Graduating high school or college is a very important occasion that should be celebrated. For all those tedious years of studying, writing papers and taking tests, the time has finally come to celebrate their achievement. Now you need help with graduation party ideas, such as theme, food, and venue. Below is a plan that will help you get started.
Budgeting
First and foremost, know how much you are able to spend on the graduation party and stick to that number. Most families do not have a never-ending supply of money at their disposal, so it is important to remember that, even though this is a huge milestone, it is the joy of being with people that will be the most memorable part of the party, not the venue or the entertainment.
Planning
You will most definitely need the input of your graduate as to the type of party they want. How big of a party, what date and time and whom to invite. Hopefully, what they want meshes with what you are able to provide.
Location
Graduation parties can take place almost anywhere. The graduate’s house is a popular place, whether in the backyard or indoors. Other venues include restaurants, country clubs, hotels, banquet facilities, churches or community center rooms. If you are hoping to have the party outdoors, check with your city about reserving space at one of your parks. Some have nice pavilions and stations for grilling and eating. Just be sure to have a backup plan in case it rains.
Rentals
Once you know where you are having your party, you will also know whether or not you will need to rent items, such as tables and chairs, linens and even possibly a tent. If you are having the party in your backyard, you will most likely need to reserve tables, chairs and linens for the guests, but you may also need a tent or two, depending on how large they are, to help keep the guests out of direct sunlight. Be sure to browse the rental store to get more graduation party ideas for other rentals that you may want.
Menu
Deciding on the menu can be a tricky, depending on the time of day and the number of people. When having the party at your home, anything goes. You can provide the food yourself, if you enjoy doing such things. If not, the food industry acknowledges how busy we are and has gone to some degree to help us by preparing deli trays of meats and cheese, deli trays of luncheon meats, fruit trays, and boxes of cookies, brownies and cupcakes. Another option, if you prefer the idea of homemade food, is to ask guests to bring a dish, making the party a pot-luck.
If you would prefer not to do the cooking for the party, you can always hire a caterer. Catering comes in many different forms these days. There is the private caterer, of course, but there is also the restaurant caterer. Many restaurants offer a catering service, so if your graduate has a favorite restaurant, you might check with them to see how much it would cost to cater a party. And finally, there are the semi-fast food type caterers. Sandwich shops, barbecue, Mexican fare and Italian fare that are served relatively quickly also offer catering services.
When holding your party at a venue, however, such as a country club, hotel or banquet facility, you won’t have to worry about dealing with a caterer as you will work with their chef. Depending on the time of day, the chef can offer a nice brunch set-up, a dessert bar, and anything in between.
Theme
Finally, and probably the question most frequently asked about, is what theme to use. The themes that are generally used for high school are the high school colors, the school colors of the college they will be attending, the “through the years” theme where pictures are shown of the graduate from kindergarten through senior year, athletics, especially if the graduate received an athletic scholarship to attend a college, and a job theme, which surrounds the type of job or degree the graduate is focusing on.
College graduate themes have included school colors as well, but also themes surrounding the graduate’s major. If they majored in IT, go with a computer theme. If they majored in accounting, use numbers, calculators and spreadsheets. If they graduated as a nurse or doctor, go with a medical theme.
Another idea for college graduates is to use the theme of the company they are going to work for. Some graduates have a job waiting for them as soon as they graduate. In this case, you can use the company’s theme.
The athletic theme can also be used for the college graduate, whether they go on to perform professionally or not. Perhaps they didn’t even play college ball, but they were a huge fan.
Themes based on sororities, fraternities, clubs, and organizations the graduate participated in as well as themes surrounding something your graduate might have been famous for in college, such as being the best Call of Duty gamer or never missing an episode of Glee.
The most important thing to remember about graduation party ideas and theme is to think about the graduate and what he or she is about. You can go with something that surrounds the occasion, such as college, degree, occupation, or don’t be afraid to go with something that is just about them, such as the fact that they are a huge gamer or that even though they are becoming a neurosurgeon, they absolutely love karaoke. If you concentrate on that, the party will be a huge success.