Graduating is one of life’s biggest milestones, which marks the end of a great life full of memories and begins a new life full of thrill. It is something to rejoice about and what could be better than to celebrate it with a memorable graduation party?
Whether you are preparing a small party with friends or a huge celebration with relatives, you can find the appropriate graduation party ideas to arrange the celebration that marks your success and prepare to the future. Whether it be selection of the best theme, or making the night worth remembering through the decor and activities, this guide will help you with ideas to make your graduation party a memorable one.
Before we dive in, you need to think about and plan a memorable graduation party and with a number of simple steps, you can make it an unforgettable experience.
Here are some planning checklist to help you with throwing the perfect party:
- Determine What You Want Your Graduation Party to Be:This choice will dictate the guest list to the location, whether it is a sit-down dinner or a backyard barbecue or a themed party with all the fun activities.
- Prepare a Budget: Prepare a budget that caters to all party requirements such as food, decor and entertainment.
- Pick the Perfect Date: Select a date that fits in with the rest of the graduation activities and school activities and provide the guests with ample time.
- Send Out Graduation Invitations: Design and mail graduation party invitations according to your event, theme or style, casual or formal. Intend to mail them 4-6 weeks before the occasion to enable the guests to RSVP.
- Arrange a Dress Code if possible: Choose whether you would prefer to have a formal event, a casual get-togethers or a topped-dress theme in line with your party theme.
Now we will consider some of the party ideas to make your graduation lit.
1. Popcorn Bar
You can set up a self service food booth, such as a popcorn stand that will enable guests to make their own snack.
2. Balloon Arch
The balloons of different sizes are the ideal background to the photos. Make your own balloon arch, by joining individual latex balloons with balloon tape or balloon dots.
3. Advice for the Graduate
Another party idea is advice for graduate. Prepare a small table to take the advice of the guest on the graduate. Some blank papers, some pens and a jar where the guests can leave their wishes. The graduate will be able to read the advice of the person he/she loves after the party.
4. Graduation Photo Banner
This photo banner is an unforgettable decoration that will impress the guests. Record their first semester to the last with a variety of 6×4 photos that are vertical.
5. Games
No graduation party would be complete if there are no or 2 games. High school graduates as well as college graduates will be eager to join in the competition.
6. Graduation Gift Jar
It is a great artistic concept to store gift cards or sentimental graduation messages! Prepare miniature graduation caps using your own spice jar, embroidery floss, and a button. In case your gift is bigger, you may print an image of it and put it in there instead.
7. Graduation Themed Shirts
A pun is never out of place–or a pun T-shirt! One degree hotter: that is a good joke that will leave some laughs behind.
8. Science-Themed Party
Congratulating a person who received a degree in chemistry or biology? You need to celebrate the occasion in a party with a science theme! Visualize periodic tables as placemats and test tubes as drink ware and have a backdrop of scientific equations to complete the ideal scene.
9. Graduation Party Themes.
An excellent theme will create an additional element of amusement and individualism in your graduation party. It brings the decor, the food and the general atmosphere of the event together. There are playful themes and those of the gradual journey or future plans of the graduate. These graduation party themes can be used to create the atmosphere of a memorable party whether you want something easy going or you want something more extravagant.
10. Future School or City Theme
The next prominent step of the graduate is to have a party around the new college, school, or city of the graduate. Decorate with the colors and mascot of their new school or use well-recognized representations of the city they are going to. As an example, when they are travelling to New York City, have the skyline in the background, subway signs, pretzels, and pizza to bring about the theme.
11. Potluck
This would be a good choice for a less formal and more community-based event. Request every guest to bring a dish, and this will give a variety of dishes. You can also request people to bring food that symbolizes the graduate experience- food that the graduate liked as a child, food that the graduate likes or recipes that symbolize their next life (school or profession).
12. Garden Party
A garden-based party would be ideal in case of a beautiful outdoor celebration. The venue should be covered with flowers, plants, fairy lights and wooden benches. This is a good theme during spring and summer when the guests can play outside in the fresh air to celebrate the huge achievement of the graduate.
13. Sports Theme
A sports themed party can be used to show the graduate that he or she loves sports or the sports that the graduate played in school. Prepare food in the concession stand venues such as hot dogs, popcorn, and nachos and use them as centerpieces. It is even possible to install games such as cornhole or mini basketball hoop to the guests.
14. Memory Wall
Ask the guests to bring a memory wall by tacking pictures, special occasions and funny moments and the graduate. It is a heart-warming method of including everyone and marking the stages of the journey of the grad.
15. Karaoke Station
Make it interesting by installing a karaoke machine with a collection of classic music during the school life of the graduate and the latest hits. It sounds like a sure-footed method of making the guests laugh, sing, and celebrate the big day of the graduate in a memorable and exciting manner.
16. Slideshow Presentation
Prepare a touching slide show of the school life of the graduate, since kindergarten to senior year. Play photos, videos and music to establish a certain mood and have a special moment during the party to play it. It is an excellent time to take a look back and be thankful about the future.
17. Pizza Party
However old we get, everyone loves a pizza party! Take this your party to the next level with customized pizzas loaded with fancy toppings with crispy prosciutto. You can also consider taking custom, real-life pizza cooking classes and have a fun, social, and delicious graduation party.
18. Pottery Party
Get the hands dirty with some of the more creative graduation party ideas by taking up fun and creative pottery classes. The greatest thing about this concept is that everyone is going to take their masterpiece home with them and that would be symbolic of years of hard work and sweat.
19. Dance Party
Get rid of the worries of writing papers and learning exams through a night out with a fun and refreshing dance party. This is a graduation party concept that will ensure everybody is on their feet and dancing to the music in different forms of dances. Line dancing is ever a good option.
20. Trivia Games
A nice party idea for your graduation is playing trivia games. Who can get the most questions answered. Graduates may demonstrate the gained knowledge with some trivia questions. You may either do the whole experience yourself or you set up some healthy competition with the guests as the entertaining host tests your wits. Or you can consider doing “acting it out” which involve playing a part in your life with real life. It is an excellent alternative event, something unconventional in terms of this graduation party.
Remember,
Graduation Party Catering Food and Beverage: Food and drinks are a must whenever you are holding a party regardless of the type of party being held. You can have full meal or snack station, and with a range of delicious products, you are sure that your guests will go home happy and satisfied.
Graduation Cake: Have a personalized graduation cake with the name of the graduate, the year the graduate is graduating or school colors. The cake may be a delightful main dish and yummy dessert.
Mocktail Station: You can consider setting up a mocktail bar whereby the guests can blend and tailor their own non alcoholic beverages using various juices, sodas and garnishes.
Final Thoughts
In any case, whether you are celebrating the graduation in a low-profile event among the close circle of friends or in a large-scale party, these graduation party ideas can help you to put together a party that reflects the personality and accomplishments of the graduate during this landmark ceremony.