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How to Throw a Graduation Party in 2021?
Graduation season is here! Whether your child (or you) is graduating from high school, college, or even from grad school, this new milestone deserves a mighty celebration. Why not celebrate their accomplishments and hard work by throwing a memorable graduation party? To help you plan for an amazing graduation party, we’ve put together a checklist of everything you need to think about and everything you might need for a fabulous party.
Plan Ahead
A month before
Whether you’re planning a large bash or just a simple dinner amongst close friends and family, getting a head start on planning can’t hurt. It’s good to start planning more than a month before your party so that you can choose the best venue, pick the best date, pick your theme and come up with your guest list. It’s good to send out invites or let your guests know about the party about a month in advance so that they can take time out of their calendars for it. Also don’t forget to make reservations for venues, party tents, any activities, live music, or a catering company (if you’re using one).
To reiterate, one month before the party you’ll want to:
- Pick a date. It doesn’t have to be the exact date of the student’s graduation. Sometimes, the weekend following that works better.
- Set your budget. This will help you decide how much you want to spend on the venue, decorations, food etc.
- Choose and book the venue (or if you’re hosting the bash at home, decide if you want to host it inside or outside).
- Finalize your guest list. This will help you know the quantities of party supplies and food that you’ll need.
- Pick your theme. A theme party is always more fun!
- Make any necessary reservations for catering, live music, party tents, party activities etc.
- Send out invites to your guests.
A couple of weeks before
You’ll want to shop for your party supplies about two to three weeks before to make sure you have everything you need beforehand, to avoid last minute panic. If you’re using catering services, you’ll also want to make sure that they are prepared and know the exact time and location, and the specific menu. Continue reading to see which party supplies and decorations you might need.
2-3 weeks before:
- Put together a list of party supplies based on your theme, guest list and other needs.
- Shop for the party supplies and decorations or make your own DIY decorations.
- Pre-order any necessary food items like personalized cakes.
- Make sure the catering service and live music performers (if you’re bringing in a band) have all they need.
A few days before
A couple days before the big bash would be a good time to clean the house (if you’re hosting the party at your home), get all the necessary groceries, prepare the food, put together a party playlist, make sure your speakers work and decorate the house!
Also don’t forget to notify your neighbours about the party or even invite them to be there as well!
1-4 days before:
- Clean the house and yard.
- Make sure you have all the necessary groceries and other items (like trash bags, napkins etc). If you’re not relying on a catering service, then you could pick up some pre-made food and snacks…or you can make home-made snacks and food.
- Put together a party playlist and make sure your speakers work properly.
- Prepare the food.
- Pick up your customized cake and desserts.
- Decorate your home!
Pick a Theme
Theme parties are always more memorable! Besides, having a clear theme can help you narrow down your decoration options and make finding the right decorations a piece of cake. A clear theme will also make it easier for guests to choose their outfits and allow them to know what to expect. Struggling to find the perfect theme? We’ve put together a list of themes that you can use for your graduation party regardless of the age group.
Plan an Activity
Fun games can help take the party to another level, especially for kids, although games can be fun for teens or even adults too! There’s nothing worse than not knowing what to do at a party. Party games can provide budget-friendly entertainment and help break the ice which is especially useful if not all the party guests know each other. The type of activity you plan will depend on the graduate’s age, the location of your venue (outdoors vs indoors). You can plan a simple badminton or petanque game outdoors or an indoor game like Cards Against Humanity (for college graduates) and Uno (for high school graduates and kids).
Which items will you need?
The types of decorations you’ll need will depend on the theme you choose and the amount of time you want to spend decorating. As a rule of thumb, you’ll probably want to get the following items:
- Party tableware such as napkins, cups, straws, paper plates, tablecloths, utensils and table centerpieces. You can have a look at some awesome tableware from Shimmer and Confetti.
- Having a bottle opener handy is also a must!
- We also recommend you decorate your place with balloons, confetti balloon and/or balloon garlands to create a festive environment. For a coherent theme, you can choose to use the same color scheme for all your decorations.
- You might also want to get a graduation banner and/or hang up a photo display of your graduate’s academic journey.
- Some other fun décor options (especially for theme parties) include wall decorations, ribbons, hanging decorations and ceiling decorations.
- If you’re planning an activity, then make sure you have all the necessary items for that.
- A camera or smartphone to take pictures of the whole event!
A graduation party is a fun way to celebrate your student’s hard work and accomplishments. It’s best to plan ahead so that you can make the most out of this important milestone in your student’s life.
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