For those who would like to celebrate their wedding day at a place where the ocean slowly kisses the sand but are short on the budget, why not head to Santa Barbara? Santa Barbara lends an authentic tropical summery feel so it may be considered the closest thing to Hawaii and the Caribbean islands. Walk down the aisle and exchange vows with a sweeping panoramic view of the ocean only at Santa Barbara.
After spending some time looking for the perfect wedding venue, it’s now time to decide on your Santa Barbara wedding entertainment. This is a very delicate part of wedding planning so it is best to consult a wedding professional. Make sure to discuss each and every detail of your preferred entertainment with your wedding planner so that she will have plenty of time to make referrals and phone calls.
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Here are easy how-to tips in order to add glitz, glamour and fun to your tropical Santa Barbara wedding entertainment.
1. Have hula girls acknowledge your guests at the wedding with Leis
This is one sure fire way in adding a Hawaiian vibe to your Santa Barbara wedding entertainment so make sure to order leis in advance. Your hula girls should greet guests by adorning them with leis before they make their way to their seats. For those who are on a strict budget, leis made with shell are the most inexpensive ones and are great souvenirs from your luau wedding party.
2. Hire Hula/ Tahitian dancers to add an authentic tropical feel
Destination weddings are quite heavy on the budget so if you don’t feel like spending too much on your big day, hiring Hawaiian or Tahitian dancers would be a fun idea for your Santa Barbara wedding entertainment.
Bring Hawaii to Santa Barbara with beautiful hula dancers fully clothed in their Hawaiin outfits while donned with leis and fresh flowers. Let them entertain your guests for about 30 minutes or so with their complex hand movements and flexible swaying of the hips. You could also ask your hula dancers to interact with your guests and bring them on stage for a roaring cheer and a few laughs among the crowd.
3. Hire Fire Breathers/ Fire Dancers/ Fire Jugglers
Bring your Santa Barbara wedding entertainment to a whole new level by hiring fire performing breathers or dancers and let them do their job to entertain your guests. Add a little flare to your wedding with this delightful visual art form. Fire dancing is a delicate task so make sure to hire professional ones or else they would literally bring the house down with fire.
4. Incorporate Hawaiian food on your menu
At the end of the day, your guests are mainly looking forward to a delicious meal so make sure to fill their stomachs with hearty Hawaiian dishes like kalua pig, chicken kabobs and mahi tuna to name a few. For an additional sparkle, do not shy away from the idea of decorating the buffet table with tropical fruits such as pineapple, kiwi or lemons.
5. Set up a Hawaiian bar that serves only Hawaiian beverages
Setting a Hawaiian bar at your reception would definitely add more fun to your Santa Barbara wedding entertainment. Your guests would surely love the idea of having free flowing Hawaiian drinks such as pina colada, Mimosa Hawaiian, Lava Flow, Chi Chi, Blue Hawaii and Hawaiian Margarita to name a few.