It's May and time to dust off traditional and come up with some new graduation party ideas for your soon to be graduate. I know my time has been filled with choosing announcements, scrapbooking feverishly, working on crafts for graduation, a graduation newsletter, party planning and decor planning.
Having been in the event industry for a couple of decades, I have been through quite a few graduation parties. Below is a list of 5 graduation party ideas I have seen and used to make for a wonderfully successful event that I thought I would pass on to you! Enjoy!
Top 5 Graduation Party Ideas
1. Timing is Everything
Plan your graduation party for a day different from the actual graduation ceremony. That day will be filled with have-to's already and adding a party to the list can be overwhelming. You may get more traffic to the event as well if it is not hosted the same day as everyone else's party.
2. Pool Your Resources
Consider pooling your party with others and hosting one big event for 2 to 5 graduates. Best friends, school chums, and teammates are perfect for this idea.
It will save money on the rent (if you are using a venue), and food & drink costs as well. And, your party will probably be at the top of guests running the graduation party circuit since they can mark off multiple graduates at one place!
3. What Type of Event Format?
Use an "Open House" format. List a 2 to 4 hour window that guests can stop by to offer their congratulations. This will fit into more people's time frame than an event that they are expected to stay from beginning to end or is during a meal time.
4. Food
Use a buffet with medium to heavy appetizers for your guests to peruse when they stop in. If they have a lot of parties on their list, they won't want to eat a heavy meal. Keep it simple and elegantly display it to make it seem bigger than life. (Some food ideas are in this article: Graduation Party Ideas | Food for the Party.)
Also, remember to keep your guests safe from food borne illness by keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Use some imagination on the buffet layout as well. Try a round table in the middle of the room so guests can get to it easily and it acts as a focal point. Build a buffetscape that guests will remember instead of a bunch of platters flat on the table.
5. Bragging Rights
Lastly, make a table(s) with all your graduates achievements, accomplishments and memorabilia that guests can go through. This is their day and a bit of bragging is in order. (See Pictures Below)
Using the same concept as for a buffetscape, create a beautiful memorabilia table for your graduate. Use boxes, bowls or canned goods as risers of different heights and cover them with fabrics or table cloths in school colors. Add a mascot or letters in the name of your graduate, a mortar board and tassel as decor for this table.
Then arrange sports trophies, medals and ribbons -- a scrapbook chronicling your graduates school years -- a plain or themed card box for guests to drop their well wishes into -- play bills -- awards banquet programs -- where they are going to attend college -- and pictures of your graduate through the years on the risers. Add greenery, iridescent shred, pom poms, sports balls jerseys and more to the display. This will make the event more memorable in the eyes of your guests.
I hope you can use some of these simple but fun graduation party ideas at your event! Don't forget to check out some cool, personalized graduation decorations here!
Mandee
Great ideas! Having a drop in window is a super thought since many people will probably want to say congratulations to more than one grad! I also like the bragging rights table. What a fun way to stroll down memory lane!
As always, great ideas! Fun stuff and good eats win out every time and make for a memorable event.