Tropical drinks and tropes never fail to transport guests to a warm, sunny place. Here's a look at 11 ideas for a stylish tiki-, tropical-, or luau-themed event.
At HBO's 2010 fete in Los Angeles, the banana-leaf-patterned carpet and animal print linens and seat cushions echoed the party's "Tarzan and Jane meet Palm Beach" motif. Banana and palm trees 30 feet high added to the lush jungle atmosphere.
At MoMA's Party in the Garden in April, the arrivals backdrop—featuring the Cartier and MoMA logos rendered in neon and marquee lights—echoed the dense arrangements of tropical greenery found inside the dinner space.
In April, Havianas showcased its 2013 collection with a Brazilian-themed bash in its New York showroom. Tropical-feeling snacks from KG Fare Catering & Events included paella on a stick.
The Goodman Gala in Chicago May 18 celebrated the theater's upcoming production of The Jungle Book. Kehoe Designs transformed the Fairmont Hotel's ballroom into a tropical setting replete with lagoon-colored lighting, leafy centerpieces, and giant cutouts of animal silhouettes.
Brûlée Catering in Philadelphia offers tropics-themed spreads. The summery feast comprises ahi tuna salad with pineapple-sesame dressing, greens, tobiko, and sambal aioli; cucumber rolls; hoisin duck salad with quinoa, wakame, and roasted vegetables; macadamia nut biscotti; coconut alfajores; and Absolut Ruby Red vodka, Soho lychee liqueur, and Patrón Citronge cocktails.
At the 2010 gala in Los Angeles, guests' after-dinner options included dancing and cocktails in a tiki-theme room, complete with flower leis, towering palm trees, and mai tais.
A crew of more than 80 people spent four days working with turf flooring, waterfalls, and more than 600 plants and trees to transform a stark white airplane hangar into a lush tropical oasis for the Onyx Pharmaceuticals annual award banquet in Fort Lauderdale in 2011. To make the 120 guests feel as if they were having dinner in a clearing in the woods, decorators used fiber-optic draping to create a sky above and emerald green turf carpeting to simulate the forest floor below.
Entertainment company Zen Arts offers an array of entertainment options for dramatic outdoor entertaining, including fire dancers, costumed mermaids, and transparent “bubble spheres” that float on water while holding dancers. Most recently, six female Olympians joined the company’s synchronized swimming troupe. Based in Los Angeles, Zen Arts performers can travel worldwide; performances cost between $10,000 and $100,000.
At the launch of Absolut Mango in New York in 2009, a mango tree stationed behind the bar made guests feel like they were sipping cocktails in a warm mango grove.
At the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in 2011, Havaianas set up a tiki bar outside the Burger Bash tent, where Iron Chef Marc Forgione prepared Brazilian-inspired drinks, appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Guests who visited the booth took home a pair of Havaianas.
As a fun take on V.I.P. seating for its "Something to Share" gala in 2011, Dress for Success constructed 12 cabanas at the rear of the dining room. Situated atop platforms, the seating areas were marked with sheer drapes, wooden bench seating, and hand-painted signs.
