Create A Lush Setting 

Group your houseplants together to create a lush focal point for your Hawaiian Luau.  Buy a few silk tropical flowers to add for color and complete the tropical island effect. Add bamboo poles and real or silk bamboo foliage in a large urn to add height to your flourishing garden display.

Use your setting indoors or out to replace a seating area, fill an empty space, hide unsightly equipment, guide traffic, block access to off-limits areas, or as a backdrop behind the bar.

Invitations

Use evite to find more distinctive party invitations that will create excitement. Then use Facebook to send a follow-up of the details, otherwise your party invite is more likely to get lost in the Facebook clutter.  For a dinner party, a personal telephone call with a follow-up email of the details is recommended.

Tiki Party invitation link:  http://new.evite.com/#create:template=tikiparty&eventType=outdoor_fun&featured=no&page=1&position=1

Here is some Hawaiian Luau Tiki Party invitation wording to get you started:


More details on inviting guests at Cocktail Party Planning and Dinner Party Planning.

Personal attire

Set the tone by dressing in the spirit of your tropical island setting.  Not only does this reinforce your theme, but it also lightens the mood and makes your guests more comfortable. 

Furthermore, when you make this extra effort, your guests will want to get in on the fun by dressing up for your future parties. This is how your great parties will become more spectacular over time.

You can make it as dressy or casual as you want your party to be.  For a more refined look, wear a floral print sundress with a hibiscus in your hair or a Hawaiian shirt. If you want it to be more fun and "costumy", wear a grass skirt and coconut bra. 

Cocktail Glasses

I strongly recommend always using real glasses for cocktails, except outdoors. Glasses are inexpensive and a great investment for future parties, and if you cannot afford to buy them, rent them.  Tropical drinks are typically served in stemware, such as a hurricane or tulip glass. If these are not available, use a wine goblet or highball glass.

For an outdoor party, buy permanent plastic cups that look like glass. If you must go the disposable route, buy clear plastic cups.  On the other hand, if cost is not an issue, buy tiki or coconut cups for your Hawaiian Luau.

For a more exotic presentation, use a pineapple corkscrew to cut the meat out of fresh pineapples then use the shell to serve cocktails. You can find pineapple corkscrews with kitchen gadgets for $10-$15. Make them ahead and freeze them, but make sure they are warm enough to hold before serving to your guests.

Color 

Use your theme colors throughout your home.  Dig out everything you can find to create a green or natural background then accent with a splash of bright orange, red or pink, you will be amazed how much you can create without buying a thing.

Clear vases are another portable way to add color to a dull spot. Fill with water and add a brightly colored tropical flower. Or use blue food coloring to symbolize water and add the cooling effect of the ocean to the room.

Picture Frames 

Print out pictures of tropical flowers on green or natural backgrounds and put them out in your picture frames.  For a more playful look, use theme-related images such as, hula girls, tiki gods, and Elvis Presley from Blue Hawaii.

Flowers

Flowers are always a nice touch and are appropriate for any occasion.  Naturally, use tropical flowers when decorating for a Hawaiian Luau. Even a single stem can be quite dramatic with tropical flowers such as Ginger and Bird of Paradise.

Alternatively, buy a few stems of silk tropicals to add to your houseplants. Cut one of your silk leis and sprinkle the individual flowers in a few choice locations.

Bamboo

In addition, to pineapples and coconuts, bamboo is relatively inexpensive and easily attainable and so very Hawaiian Luau.  Buy long natural-color poles and mix with green poles with leaves. You can also find smaller ornamental bamboo to put in vases in your bathroom or on the bar. 

Add a bamboo table runner to your dinner table or under a tropical flower arrangement. You can hang a bamboo window shade with a couple of hooks to create a backdrop to your bar or to close off areas.