Ahoy, a memorable nautical-themed party is waiting for you! Create an atmosphere of oceanic charm and adventure with deep blues, crisp whites, and soft turquoise. These fantastic nautical-themed party ideas for adults are perfect for everything from cozy dinner parties to birthday celebrations, or just turning an ordinary meal into a delightful festivity.
Welcome to Relaxed Hostess, where the ideas are written by actual human beings: me and, occasionally, my daughter. I’m so excited to share with you my love for party planning and hospitality in general. Glad to have you here!
Be Prepared. Be a Relaxed Hostess.
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase via one of these links, I’ll earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our full disclosure and liability disclaimer.
Two Color Themes for a Nautical Dinner Party
Delightful Blue, White, and Soft Turquoise
During my summer vacation, I cozied up with a Hallmark movie that I can’t quite remember the name of, but it really inspired me! It featured a lovely wedding with a beautiful navy blue, white, and soft turquoise color combination. I could not wait to use these colors for a birthday party.
Neutral Cuteness
Typically, a nautical theme is all about blue, white, and red. But it does not need to be so. I like the soft, beachy look of the sandy colors mixed with white.
Add a few neutral-colored nautical items, such as anchors, helms, or boating knots made with a macrame cord, and you have a lovely nautical table setting.
Place Setting Ideas
I admire the intricate place settings people create, but whenever I’m hosting a party, I tend to keep things simpler. I tied simple wooden cutouts around white napkins with twine and placed them on white plates and silver chargers.
Another simple option is to use a macrame cord to tie a boating knot around the napkin and finish it with a name card. There are so many fun knot options for you to choose from… I’d tell you which one I picked if I could remember the name of it.
I’ve got FREE printable place cards for you. Keep scrolling and you’ll find them.
The wooden charger plates look absolutely fantastic paired with the fishnet table runner. It gives a lovely rustic vibe to this dinner party.
Nautical Table Decor
This lantern is one of my favorite decorations because of its rustic but beautiful appearance. I bought it several years ago during a visit to Finland. I use it throughout the year for various parties or simply to add a cozy touch to any day.
I placed a few small wooden sailboats on a navy chiffon table runner with a couple of white candle holders .
The wooden nautical decor set I have came with cute lighthouses.
And what would’ve been a better welcome sign than a lifebuoy. It looked fantastic on the fishnet, especially next to those soft turquoise flowers in a cylinder vase. It really added a cheerful touch to the whole party space!
My husband got me some blue hydrangeas which added a lovely, soft touch to the nautical dinner party.
If you’d like to go with a more subdued theme, then stick with the neutral colors. Use pampas grass and rustic vases for a gorgeous look. And add some nautical-themed candle holders for an intriguing touch. Mine look like boating knots. I got those from Dollar Tree.
And if the soft turquoise is too much, go with navy blue paired with crispy white for an elegant look.
Tasty Cocktails and Mocktails
Disclaimer: drinking alchohol is illegal under the age of 21.
Offer a selection of refreshing cocktails and mocktails, such as Cabin Cooler and Sea Breeze. The mocktail version of Sea Breeze sounds delicious, too. And this Easy Chocolate mocktail is on my list of things to try. It would go well with the neutral-colored nautical party.
Appetizers
How about serving some delightful Caprese Flotilla appetizers from Sincerely Sarah Ryan? These fun, ship-shaped bites with their cheese sails are bound to be a hit.
Another fun and easy choice are Stuffed Egg Sailboats from the Italian Recipe Book. Not only are they super simple to whip up, but they also pack in some tuna for a tasty protein boost.
Free Printable Place Cards
Use your beautiful handwriting to write your guests’ names on these nautical-themed place cards.
Fair Winds and Following Seas
I hope you’ll have as much fun planning your nautical-themed party as I did.
Hosting simple gatherings is my passion and I’m excited to share all my ideas with you. Some of my favorite parties have been a lemonade-themed dinner party with a delicious, healthy menu; a fancy Christmas tea; and a simple jazz-themed birthday party for my hubby.
Be prepared with fantastic ideas so you can be a relaxed hostess and enjoy the party.