What are some ideas for "tropical" decorations for a reception??

Question

We are getting married in Jamiaica and want to bring the fun home at the reception and want to keep it tropical..any ideas on flowers, table decor, anything??

Answer 1

I just did a tropical wedding--though we were on a tight budget. I used glads for the table decorations, and hibiscus flowers to place on the buffet, gifts, and favor tables, tied to trees, everywhere!

I wanted it to look like an island so I had the tables in a circular pattern. The outer tables were the buffet tables, the bar table, the gift table, and the table I put the favors on. They were covered in lime green with a darker lush green sheer on top. The middle tables were all a Carib blue/turquoise. The front tables (parents table, sweetheart table, cake table) were all a coral color. I used sand napkins. On the tables I had those flat marbles mixed with river rocks surrounding the arrangement.

For flowers, I only used glads cause they came in all the colors but werent that expensive. Orchids are tropical but really expensive. Birds of paradise flowers and ginger are very tropical though semi-high cost so I used them just in a few places on the head tables. Callalillies also come in "flame tipped" to have yellow and orange. I used a lot of tiki torches in my decorating too. Plus some pictures of island scenes so that when you were standing at the door the whole room seemed very Carib island.

The tiki torches added a nice touch around the tables. For favors I had candles in scents like Mango Daquari, Pina Colada, and Ocean Lagoon. I also kept the theme in my cake with coconut flavored cake with mango icing.

The thing with tropical is to remember the hot colors like fushia and orange and yellow--mixed very evenly with the bright but cool colors of greens and blues. And what looks really bold in the store won't look quite so extreme in the reception with the dim lighting.

Tropical is a gorgeous theme. I had a luau for the rehearsal dinner--they had a roasted pig (called BBQ in the south where I live) and lots of fruit. Especially pineapple (even though thats not very Carib). That would have worked at the reception as well. For Jamaica I'd consider some sugarcane or pictures of sugarcane. And pretty rum bottles to place around as decorations. They have some nice handpainted ones down there that you can get rather cheaply. If you use the rum in your punch, the bottles make great table decor.

Answer 2

Any florist will know the term "tropical" when referring to flowers. This will include bird of paradise, orchids, ginger flower, protea, heliconia, anthuriums, and more. If you ask me, the greenery chosen has just as much effect as the flowers. Just give your florist a price range, and they can better advise you on flowers.

For table decor, I would suggest some lei's or a little budvase with a stem of orchids, just keep it simple. People like to see the other people around the table when they are talking.

I had a "luau" party this summer and it was a lot of fun. I tend to know more about the flowers because I grew up in a flower shop, you you'd be surprised what a difference they make. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions.

Congrats on the wedding!

Answer 3

Most people think 'color' when they think tropical, so you can do a lot with simple colored table cloths. I saw a reception where they used two table cloths on each table so they could angle the top cloth where the opposing color underneath would also show. They used silk flowers to keep costs down compared to real flowers - big, splashy, bold flowers in plain clear glass vases with shells in the bottom. Go to a party store and get drink umbrellas. Even if your reception will be non-alcoholic, you can still spear a piece of pineapple with a drink umbrella and put them in your glasses of punch. Have fruit kabobs. We had these at my nephew's reception and they were just strawberries, apple chunks, pineapple chunks and a big slice of banana skewered onto wooden kabob sticks. You have to use Fruit Fresh or the equivalent to keep the fruit from turning and, of course, you can't bring out ahead of time like you can with a cake, but these were really popular. Freeze your ice for the punchbowl in a pineapple mold. Tell your guests the reception will be a tropical theme and they may dress accordingly. People standing around in Hawaiian shirts and sandles will convey your theme better than anything you put on your tables anyway.

Answer 4

Use lighted palm trees throughout the reception area. Colorful floral leis on the wedding table. Tropical fruit arrangements. Bold bright colors for table coverings. Maybe some palm or pineapple guest soaps for favors. Don't forget to have a couple of flamenco birds nearby. Perhaps some orchids in the wedding table centerpiece. Candles in tropical fruit shaped holders on guest tables. Oh my - the possibilities are endless! Even a smattering of sand on the dance floor if possible!

Answer 5

You can buy the fake lei flowers at any party store. table deocr woulsd be a bright yellow, green or blue tablecloth with confetti on it. You can play reggae music (Bob Marley) in the background. I would serve finger foods with a big bright fruit tray with pineapple, mango and papayas, and tropical drinks: pina coladas, mai tais, colorful drinks. You could have it outside and use the tiki torches for light! Your dress code could be sandals and Hawaiian shirts! I think the most important feature would be to have bright colors and blues of the waters to bring out your surroundings.

Answer 6

Conrats! When my hubbie and I married, we had a beach themed wedding since we live at the beach and his parents live on the Intercoastal Waterway and have their own private dock and pier...you have gotten a lot of great answers (some of the best I've seen in the forum lately!) but I would like to add maybe ask your guests (and you and your groom) go barefoot...and ask the guests to wear a Hawaiian-style shirt or dress...our cake had icing the color and texture of sand with sea shells in icing also..and we had bought a beautiful real sea shell for the "topper"...finger foods, dancing, and tropical drinks help add to the atmosphere...we also got "lei's" made of sea shells to give each guest as they entered...and we gave guests little bottles of bubbles (decorated with small sea shells) to blow at us instead of rice...(know the song "tiny bubbles'???!!..by Don Ho...the Hawaiian singer...??)...put some beach towels down instead of regular table cloths and have some hula-hoops available for fun...
I hope you have a wonderful day you'll always remember...

Answer 7

heh, im getting married in Jamaica too in March. (ocho rios) We are going to have the reception back at home. Im thinking a hog roast with tiki torches...although i guess it would be more tropical if the pig was cooked underground like a luau

Answer 8

It easily relies upon on the time of day. in case you're having the reception during the night you will desire to submit some white twinkle lights interior the wood, alongside fences, the porch, etc... Have "tiki" torches during the reception section to grant some easy. Use typhoon lanterns with candles or oil wicks as centrepeices. Use swaths of white/ivory cotton sateen and wildflowers to gown your tables, chairs, etc. Have a pergola or a gazebo geared up, under which you and your fiance can substitute your vows. gown it with cotton sateen and wildflowers. you additionally can use a protracted swath of the sateen as an "aisle" , down which you, your fiance and the marriage party stroll to the pergola/gazebo. If there's a pool, you need to use floating candles to gown it up. lease a tent to hide the tables, bar, nutrition and dance floor. hire a DJ, a caterer and a few servers. you additionally can lease the tables/chairs, dishes, a bar and a dance floor, etc... seem on your community telephone e book under party leases. maximum are fairly priced once you evaluate the fees to those of renting a corridor, night meal room, etc... My maximum suitable buddy did something comparable for her wedding ceremony. It replaced into all performed in her extensive outdoor and replaced into actual eye-catching and useful. wish you have a eye-catching wedding ceremony and congratulations!!!

Answer 9

I think it depends on how tropical you want it. My husband and I wanted a tropical/beach themed wedding but the venue we chose was so classic and old world looking (it was an old brick packing house) that putting in bright colors and luau styled stuff would have taken away from that. Instead we used subtle touches such as our flowers, we had orchids. Our favors were white treasure chest with chocolate coins in them with a sea shell ornament that was attached to a ribbon with our names and date on it. Our center pieces were rose bowls with sand and water in them, we placed sea urchin skeletons in the bowls and topped them with flowers. We sprinkled shells and sand dollars over all the tables and for a touch of color, our cake was decorated with bright purple dendrobium orchids. Our cake topper was hand made for us out of exotic wood shaped into surf boards, one was a long board to represent my husband, one was a short board to represent me. It turned out nice, enough to show our theme was beach/tropical like but not too much it came out like a cheesy luau. Have fun and do whatever you'd like, and there are many things to make it tropical, it's all in how much you want to make it. Use bold colors and lush greens for the flowers, I think the flowers are the most beautiful part. So have fun and congrats!

Answer 10

try some shells and tropical flower buds in a glass fish bowl with water, maybe even add a colorful beta fish