Planning a Graduation Party

Ideas for a memorable graduation celebration

The first step toward graduation party success is setting a time and date. This isn’t as easy as it seems since often friends are also classmates and will be throwing their own parties around the same time. Do some calling around ahead of time to coordinate with those closest to your guest of honor and with those relatives who might have children who are also graduating this summer. Think about combining parties with friends and family. It will make scheduling a lot easier and will definitely cut down on costs. Also, remember that your party doesn’t have to be after the ceremony, try the night before and host a Graduation Anticipation party. Once you have a time and date set, you’re ready to move on to other important details, such as size and budget.

The size of your party and your budget will go hand in hand. Begin by deciding just how much you can spend and let that determine where you will have the party. Can you afford to rent a hall or restaurant? Or will you have it in your home? Can you afford food catered in or will you be cooking for the crowd? Those decisions will help you determine the size of your party. A party in your home with you acting as chef and host will be, by necessity, a good bit smaller than a fully catered affair at a local banquet hall.

Once you know the approximate size of your party, then create the guest list, starting with the people who are most important to your graduate. Your child will likely want all of his or her friends there which can make the guest list balloon. Make your list based on those most involved in your child’s life over the years. A fun invitation idea is a “framed” diploma with the party details in place of the details of the degree awarded all written in calligraphy.

No matter the size of your party, you’ll need a theme. It can be as simple as school colors, a celebration of your graduate’s major or something more creative, such as a take off of the popular movie “The Graduate.” Graduations naturally evoke memories and photos capture memories, so use photos to decorate and also as an activity. Collect photos of the graduate with classmates and family to put under glass at tables, on boards around the room or on T-shirts and party favors. Pass cameras around so guests can capture special moments during the party. And of course, use the overall theme to create invitations, make decorations and decide on the menu.

Unless you’re throwing a formal catered affair, finger foods or a buffet are usually the best choices for a graduation party. You’ll want your guests to be able to mix and mingle, congratulate the graduate and not worry too much about juggling plates and silverware. Also, you’ll want to be free to be a gracious host. So be sure to have some help on the day of the party, whether it’s a designated family member or a hired hand. And remember, your guests will be multi-generational, so have food choices on hand to please both young and old.

No matter what kind of food you have, do make plans to have a toast at some point during the festivities. Work out ahead of time who will call for the toast and when and have a pre-arranged signal if it looks like the graduate is trying to sneak out early. In addition to a toast, other ways to make your graduation party memorable and special for the graduate are to ask each guest to bring something that significant to the current year or the personality of the graduate now to be put into a time capsule to be opened 10 or 20 years from now (maybe when the graduate’s first born child graduates.) Or, have a sign-in board in the entryway to the party with a blown up picture or caricature drawing of the graduate for guests to write messages of good luck. But don’t worry about trying to plan too many activities. Most of the time, teens and young adults just want to get together, listen to music and talk about the good times they’ve had and what lies ahead. Watch them and enjoy.

Here's An Idea: An Open House

Since the most common problem facing planning for a graduation party is so many parties happening at the same time, why not try holding an open house. It can be the easiest and least expensive approach to ensuring your graduate gets to celebrate with everyone they love during this special time. Use your invitations to let everyone know that you’ll be throwing open your doors for a period of several hours and you accept the fact that some guests will have to come and go.

Since you probably won’t be greeting every single guest at the door, have a sign or balloons directing guests to the main party area. Maybe even have a full-size cut out of your graduate made to point the way! Choose food that can be kept on ice or in warmers or doesn’t need any temperature control, such as chips and crackers.