend I hosted a tropical moving away party for one of my best friends I.  After countless hours of browsing on Pinterest, I came up with a plethora of tropical party ideas, ranging from decor to finger foods to bar setups. I wanted the overall ambiance to embody a tropical glam feel. Below I have highlighted some of the DIYs & party treats that were a part of our upscale luau…any of these sassy, creative & chic ideas can be utilized for outdoor gatherings & parties all season long. Check out my photos below to gain some inspo for your next shindig:

a sassy tropical invitation was a must…check out paperlesspost.com for free online customized party cards I spray painted pineapples metallic gold & white to use as decor (alongside candles & tropical oversized greenery) to amp up the glam feeland of course no tropical party is complete without a beautiful bird of paradise flower arrangement…

I utilized bright pops of color in throw pillows & my porch decor to tie together with the theme…

BAR & DRINKS //

I served a tropical rendition of my favorite island sip, the Painkiller (coconut milk & passion fruit juice). I found the cutest rock candy sticks to use as sassy swizzle sticks alongside my tropical concoction! Fun coral cups & aqua napkins tied my bar cart all together (note: it was breezy outside so I used a brown coconut as a weight to hold my napkins down..eeek the cuteness is killing me!)  I also served a tub filled with coconut waters on ice for my guests to stay hydrated the tropical way. 

last but not least, the icing on the cake for my alcoholic “beverage”selection–the cutest damn jello shots EVER. I’m completely obsessed with these (thank you Pinterest). I simply halved a lime, & carved out the inner pulp so the perfect cup-shaped lime shell remained. I then mixed watermelon jell-O with passion fruit rum & poured the mixture into the hollowed out lime shells. I let the Jell-O set for 4 hours–& out came the cutest little baby watermelon shots!! I added a sprinkle of sesame seeds (you can’t taste them at all) on top to give the effect of watermelon seeds. I also surprised my guests with tropical goody bags-filled with a small can of pineapple juice, a baby shot of Malibu coconut rum & a baby shot of regular rum. The perfect party favor filled with island flavors. & don’t forget the Hawaiian paper umbrellas!! 

SNACKS & NIBBLES //

I served a pineapple shaped cheese ball-such a hit. I used my normal cheese ball recipe and shaped it into a pineapple. I layered whole pecans around the top of the cheese ball to mimic a pineapple pattern. Lastly, I stuck the leaf part of a fresh pineapple onto the top of the cheese ball for the complete look. So cute & so easy!I also had individual cups of tropical trail mix-macadamia nuts, peanuts, white chocolate chips, cashews & dried banana chips. I served fresh Thai basil rolls with peanut dipping sauce (one of my guilty pleasures. Also served cold so that makes it a perfect party app) Lastly, I served assorted fruit kebabs & chocolate covered banana bites!