Holding a Hawaiian fancy dress party is a perfect way to entertain your friends, and with summer fast approaching now is a perfect time to start planning your very own tropical paradise. This week we take a look at ways in which you can make your Hawaiian themed party a resounding success.

Pick an appropriate party soundtrack – Selecting music with links to Hawaii can enhance the atmosphere of the occasion and help your guests really get into the aloha spirit. Ideas include Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii soundtrack album, and traditional Hawaiian music featuring lots of steel guitar and ukulele.

Serve Hawaiian food – With the good weather finally making an appearance, a traditional Hawaiian barbecue is an ideal way to feed your party guests. The ‘plate lunch’ is at the centre of Hawaiian culinary efforts, and usually combines a mixture of rice and pasta salad with beef, chicken, pork or fish.

Plan some Hawaiian party games – Grab some hula hoops for your Hawaiian fancy dress party and see who can keep going the longest. Limbo dancing is also popularly linked to the Hawaiian islands, though it actually originates from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. But hey, we won’t tell if you don’t.

Decorate with Hawaiian props – Inflatable palm trees, sharks and parrots are great cost effective ways to liven things up at your Hawaiian party. Tikki decorations and cut outs can also add an extra touch of authenticity to the event.

Hand out flower garlands – Presenting guests with flower leis or garlands has long been a Hawaiian tradition and is a sign of friendship and respect. It’s also something your guests can keep as a memento of a great night.