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You’ve celebrated a lot of milestones with your child and now you can’t wait to celebrate another major accomplishment: graduation. Whether it’s high school or college, what better way to help them blow off the stress of finals and years of hard work than a big bash with their friends and family?
Allow us to school you on how to plan the perfect graduation party…
Planning a graduation party can be exciting and daunting at the same time, but with a few simple tips you can create a memorable event for your grad. Allow us to give you the Cliffnotes of graduation party planning…
Be mindful to include your grad in the party planning to ensure it reflects their their personality, interests, hobbies, etc.
Whether you plan a simple family gathering or a full-on bash with tons of friends and family, you don’t have to be a professional event planner to throw a memorable party, but you do need to consider the tips below before you send your invites to ensure your day goes off without a hitch…
DO Send Invites Early
Graduation season means weekends will become booked quickly with parties and events. It’s best to cement the graduation party date at least a month in advance to give your guests plenty of time to plan appropriately.
DON’T Fuss Over Food
Keep the menu simple and take as much stress off planning the food as possible. Barbecue, picnic foods, buffets, and simple appetizers are great crowd-pleasers and are ideal for graduation parties or open houses. If you really want to be hands-off with the food, consider hiring a food truck, chef, restaurant, or local caterer to take care of the eats.
DO Plan Some Entertainment
A party is more than just food and drinks. Be sure to have something for your guests to do like backyard games of cornhole, giant Jenga, horseshoes, ladder golf, or create an epic selfie station (see our best ideas below). Don’t forget to put out photos of your grad through the years -the more embarrassing, the better.
DON’T Forget the Neighbors
If you plan to host the party at your home, don’t forget to let your neighbors know they may notice heavy traffic and extra noise the day of the party. Be considerate of any noise ordinances or disturbances your party may cause.
DO Stick to Your Budget
When throwing any party or celebration, things can get a bit out of control when it comes to the budget. It’s best to set a budget ahead of time and stick to it.
DON’T Forget to Say Thanks
Sometimes thank-you notes can, unfortunately, be forgotten. Plan ahead and snag some thank you cards so your grad can get to work right away thanking guests for all of the well-wishes.
DO Plan Ahead
The big day will have stresses of its own, so take as much off your plate in advance as possible. Get any cleaning and set up done before the date of the party so you can feel free to enjoy the day celebrating with your grad.
DON’T Forget Tunes
Nothing can kill a party like awkward silence…or a commercial break. Be sure to have commercial-free playlists ready to go before the guests arrive. Be considerate of your guests and choose music appropriate for all ages.
DO Think About Guests Carefully
Will your party be for family only? Family and friends? Large or small? Be sure to include the graduate in creating the guest list so any special teachers and friends aren’t left off.
DO Customize Your Party
It’s not every day you get to celebrate something as momentous as a graduation. Make your party stand out by adding some custom décor like banners, photo boards filled with school memorabilia, or yard signs.
Looking for ways to make the day extra special? Add some custom touches with décor and partyware to take your party to the next level. Just visit our shop and view all of the graduation-themed décor and party supplies to create an event fitting for your star student.
Don’t forget, we can help you create a totally unique party atmosphere. We offer customization of our party kits and gift boxes or build your own. What will you get with your custom party package?
Just reach out to us here to get started.
Planning a graduation party can be pretty straightforward, but if you want to make your party really pop, then follow our biggest Do’s below…
DO Custom Print Pieces
These can be as simple as some custom invitations or step it up and kick it up a notch with custom print pieces as party favors guests and family can cherish for years to come. Our fave designer to work with on projects like these is Maddie Laidig. From custom invites to menus, and over-the-top event touches, Maddie is not only brilliant but a breeze to work with. Check out her on Instagram here.
DO Create a Hashtag Station
Teens nowadays are way cooler than we used to be. Just kidding. Bury us in our side parts and skinny jeans. But in all seriousness, teens love the photo opp and we recommend spending most of your energy on a great photo station so the hashtags can run wild. Check out our girl @jesslaidigcreative for custom signage that makes for the perfect Insta-worthy backdrop!
But don’t forget the props!
You did it! We hope the tassel was worth the hassle. Our hats off to you! Don’t forget to tag us in your graduation party fun so we can celebrate along with you.
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