Graduation is a time of celebration for any student who has made it this far. For some, this means saying goodbye to their friends and advisors for the last time.
For others, it means welcoming a new chapter in their lives with new responsibilities and goals.
No matter what you’re planning for your graduation party, it’s an opportunity to celebrate the end of your undergraduate years with friends and family and show everyone where you’re headed next.
If you’re looking to up your graduation party game, here are some ideas to get you started. From invitations to decorations and favors, these are the finishing touches that will take your party from good to great.
Add an element of surprise
You’re running out of things to do and places to explore. Your friends have been going to the same bars and clubs every weekend.
You already know who’s coming to your party and you’re planning on driving them all home after you’re done partying.
That said, you may want to add an element of surprise to your party.
Have a friend help you plan the details of your party but don’t tell anyone that you’re doing it.
Include a special location or two that no one knows about and have your friend greet your guests at the door.
This will totally throw your guests when they see a few familiar faces walking towards the exits instead of being driven home.
Invite your guests to help you plan your party
Having your friends help you plan your party not only shows that you care about their opinions, it also gives you a chance to get to know them better.
Invite your guests to pick your major, recommend restaurants you’ve both been to, and suggest activities you may enjoy. This will also give you a chance to find out more about each of them, which is especially important when bringing in new members to your group of friends.
To make it interesting, let the planning begin with sending out a survey to all your guests.
Have them fill out the survey with as much detail as possible, including pick-up locations, dinner recommendations, and activities they’d like to see at your party.
The survey will give you a better idea of who you’ll be hanging out with for the next four years and what your common interests are.
Plan your seating arrangements early
If you’re like most students, you’re probably living with your parents while you save money and plan your move-in timeline. This means that you have to plan your seating arrangements early on.
At the very least, you’ll want to plan out where you’ll be sitting during dinner and the party.
First, decide how many people you’ll be sitting at dinner with. In the United States, the seating arrangements for dinner vary based on whether or not there are special guests at the table.
For dinner with the parents, you’ll usually want to sit at the adult’s side of the table. For dinner with a boyfriend or girlfriend, you’ll usually sit at the opposite end of the table.
For the party, you’ll want to decide where everyone will be sitting. This will help you plan how much food to order and will also ensure that everyone has a drink in their hand.
Include a graduation cap station at your party
Your guests will love helping you pick out the perfect cap to wear during your graduation party.
Most guests will have a few options to choose from and you can have them rank the top choices on a piece of paper.
From there, you can have your guests place their papers in a hat and have the person with the hat closest to the graduation cap win a prize.
If you have time before your party, have your guests fill out a bracket and have a final battle royal to decide who wins the prize.
Incorporate your favorite foods and drinks
If you’re looking to up your graduation party game, there are a few ways to do it.
One way is to incorporate your favorite foods and drinks into your decorations and setup.
For example, you can use a chalkboard to write out your favorite drinks and include pictures of them to liven up the space.
You can use votive holders and floating candles to create a Fall feel or use canvas totes to house your favorite foods.
Finish with a memorable send-off
After your guests have had a chance to relax from all the food and excitement, send them on their way with a personalized note.
Include your favorite memories from the past four years and let them know when they can expect to receive their graduation cap.
Your guests will appreciate the personal touch and it will be a great way to end your graduation party. If you’re looking for more ideas, here are a few other ways to end your party on a high note.
- Have your guests sign your yearbook.
- Host a graduation cap scavenger hunt.
- Give your guests a gift card for their next visit to the local nail salon/barbershop/coffee shop.
Graduation is a time of celebration, and what better way to celebrate than with your friends and classmates?
Whether you’re throwing a small party for your friends or celebrating with your entire class, here are 3 graduation party ideas that will take you the whole way:
1. Use balloons to create a balloon archway on either side of the room that will be lit up and decorated with streamers and balloons.
2. Decorate your cake with colorful stripes or polka dots instead of traditional icing patterns
3. Create a graduation gift for each guest that includes an inspirational quote or saying about what each person has learned during
These ideas range from small, inexpensive ways to freshen up your decorations to filling your house with fun and exciting food and drink ideas.
Whatever you choose, your graduation party will be nothing short of spectacular.
If you’re looking for more graduation party ideas, we have plenty of guides to help you make your party memorable.
From invitations to decorations, we have everything you need to have the perfect party.
Don’t miss out on these graduation party ideas. They will take your party to the next level.
