How to Plan a Memorable Graduation Party?
Whether your kid is graduating high school, college, or an advanced degree, it is a good idea to celebrate their accomplishments. Hosting a graduation party is the best way to show your loved ones that you are so proud of their hours of dedication and hard work to make it to graduation.
Graduates deserve a party to get rid of the steam after their finals. Many people want to host a graduation party, but they are not sure about where to begin. If you are one of those, then relax! Here is an article with a guide to planning a memorable graduation party.
How to Plan a Graduation Party
If you are planning to host a graduation party, make sure to discuss with the guest-of-honors about how they want their party to be. You may get some surprising graduation party ideas or house party ideas for making it a memorable and fun party. You can start planning the party using this graduation party planning guide, and trust me; you will throw a top-notch party.
Decide Your Budget
Whether you are hosting a high school graduation party or a college graduation party, the first step is to decide the budget. In order to decide the budget, you need to make a rough estimate of how many guests you want to invite.
Decide your budget for food and drinks per person. In addition to this, determine the cost of entertainment, decoration, and location rental. Take help from any friend or loved one to decide the budget and estimate the cost.
If you want, you can co-host a graduation party and share the overall expenses with two or three families. It will allow you to throw a better and bigger party. The guest list may overlap from the same college or school, so make sure to check it again. Though co-hosting a party can be a little;e bit daunting, but trust me, all your hard work will be worth the effort.
Make the Guest List
Once you have enough budget, the next step is to determine how many people you want to invite, so you need to start making a guest list. Decide if your guest-of-honor or you want to invite the complete graduation class or some closest friends and family members to the party, or you want to host an intimate family party,
It is completely fine to invite some special guests and friends to the graduation party like beloved professors, coaches, or other staff members and some special friends. Or you can host a big party in which you invite the entire graduation class. Hosting a big party can be daunting, but trust me, it is full of fun, and your grad is surely gonna love it.
Select a Location
After deciding the guests you want to invite, it is time to choose a location. Determine whether your grad wants a casual outdoor party or celebration at some other venue. If you plan to invite some close friends and relatives to the graduation party, you can also throw a house party.
There are advantages and disadvantages of each location. Throwing a house party can help you save money, allow you to personalize, and be a comforting place for the guests to gather. However, hosting a graduation party at home can limit your graduation party decoration ideas and requires a lot of labor and time to clean the house before and after the party.
The benefits of hosting a party at any restaurant or any other venue are that you can rely on the on-site planners and caterers to handle the details, and you get enough time to socialize. The biggest disadvantage of hosting parties at such venues is the potentially high cost. Moreover, you also do not get the choice to choose the dates since venues are often pre-booked. Whichever location you choose, make sure that your grad loves it.
Choose a Party Time
It can be tricky to choose a time for the graduation party. The months and May and June are often the busiest for most families of grads. Moreover, these are also wedding seasons, which can make it difficult for you to find the right venue.
You can opt for throwing a graduation party in the later seasons to avoid conflicts with other wedding or graduation parties. Opt for the time when your family members may be traveling together to celebrate Father’s Day, Memorial Day Weekend, or July 4th. If you opt for a time during a busy time like exactly after graduation, you can expect a quick visit from the guests. It would be better to host an open house even to make it easier for the guests to dip in and out whenever they want.
Pick a Graduation Party Theme
After deciding the budget, location, and party time, the next step is to pick up a graduation party theme to add a fun touch to the celebration. Choosing a theme helps you to decide your graduation party decoration, menu, and other factors. Some of the popular graduation party themes include summer barbecues, sports, Instagram, or bookworm. These themes with mouth-watering food are all you need to enjoy.
There is a wide range of graduation themes for your party. For instance, if your grad is a smart cookie, then set up a cooking bar. If you want a simple but rocking theme, then opt for a deck out party. You can add an amazing and inspiring touch by framing advice and quotes on attaining success. Display the frames on serving areas and tables.
Make the party more happening by giving it a graduation-themed decoration like a graduation cap centerpiece and soda and water bottles, and cupcake pics in the form of graduation caps. Make sure to pick up the best graduation party theme to make your party rocking and fun.
Plan a Menu
Plan a menu according to the graduation party theme and time of the day. Make sure not to make party host mistakes to host a perfect party. In case you are inviting families with children, then you will need food for tastes. Picnic foods or barbecue are a perfect choice for afternoon outdoor parties,
If you are hosting a party at night, one of the best graduation party ideas is to include desserts and snacks. It will be ideal for an open house party or graduation party. You can also make a buffet of drink bars, snake bars, and other types of bars to provide a wide range of foods and drinks choices to the guests. Make sure to include drinks and snacks of different types so that everyone has something to enjoy.
Choose Entertainment Ideas
After you decide on the graduation decoration idea and theme, then the next step is to finalize the entertainment ideas. Music is a must to include in the entertainment as it is the soul of every party. But what else? You can make the party interesting by including adult party games and fun card games.
In order to make the party more interesting, you can rent a karaoke machine or hire a disc jockey so that everyone can enjoy it and no one feels left out. One must graduation party idea is to include a photo booth with appropriate signs, props graduation, and graduation attire. A photo booth will make your party trending on social media.
Graduation Decoration Ideas
If you finalized the graduation party theme, then you have to decorate the venue according to it. Let your theme be a guide for your celebration details. Keep in mind that graduation is also a theme, so you can include diplomas and caps in your graduation party decoration.
You can celebrate your grad’s accomplishments with photos, trophies sets, and newspaper clips set around the party. In addition to this, make sure that anything that you opt for decoration or display does not embarrass your graduate.
Guestbooks and Messages
If you want to make your graduation party more happening and memorable, then set up a large poster board in a specific place. Ask the guests to sign the board with a note for your grad. Moreover, you can also ask the guests to contribute to a guest book, which includes photos and personal messages.
Send Invitations
After finalizing everything and deciding the guest list, the final step is to send out invitations. You can opt for either formal engraved invitations or digital versions. There is no specific rule for graduation party invites. However, make sure to send the graduation party invitation and graduation party announcements separately.
In addition to this, include party details like venue, timing, and dress code (if any) to the invitation. Moreover, ask the guests to give RSVP so that you can have an idea about the number of guests planning to attend the party. RSVP plays an essential role in the preparation and planning of the party.
Final Words
Graduation is an exciting time for appreciating the past achievements and welcoming the future. Planning a graduation party is a perfect way to make your grad feel proud and happy. It is the idea to show how proud you are of the grad. You can show all your love and feelings through a graduation party. Now, what are you waiting for? Host a perfect part, and do share your experience with us by dropping a comment.
