Only have 24 hours left to plan a quick backyard get together with 10 people, casual. It's on a very limited?
budget & for a friend’s birthday but also to celebrate my stepkids being here, so they are helping plan it (they are young and very creative, and love to help). We were going to do a Gilligan’s Island theme but that will run into more money and time, so now we’re just going for tropical.
Some ideas we have:
food on toothpicks, such as hotdogs or spam, pineapple, tropical fruit salad, cherry, mandarin orange, bananas
pineapple and coconut for decoration (real)
Set up a hammock, radio, old wrecked boat called the SS Minnow, and citronella tiki torches.
Grass skirt for the table she’s sitting at with the food
jimmy buffet, island/Carribean music, Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Iz, Marina Raye (for nighttime), Bob Marley
Fold napkins into boats, put spoons and forks inside
tropical air freshener party favors and a nice big tropical scented candle for the birthday girl
pineapple juice and pineapple flavored drinks along with usual soda and tea
Shish kabobs if we can get a grill
plastic chairs plus canvas chairs
Cover tent to make it look look like a hut
limbo contest
pineapples and coconut decoration
facepainting
Any other ideas? This is not in any particular order, just what I’ve whittled it down to, as time permits.
Okay, Brad, that actually relieves me…like which ones should I discard?
Great ideas, you’re getting me in the mood 
Air fresheners and other cheap things at dollar tree.
The tent, blow up pool and tiki torches we already have for summer camping and needed to air it out and set it up anyway, we just might decorate it a bit.
We just don’t have any lights.
The kids are going to make the hammock from a sheet and the boat from cardboard or other items, and the napkin boats and other things won’t be expensive at all.
Great….so far, I am working on the music, the playlist, and some of the food. I have the kids making potato salad, and am getting ready to frost some cakes. I’m going to make one with a pineapple or banana-topped white frosting, since I don’t have time to do a banana cream pie.
Well i think that shish cabobs may be discarded from the list if a family member cannot bring a grill over today instead of tommorow. (its nice to have everything ready BEFORE the party) If you dont have the fake boat called ss minnow pitch that idea. that helps the budget. Also tell everyone to bring a dish that is tropical themed, or tell them to bring fruit that takes alot ot of the budget.
The pinnaples and coconut decoration would be alot to pay for a decoration as pinnaples cost alot. (well at my store they are 5 dollars per pinnaple)
Limbo should be kept you just need a stick and you may attach streamers to the ends to make it look nice at a low price.
Face paints shouldnt cost much, but dont buy too much of it, or you could buy extra so you have it left over for the next party.
tiki torches are great but they dont have to bve specially themed, especially if you will only use them once.
the music is good if you already own it, if not have a reletive who does own it bring the music with them. always have backup music in case they forget the music. plastic forks will do, they are usually cheap if you buy them at a drug store. If you dont have a cover tent bby all means pitch that idea, same for the hammock. that saves ton’s of money. use all the plastic,canvas, and camping chairs you have to fir your needs. no need to purchase new ones. DO NOT spend alot of money on the airfresheners!!! They cost more at some stores so look for the bargain. If you have a party shop near you that is the perfect place to go for all the things you need. while you get the grass skirt for the table make sure to get some for the kiddies. they love em! ALSO: have the kids draw,paint, etc tropical themed art to put around everywhere. they can be very helpfull with the decorations.
I hope this helped and sorry that its sooo long!!
i think you need a little less???
YOU GOT IT COVERED…….what else CAN there be?
Make sure you invite mary jane.
what you have sounds good but try not to go over the top it may look takie less is more
plan a dance
don’t forget coconut cream pie. they made that all the time on gilligan’s island
Sounds great what you have and no I don’t think it’s too much. Anyhow do potato sack races or tie the legs together – believe it or not grown ups love it too and have gifts for the winner.
Maybe a little volleyball or horseshoes, washers, etc.
Musical chairs.
Fun for kids
Make a coconut radio!
or dress up an existing radio with coconuts i dunno
sand might be a nice touch
slip n’ slide
on the second to last Seventeen mag issue they had a whole section on this… but I will try to tell you what’s in it here.
Strawberry Watermelon Slushie:
8 cups cubed watermelon
8 cups halved strawberrys
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup of lemon juice
8 cups crushed ice
Combine first four ingredients in blender and mix until smooth.Gradually add ice and keep blending until slushie. Pour into glasses and garnish with small watermelon wedge. Serves 8.
Inflate beach balls and fun inflatables. You can get 6 beach balls for $12 at plumparty.com
At party city or partycity.com there is a thatched umbrella cover which makes and umbrella look like a palapa.
have water balloons and make up games with them(a toss or fight)
and my ideas:
have loud music
colorful plates in neon colors(neon pink orange green yellow blue)
have a fruit plate
get sorbets(maybe you can use the peels from the fruit platter and a bowl
)
cheese and crackers
good luck!
Wow, for a limited budget, you are going a little over board. Since you don’t have a grill already, just have cold cut sandwiches with the trimmings such as beans with potato salad, chips, soda, lemon aide, ice tea, and or juice. Special Tropical decorated Birthday Cake and ice cream for desert. I bet she will appreciate the party and it can be just as much fun. If you want to decorate and have a special tropical theme, you could get by with the hammock (if you already have one), music you suggested, the napkin boats, and a tropical center piece for the table made with a large bowl or platter of fresh fruit salad. Not too extravagant, yet a good entertaining atmosphere, that may fit your budget without over spending.
you should also make pina coladas there really good you can make alcohol versions and virgin ones