Graduation is an exceptional time in someone’s life. No matter what school they’re graduating from, it is the way to show off what they have achieved.
When spring is almost here, it’s time to start planning a party for your special graduate. Below are some tips that you can use to have the right party for your graduate.
Graduation Party Timelines
Here are some helpful timelines to give you guidance on when you should do certain things to prepare for a graduation party.
2–3 Months Before
This is the beginning of your planning. Now is when you:
- Choose a Date & Time
- Select Your Theme
- Book a Venue if Applicable
- Make Guest List
1 Month Before
The date is getting closer. This is the time to:
- Send out invites
- Decide on a menu
- Purchase/make décor
1 Week Before
When it’s seven days until the graduation party, there are a few things to do.
Order Your Baked Goods:
Whether you’re having a cake, cupcakes, or cookies, order them a week before. Some bakeries might require less or more notice depending on their schedule and your preferences, so it’s essential to check with them and find out how much notice they need.
Check on RSVPs:
This is important, especially when you are having the party catered or you’re at a venue. This will let them know the final headcount.
Day Before
It’s almost party time. Now is when you:
Go to the store:
If you are making the food yourself, head to the grocery store. This will ensure that everything’s fresh.
Go to the bakery:
Chances are you’re going to be hurrying while doing this, look at it before you take it home. The last thing you want to do is get home and find out your graduate’s name is spelled wrong.
Prepare the tip envelopes:
If you have professionals who are helping you with the party, such as a caterer or entertainer, it’s a good idea to take care of this now. This way you won’t have to worry about it on the day of the party.
Place any catering orders:
Just like with the bakery order, confirm with your supplier if they need more time. This is for options like pizza or sandwiches.
Prepare the space:
If the party’s at a private residence, clean up your restrooms and party areas. You can also hire someone to clean it. If you’re renting a venue, check the contract and see if you have to do any cleaning.
Prepare any non-perishable foods
Party Day
It’s party time! This is when you:
Purchase ice:
This can be delegated to another person if you’re too busy. Just make sure they also have a cooler where the ice can be stored.
Set up centerpieces and décor:
Don’t forget to set up the decor and everything else that will bring up the mood of the attendees.
Clean it up once it’s done:
Now that you know what to do and when to help your party go smoothly, you’ll find out more specifics on what to do with each of those suggestions.
Choose a Party Date
The first thing you will want to do when you’re planning a graduation party is to choose the date of the party. Since the graduation will be either in May or June, depending on whether it’s a high school or college graduation, you want to consider that. Below are some tips to keep in mind when choosing your date.
- Holidays – The first thing you want to do is consider holidays. If it’s a college graduation party, you will have to contend with Memorial Day, when many people will go away. If it’s a high school graduation, you will have the 4th of July.
- Other Special Events – Since many people get married in May and June when the weather is beautiful, look at your calendar and see if any other special events are coming up. If you have friends and family who you’d like to attend the party, you want to make sure that it doesn’t coincide with other significant events.
- Venue Availability – The sooner you decide on a date for your party, the better your chances will be of having your preferred venue if you don’t have the party at your home. Venues tend to fill up more quickly as graduation draws near.
- Vacations – Many graduations happen during the springtime, so it’s a good idea to choose a date as soon as possible so you can send out ‘Save the Date’ cards to let people know when the party will be.
- Back to School – It’s a good idea to schedule the party during July at the latest since August is when many people are busy getting ready for their kids to go back to school and have a lot on their minds.
What Kind of Theme Should You Use?
There are many choices when it comes to themes. Which one you choose will depend on a few things, such as:
- Graduate
- Their likes
- Their activities
- If they’re going to college
- Your budget
Sports
Sports are a popular option for graduates who played on a team while they were in school. You can place their jersey’s number on everything from the cups to the cake to the decorations. Also, if they won trophies, broke any of the school records, achieved, and broke personal bests, you want to put them around at their party.
Then & Now
This is a straightforward yet popular option. You can place pictures from when they were a baby through to their graduation picture. There are so many ways to do this, like using a slideshow, making a video or using some photo boards.
Smart Cookie
This is a fun theme, and everyone’s going to love it. Since your son or daughter worked hard to get to where they are, why not celebrate with a milk and cookie bar? Simply print their graduation pictures on the cookies and set up a station where they can build their own cookies. This is an excellent choice for younger graduates, but guests and graduates of any age are sure to love it.
School Colors
This is another simple theme that is very effective. Use the colors of the school and their mascot to help with the theme. Use them to help you choose the balloons’ colors to the invitation’s style. You can even include it in the food. You can also highlight the colors of the college they’re attending if they are attending college.
Bookworm
Do you have a “Hermione Granger” as a graduate? Use some quotes from favorite books and authors for your theme. You can put some gummy worms around the party to pay homage to your bookworm and then give each guest a book as they leave.
Money
If the graduate is going to be studying business, economics, or finance, you can use this as your theme. Roll up desserts using edible or real dollar bills, fill up balloons with money, and use chocolate coins as party favors.
Classic
The classic theme never dies out. You can use this theme and decorate with diplomas, tassels, and caps in gold and black. Whether you’re searching for a cutting edge or more classic look, you’ll find many options from which to choose.
Photo Booth
One thing that is very popular with high schoolers, especially is selfies. Having this theme at the graduation party is going to help with capturing the special moment and provide guests with a wonderful giveaway. Not only that, but you can turn the pictures into a keepsake photo book or put them onto your social media sites.
Keys 2 Success
Cut out large keys out of paper and either give them to your guests or put them in a basket on the tables. Ask your guests to write down words of wisdom or advice on the keys. Then you can read them out loud or give them to your graduate later.
Piñata
Even though your child’s grown up, there’s still some fun to be had. Why not have a graduation themed piñata? Guests of all ages are going to love this, and you can fill it up with graduation themed memorabilia and treats. This theme goes great if you choose a taco or burrito bar.
Collage
Use favorite memories and people to spell out the name of the graduate or the year. Use mini collages to decorate the tables that are favors for guests. Once the part is over, use the photos to create a beautiful picture collage for the graduate to keep.
College Survival
This is an excellent choice if your graduate is on their way to college. Create a survival kit for college and use serious and funny items. These can be things like:
- Mac & cheese
- Aspirin
- Stain remover
- Ramen
- Rolls of quarters (for laundry)
This will give them a laugh and also give them a good start.
Bright Future
This is another fun theme that your guests and graduate are going to love. You can use personalized sunglasses as favors in the school colors. The banner can say something like, “Your future is bright, so we have to wear shades!”
Memory Board
With this theme, you take some of the grad’s keepsakes and make a memory board. You want to include things like pictures, cards, tickets, prom flowers, and anything else that’s meaningful. Put it near the party’s entrance so that guests and your grad can enjoy it.
Personalized Labels
This theme can make the party more special and make guests smile. Create fun and thoughtful labels for your drinks and food. You can add photos and text and then print them at a store or home.
Fun Guest Book
Does your graduate love playing Jenga? Why not use blank blocks to create an unusual guest book? Have each guest write their name on the blocks, and when your grad plays the game, they’re going to remember the party.
Where Should We Have It?
One of the biggest things you have to decide is where you’ll have the graduation party. You can either have it at your home, or you can have it at a venue.
Home
If you have it at your home, you have much more flexibility than if you have it at a venue. Below are some things to ask yourself if you have it at your home.
- Catered or home cooked?
- Sit down or buffet style?
- Type of food?
- What if it rains?
- Where will you get chairs and tables?
Venue
If you have a larger budget and you would rather not have a lot of people in your home, a site might be the way to go. Below are some of the things to consider when you are looking for a venue.
Location
If you choose to have your graduation party at a venue, the first thing you’ll want to consider is the location of the venue. Here are a few questions that you want to ask when choosing the venue location:
- Are there a lot of guests coming from out of town? If so, you might want to choose one that’s close to a hotel or airport.
- If it’s hard to find, does the venue have a shuttle?
- Does the venue have a website with maps from popular attractions and driving directions?
With most people having smartphones with GPS capability, maps and directions aren’t as important, but they’re still good to have.
Parking
Does your chosen venue have valet parking or a dedicated parking lot? Parking lots are the best option. But if the venue doesn’t have their own parking lot, are there lots nearby that party guests can use? If not, here are some suggestions:
- Consider reserving lots nearby for guests.
- Look for Lyft and Uber discounts that you might be able to use.
- Have guests carpool.
- Have your own valet parking.
Capacity & Minimums
If you are having a huge graduation party, you’ll need to know the capacity of the room so that everyone can fit and be comfortable. You also want to follow safety and fire codes.
What are the Venue’s Food and Beverage Minimums – If the venue offers food and beverages and they have a minimum spending amount for them, you want to know this ahead of time. Then look at your budget to see if you can meet that or exceed it.
Services & Amenities
Is there a kitchen and can catering be provided? If this is the case, many times, the venue’s going to waive their facility fee and just charge a deposit and food cost per person. If the venue doesn’t have a kitchen, they may partner with a caterer that you have to use.
If so, it’s a good idea to try out their food beforehand. If you’re not happy with it, your guests probably won’t be either. In that case, you want to find a place that has fantastic food, or that lets you bring in your own food.
Are there linens, chairs, and tables you’re able to use? If the venue provides these items, you can save a lot of effort by using them rather than bringing in your own, as long as it fits the theme.
Do they have a crew set up/clean up? If you’re looking for venues and you’ve found one that has this, you should snap it up. Not all venues have them. If they don’t have this, you’ll have to take care of it.
Are there AV capabilities? Chances are your guests are going to want to dance, especially if they’re high schoolers. You want to make sure that they have the abilities or find out if you have to provide them on your own.
Checklist for Using an Event Venue
- Confirm time you’ll be able to get into the venue to set up. Ask where the deliveries also can be made.
- Ask if you have to be out by a specific time or if there’s an option for coming and picking up the items that were left the following day.
- Get the venue manager’s contact information if there’s an emergency such as being locked out.
- Find out where guests are supposed to park.
- Think about using an app or website to help you with organizing everything.
What Should be on the Invitation?
Once you have chosen your date, you want to send out invitations to your friends and family to come and celebrate. Whether it’s for a high school or college graduation, there are things you should always include. These are:
- First and Last name of graduate
- Name of high school, university or college
- Degree & Honors, if any
- Year of graduation
- Time, location and date of the party
- RSVP date & instructions
- Any clarifications, such as no gifts.
Wording Style of Graduation Party Invites
The language you’re using in the invites is going to set your event’s tone. That’s why it’s a good idea to think about what the tone should be. Consider how formal it will be if there’s a theme and the graduate’s style.
Is the party going to be casual, like a backyard get together or a BBQ? Is it going to be more formal? Is it a high school, college or another type of graduation?
Once you have figured this out, tailor your invitation’s tone and voice to match. If you’re hosting a party in the backyard, it’s going to be more casual. If it’s going to be a catered dinner, use more formal wording as well as proper etiquette.
What Kind of Food & Refreshments Should We Have?
One of the most significant decisions that you will make for your graduation party is what kind of food you want to serve. Fortunately, there are many options from which to choose depending on your party time, your budget, and how many will be attending. Since it’s difficult to approximate how much food you’re going to need, it’s a good idea to choose food that you can freeze.
Below are some of the most popular options when it comes to graduation food
Food Bars
Whereas buffets used to be the go-to option for parties instead of sit-down meals, food bars are replacing them in popularity. Below are some popular and fun choices for food bars.
Sandwiches & Meal Bars
- BLT
- Burger
- Chili
- Grilled Cheese
- Hot Dog
- Pasta
- Pizza
- Sandwiches
Mexican Food Bars
- Burritos
- Fajita
- Tacos
Apps, Sides & Snack Bars
- Baked Potato
- Bruschetta
- Crostini
- French Fries
- Salad
Dessert Bars
- Banana split
- Cupcake
- Fruit Pizza
- Fruit Salad
Food Trucks
Another catering idea that many people are choosing are food trucks. The nice thing about this idea is that they have all the needed ingredients, they make the food and serve it, and then they take away the mess.
Snacks
If you’d prefer not to have a massive meal at the party, you can choose to have your party in the afternoon between lunch and dinner and simply serve snacks.
Brunch
Does your graduate love breakfast? Brunch Time parties are also very popular. You can have bacon, breakfast casseroles, fresh fruit, mini quiche, juices, coffee, and different jams and muffins.
Desserts
A huge part of graduation parties is the desserts. You can choose to have a big graduation cake, or you can have individual cupcakes. Cookies are also becoming very popular. Whatever you choose, you want to have them in the school’s colors.
If it’s going to be very hot and you want to help the party guests cool off, you might want to hire a local ice cream truck for the party.
Big Meals
If you would like to have a big meal for your guests, why not go with some regional favorites, especially if you have people coming from out of town? If you live in Texas or another southwestern region, chili or barbecue is a popular option. Clambakes are a northeast favorite and crawfish boils are popular in southeastern areas.
No matter what kind of food you decide to have at the graduation party, make sure that you have plenty of bottles of water around for your guests to drink. This is especially important if the weather is hot and it’s an outdoor event.
What Kind of Entertainment Should We Have?
One of the best things about a party is the entertainment. Below are four entertainment ideas for your graduation party.
Photo Booth – This was touched upon briefly in themes, but it bears repeating. This is one of the best types of entertainment that you can have at a graduation party. Provide your guests with some props to use, and they’ll have lasting memories. Not only that, but you’ll have pictures for your graduate to look back on and remember.
DJ – Another big option for your graduation is to have a DJ playing music during the party. They can often act as an emcee as well and get the guests up and dancing. Even if they only play music in the background to set the mood, it’s a good investment.
Variety Acts – If you are looking for something to keep everyone entertained from the young to the older guests, there are a lot of different things you can choose. Bounce houses are ideal for little guests, and magicians are an act that everyone can enjoy.
Live Band – If you have a larger budget and you’re having your party at a venue, there’s always the idea of having a live band. No matter what type of music your graduate enjoys, there’s a band who can play their favorite tunes.
Final Tips
Final things to remember to make your graduation party a complete success.
- Ask the Graduate – Ask your graduate what they would like to do for their party and follow their lead.
- Plan Ahead – Plan for anything that could be wrong and have a contingency plan, especially when it comes to the weather.
- Tell Your Neighbors – Let your neighbors know that you are having a party, so they are aware
- Remember the Ice – This is especially important if it’s going to be hot. Make sure you have a few coolers filled with ice, sodas, and bottles of water.
- Borrow/Rent Extra Tables and Chairs – If you are having the party at your house, you want to make sure everyone has a place to sit.
- Send Out Invitations in Enough Time – This is especially true if you have a lot of family and friends graduating the same year. You want to let everyone know when your party is going to be.
- Have Entertainment – Even if you only have music playing in the background, you want to have some background noise.
- Don’t Forget the Thank You Notes – Remind your graduate to send out thank you notes for their gifts. These should be written notes rather than emails or text messages. Each should be personal and heartfelt.
Final Thoughts
When your child is graduating, they are finishing one part of their life and moving to another part. It’s something to celebrate and share with family and friends. Whether you choose to have a big party or a small one, it should be something that they will always remember.