Graduation party

I have four kids, so I’ve got plenty of experience in planning graduation parties and events that engage and entertain kids of all ages.
For my oldest’s graduation party, we really wanted to drive home that school spirit that they slowly gained as they went through high school and were going to miss as they moved on to college or other paths in their life.
Graduations aren’t just about celebrating finishing school, it’s also about closing a chapter in their life that they won’t be able to return to. And they are not just saying goodbye to school, but sometimes, to relationships

So how do you honor that, but have fun at the same time?

Keep it easy! Graduations don’t necessarily need to go overboard (unless your kiddo has my personality, in which case you need to rent out a theater or grand ballroom and higher unicorns to fart out rainbows and glitter while disco lights are dancing to the pumping music from Lady Gaga and RuPaul…) My daughter was more concerned with getting those last moments with her friends, so that became our focus. Here’s what we did:

My dad had a decent-sized yard (and more importantly, plenty of parking space AND was only a block away from the high school–which made it super easy for people to find).

Food

We used his newly built shed to house all the food which really was just a bunch of red and white candy (school colors for the win!)—and housed some of her memorabilia from school throughout the years. We kept it low cost by using the months before to comb through thrift stores for unique bowls, jars, vases, and candlesticks that we could glue together to make varying height candy jars.

Then, we traveled to four different stores for different red and white candy (or popcorn and marshmallows) to make sure they all fit the school colors.

In the backyard, we put up a photo booth where she could take fun photos with her friends (and family) to remember them all by.

We had games in the yard they could play if they wanted, but really left it up to them to just have time to get in those hugs, laughs, and tears.

So remember, it’s more about the time with each other than the decor or even the food. Just have a few fun activities that help create some moments, and everything else will fall in line.

So, how can you duplicate this?

Decorate with school colors of red and white (or whatever color palette you’re going for). Use different heights of containers, bowls, jars, vases, or candlesticks from thrift stores or DIY projects to hold candy in varying shapes and sizes that correspond with your theme color scheme. This will also help keep costs low as needed supplies can range from $5 to $20 depending on how elaborate you want to get.
Purchase candy or popcorn and marshmallows that all fall into the school color scheme as well. For added convenience, purchase these items through Amazon.com with your Prime membership (if you’re a student, be sure to use your .edu email).
Keep the party low-key and keep it in line with your grad’s personality. Have a few fun activities that help create some moments, and everything else will fall into place.
Don’t forget to take photos of the grads with their family or friends using a photo booth for added memories!

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways to plan a graduation party. It’s about finding the right balance between what you want and what your grad wants. If that sounds like something you need help with, we can provide you with some recommendations on how best to get started planning for this momentous occasion. We offer free consultations where our team will sit down and walk through all your options from venues to catering, entertainment, decorating ideas, budgets—you name it! Our planners have been there before so they know exactly what questions should be asked in order to create an unforgettable celebration that leaves everyone feeling happy and fulfilled in their memories.

Contact us today if you want to get started planning a party that will leave everyone feeling cheerful and excited for the grad’s bright future ahead!

As Always,
Bert

(P.S. I’ve created a Pinterest board with some great ideas.)