An island theme makes for bright, natural table decorations.
When planning a party or dinner party with an island theme, centerpieces and table settings can provide the finishing touch to bring the feel of the tropics to the room. As you plan table decorations, look for elements that bring in the feeling of the natural elements of an island: vegetation, tropical flowers, sand, sun and water.
Colors
When choosing table decorations for an island theme, use bold, bright colors that are found in tropical flowers and plants. You might use a lime-green table cloth paired with white china and fuschia napkins, accented with brightly-colored paper drink umbrellas. Other colors to consider are turquoise blue, bright yellow and vibrant orange. If you want to create a more elegant palette, use neutral, sand-colored linens accented with deep brown and turquoise napkins and centerpiece elements.
Lei Party Favors
To add a festive island touch to each guest's outfit, use flowered leis as part of a table decoration. Place a lei at each place setting; drape it around the plate or around a cloth napkin. Use colors that coordinate with the rest of the decor, or use bright flowers to add a splash of color to simple table settings. Depending on your budget, you can find leis made of silk or real flowers.
Bamboo
Create centerpieces by grouping individual stalks of bamboo together in a vase or bowl; cut to a height that does not impede conversation at the table. Make simple place card holders by cutting small lengths of bamboo that are slightly longer than the card. Cut lengthwise slits in the stalks and insert the place cards. If you will be using cloth napkins, use slender pieces of bamboo tied to the end of ribbons for a simple napkin ring.
Message in a Bottle
For a keepsake party favor that can double as a place card, use a message in a bottle. Find tiny glass bottles with small cork lids and fill with sand or beach rocks. On small pieces of paper, print out the name of the guest and the name and date of the event. You may also want to add a personal message or quotation, depending on the number of guests and your relationship with each. Roll the piece of paper loosely and drop through the top of the bottle, with the writing visible, and adjust with a skewer. At each place setting, set the corked bottle along with several decorative seashells.
Candles
If you are holding an outdoor or evening event, use candles to create the atmosphere of a flickering fire on an island beach. Make centerpieces out of hurricane lantern candle holders, which keep the wind off of the flame. Use several together with simple white or turquoise candles, or fill the area below and around the candle with island elements. Start with a base of sand and add seashells, palm fronds or tropical flowers to set off the candle.
Tags: island theme, tropical flowers, accented with, colors that, each place