Graduation means the end of an era, but the beginning of an exciting new adventure! So, to mark the occasion, the only way to go out is with a bangin’ graduation party for all to enjoy! To make it memorable, get as creative as you can with themes, decorations, food and props. To help you out, here are 15 tips to throw an A+ graduation party!
Themed parties are a great way for people to let loose and relax, and it makes the night more fun! Especially when it’s centred around your favourite things! Invite your guests to a party decked out with decor inspired by your favourite TV show, movie or music. Remember your school years as you sing ‘The Office’ theme tune surrounded by the character’s pictures on the walls, or have your fruit kebab on the iconic orange couch with your ‘Friends’. There are so many ways to make your party unique, so go all out!
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You want your guests to know what’s in store for your graduation party, so put out a welcome board out the front of your venue to make them feel welcomed and to get the party started! Make the board as creative and unique to you as you want, to really reflect your personality. Make it yourself out of some slated wood boards or hire someone to do it for you. This is such a cute and simple way to make you ‘party hostess goals’!
Months, or even years down the track, you’ll thank yourself for this one. Or at the very least, your parents will. Guest books are a fantastic way to remind you of all the people who care about you who made your graduation party special. To make it even more sentimental, leave a Polaroid camera next to the book so guests can snap a picture of themselves and paste it in the book next to a sweet message from them to you!
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Alright, getting down to the delicious stuff. Dessert bars are always a popular addition to parties and events, so why not have one of your own? Fill it with cupcakes, DIY smores, candy jars and more! All graduation themed, of course, but more on that next. Or, if you’re popcorn obsessed, have a popcorn bar where guests can create their own popcorn flavours and toppings from different options you’ve set out for them! You can bet that whatever you put out will be gone by the end of the night!
This may seem cheesy, and it is, but it’s also incredibly cute and on-point with the whole ‘look, I’m graduating!’ theme. Really let people know what they’re here for by creating adorable desserts with little grad-caps on them, all made out of sugar. Capped cupcakes, little Reece’s Pieces graduation caps, ‘Smart Cookie’ cookies; ugh, the list is endless! Endless, and delicious!
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To wash down the sweetness, make sure you have enough refreshments to keep your guests hydrated. A fun party means faster dehydration, so have large glass beverage dispensers with an assortment of refreshing drinks, like punch, lemonade or a concoction such as peach mint drink! Anything that can parch a laughter-sore throat will do just the drink, and is especially appreciated on a hot day.
Now, whether your party is a sit-down dinner situation, or a stand and pick sort of deal, food platters are always a good idea no matter what your eating plan is. If you just want cheese and crackers off to the side for guests to snack on, or a stretched out grazing table fit for a king, it’s always handy to have food there for the taking, just in case your guests have a serious desire to munch on something. Plus, grazing tables make for some seriously envious Insta pics!
A great way for people, and you, to remember your awesome graduation party is to have a photo booth! This doesn’t have to mean hiring a little closed off booth, though this is also a good idea for quick mementos. Create your own photo area with a colourful backdrop, some balloons and some props! Get together with your friends and take some silly (but cute) pics to post along with your very own hashtag so other guests can share their photos. By creating a hashtag, you’re creating a little memory photo board!
Another great idea for your graduation party is to have a photo wall displaying a chronological order of all your school pictures on one wall. Your guests can travel down memory lane as they peruse and see your transformation over the years to the awesome graduate you are! Yes, we all have some embarrassing school pictures we would rather not reveal, but that’s all part of the fun. Don’t forget it’s all in the past, and it’s important to laugh at yourself and recognise how much you’ve grown!
A popular idea for a memorable gradation party is having a wisdom jar, or a place guests can write you advice for the future. Make this aspect more fun by having a ‘Keys to Success’ wall, where cards are pinned up on a cork board along with a key. Guests write down their own ‘keys to success’ life tips and pin up their card. Later, they are yours to look over and take some ‘keys to success’ with you into the future!
If the ‘Keys to Success’ isn’t really your thing, and you fancy yourself more of a jet-setter, then put out a globe for your guests to write on instead. A lot of graduates see travel in their immediate future, so what’s more fitting than for the guests to offer advice and tips on a spinning globe! Keep the globe as a sentimental way to look back and see whose advice you took to heart, and where in the world you used it!
This is a unique idea for your graduation party that involves all of the guests! Write different superlatives on different coloured balloons, such as cutest couple, class clown, or brightest smile. Take a polaroid of each guest and tie them to the balloon with the superlative you think they best match! This is a fun way to recreate your yearbook with people you didn’t all go to class with.
Sticking with balloons, here’s another idea to involve these floating masses of beauty into your graduation party. Balloons in the shape of the year you graduated is a great way to celebrate an awesome year, and looks great in photos as well! The good news is, because of the popularity of this tip, you can get balloons of every size and colour to match your party theme.
Everybody needs a little bit of inspiration in their life, so why not give it to them at your graduation party? Add some quotes onto wooden or cardboard boards, decorate them, and place them around the space. These quotes can be ones that inspired you throughout your school years, quotes that will forever inspire you, or can just be by the person you look up to the most.
Last, but definitely not least, let’s talk table centre pieces. Mason jars are so trendy right now and give off a vintage, hipster feel to your party. To take them even further, paint them with a solid colour and print out pictures of yourself throughout the years and paste them around the jars. These pictures can be special moments with your family, your childhood, or your favourite photo’s of yourself. These are a personal touch that your guests will love!
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