Whether it’s high school or college, graduating from school is a momentous occasion that deserves to be celebrated. A lot of work goes into planning a party. If you are hosting a graduation party for a student in your life, here are ten things you should consider:
1. A Theme
Before you begin decorating, you should decide on a theme. Themes can revolve around the subject the student studied or activities they did while in school. Even if you do not wish to have a specific theme, you should at least pick 2-3 colors for the decorations.
School colors and springtime colors are popular choices for graduation parties.
2. Number of Guests
Consider if you wish the celebration to be small and low-key, or more inclusive. Make a list of the graduate’s family members, friends, classmates, teammates, and neighbors they may wish to be in attendance. Make sure you have the contact information of each guest if you are going to send out invites.
3. Location
After you figure out how many guests are to attend, you will then need to consider the size of the location in which your party will be held. If your house will be too small to hold everybody, you may want to consider renting out a clubhouse or party space. With springtime graduations, many love to host backyard graduation parties.
4. Invitations
According to etiquette experts, graduation party invitations should be sent out three weeks before the party. It is typically recommended that formal invitations be sent in the mail or hand-delivered, but electronic invites over social media are becoming more commonplace.
5. Food
If you want to keep your guests happy, keep them fed. Coming up with snack ideas, cooking the food, displaying the food, and then cleaning up the mess afterward can be tiring for some. Consider choosing one of the catering staffing companies in your area.
Caterers are a great option as they allow you to enjoy the party without having to worry about the responsibility of food. For example, Premier Catering Staff offers tray passers for snacks or servers for a meal, along with bussers to clean up food trash during and after the event.
6. Presents
One of the benefits of a party is that the graduating student is given presents. Set up a table for guests to drop their presents off as they head into the party. Don’t forget to get thank you cards to send out afterward.
7. Music
No party is complete without good music. Consider the guests, and if the music will need to be “clean”. Will the songs be chill background music or fun hits? There are plenty of party playlists to be found on music streaming apps. Or, you can have the grad create a playlist of their favorite songs. Another idea is to play songs from the previous years the student was in school to bring on the memories.
8. Pictures
A graduation celebration is a momentous occasion in life, and therefore will be photographed. The grad will want to take pictures at the party with friends and family. Consider setting up a backdrop or area for photo taking.
9. Activities
Parties are a form of entertainment. To keep your guests engaged, you may want to plan some activities. Popular choices include trivia regarding the grad student, a slideshow of pictures throughout the grad’s education journey, backyard games, or a memory jar in which each guest writes down their favorite memory of the grad. Of course, sometimes socializing is all the activity you need at a party.
10. Clean Up
The worst part of the party is the cleanup. Plan the process ahead of time to make it a little bit easier. Consider asking some family members or close friends to stay afterward to help. Will you be throwing everything away or will you save some decorations for cute keepsakes? Will you need to move trash cans to easier places for guests? If you rent a party space, will there be a cleaning crew to help assist?
Conclusion
Remember to have fun! Even if you are hosting a graduation party, it is still important to take some time to enjoy yourself.
