Creating Breathtaking Luau Party Invitations

Hand crafted party invitations show guests that you really care. It can be hard to generate one of a kind ideas for party invitations, but it isn't nearly as hard to recreate them. No matter your level of "craftiness" these luau party invitations can be recreated and help you create a very festive atmosphere for your Hawaiian luau.

Photographic Luau Invitations:

Many people would love to go to Hawaii, unfortunately, many of us just don't have the money. So, looking through personal pictures to use for party invitations may not be feasible. But, with websites like Morgue File and Wikimedia Commons , there are many pictures of beautiful Hawaiian destinations, flowers, or actual luaus available for free use. Make sure when selecting a photograph that the uploader or creator has given permission for its use. That will keep you out of any danger of copyright infringement. You will be making the cards by folding the cardstock in half, so remember this when selecting your photograph. Landscape portraits could work, but it would be easier to print with a normal picture.

Materials:

Good quality printer
Black and color ink
Heavy duty cardstock paper
Word processing program
Photoshop, or similar program.
Calligraphy pen
Fountain pen and ink well
Ruler

For this Invitation I chose a picture of an actual luau Once you've selected a picture, download it onto your hard drive. I always save it with the title name and author's name so I can cite it accordingly. I use Adobe Photoshop CS3 to prepare my picture by adding text to the picture. If you don't have a Photoshop program, it is possible to use a word processing program and enter text onto the picture with a text box.

Some Invitation Ideas include:

Welcome to Our Luau!

Is a Hawaiian Luau in Your Future?

Come Share in a Little Piece of Hawaii!

Of course, any ideas you have for a catch phrase are optional. You can make the invitation without adding any words to the front of the card. Once you have determined the layout of your card, it can be printed.

I like to hand write my invitations, but it is possible to set the layout in your word processing program to work for printing cards. If you choose this option you will probably have to flip the pages in the printer in order to print on both sides.

If you opt to use a calligraphy pen or fountain pen and ink well, use a ruler to make sure your words go strait across the page, and don't forget to let the page dry before folding the invitation.

Hand Painted Luau Party Invitations:

There are several options for painting a luau party invitation. In order to get some ideas for a what you would like the front of the card to look like turn again to Wikimedia Commons, and Morgue File. The painting option is yours. I would suggest that if you are making many invitations to keep the paintings simple.

Materials:

Heavy duty cardstock
Acrylic paint (in the color of the chosen pictures)
Multiple paintbrushes varying sizes
pencil
Printer
Word Processing Program
Aquanet hairspray

Before painting the front cover of the invitations, print the inside information with party details. This must be done first to keep the invitations pristine.

Remember when selecting your photographs, that you're not necessarily looking for a completed picture to copy, but rather for elements to make your picture. I selected a simple Hawaiian beach scene This was only a starting point. I then located several pictures of common, easy to paint Hawaiian flowers. I selected the Yellow Primrose and the Hawaiian Blue flower. These flowers make a nice contrast with the beach.

On the front page of the invitations first sketch out the beach. Then in the foreground of the picture, at the bottom, alternate sketches of the flowers you choose. The flowers will make a frame around the beach scene. Once you are satisfied with your under sketch, paint the painting starting with the background, and then work your way to the foreground. Spray the painting with the Aquanet and let dry. This will seal your picture so it will last longer.

Breezy Hawaiian State Flower Luau Invitations

Making invitations can be hard work, but that work can be greatly rewarded by your guests excitement. Great invitations can leave lasting impressions. Many years ago, I wrote a letter to a dude ranch in Montana for a marketing class, and when they sent me their reply, enclosed in the envelope was a piece of sage brush. I can still remember the day I opened the letter, and how the sage brush made me want to go to Montana, for a moment I could even imagine I was there. This feeling can be recreated in your party invitations.

Materials:

Favorite Hawaiian inspired scent with hibiscus (these are readily available at the store)
Card Stock
Pastel pencils or map crayons
Pencil
Yellow grosgrain ribbon
Printer
Black and color ink
Pinking shears to cut the ribbon
Aquanet Hairspray

In order to make these invitations cut four inch strips of the yellow grosgrain ribbon, enough for each invitation, set aside. Next, locate a picture of a yellow hibiscus, Hawaii's State Flower. Now, you have a few options, you can either print the picture, like in the Photographic Invitations, paint a yellow hibiscus, draw one with the pastel pencils, or trace it. If you use the pastel pencils, you must seal the picture or the pencils will smear. I use Aquanet ,because it is both cheap, and has a higher amount of plastic in it. Once you have decided which option is best for you and have completed the yellow hibiscus front, take the ribbon and spray it thoroughly with the Hawaiian scent. Before enclosing the yellow ribbon inside the card, let it dry and aerate for a few minutes. This will keep the scent from being over powering. Once it has dried, place it in the envelopes immediately and seal. This will keep the scent from escaping.

No matter which invitation option you choose, making your own luau invitations is truly a rewarding experience!

References:

Wikimedia Commons at: http:www.commons.wikimedia.org.