If youāre in the process of planning a party for an upcoming grad in your life, youāre probably trying to figure out how to make this unforgettable moment⦠Well⦠Unforgettable. If thatās the case, hereās how to plan a graduation party your grad will remember.
How to Plan a Graduation Party Your Grad Will Remember
When youāre graduating thereās always so much going on. Highschoolersā minds are buzzing with that to do after graduation, or what college theyāll be attending in the fall. University grads are getting ready to head out into the world and start their careers.
If someoneās ever thrown you a graduation party, or any kind of party really, youāll know that even if you try your best to take it all in itās tough to remember everything. Hereās some tips for planning a graduation party you grad will remember.
Plan it right
Throwing a memorable graduation party means making it a great celebration. The first step to that is planning the kind of event that you grad will actually enjoy attending. That means choosing a theme, food, and guest list that you think theyāll like. You donāt need to break the bank to make it their ādreamā graduation party, but if you make sure the key things that theyād appreciate are there itās more likely to be a memorable event.
The venue
Choose a venue thatās going to be large enough to accommodate your guest list and any party must-haves. If you want to throw a really memorable graduation party, you might want to consider an āoff-beatā venue like laser tag or a camping trip.
Add a theme
You can just make it a general graduation theme, but the most memorable grad parties are the ones that have some unique flair. Whether thatās using the new gradās sports team colours or plastering their face on everything hilariously is up to you.
Plan the food
Food is something that you have to have, but unless you do something crazy unique (or itās really good) isnāt terribly memorable. If your budget is tight donāt focus too much on having the most memorable food, although now is the time to pull out that amazing old family recipe for dip if you have one. Otherwise, picking something thatās going to have your guests raving for weeks or is very unique is the best way to have memorable grad party food.
Have the right company
How many times do we forget the particulars of a party but remember who we were there with? If you want to plan a graduation party your grad will remember, make the guest list one of your biggest priorities. Donāt just invite a bunch of relatives they never see, let alone would want to hang out with. Of course, donāt exclude these people who want to celebrate the new grad, just make sure their friends, cousins, and anyone else they might like to see there are invited as well.
Make it all about the grad
Although some people donāt like to be the center of the spotlight, this is one time that the party really does need to be all about one person. Take this opportunity to highlight the new graduateās accomplishments, teams, or future career goals. Depending on your gradās personality this might be something as simple as a slideshow, or plastering their face on everything. Either way, make sure the gradās preferences are a large focus of your party planning. Meaning, donāt plan the party that you want if itās not what theyād want. If you ignore your gradās wishes the party might still be memorable, but not in a positive way.
Take plenty of pictures
Looking at an old photo photo is tried and true way to bring back a memory. If you want your grad to be able to remember at least the big parts of the evening in the years to come, make sure you have plenty of snapshots of the night to look back on. Thereās lots of ways you can make this happen:
- Hire a professional photography to capture the event
- Create a secret group or use a cloud photo service to have everyone add their personal photos to the same place so you get a great variety
- Set up a photo booth as one of the party activities (complete with props) and keep a copy of all the pictures
- Use a hashtag specific to your party so you can see everyoneās social media postings
- Leave disposable cameras around the venue (or on tables) for guests to snap photos throughout the night, then print them for the grad
Have guest book (or alternative)
Of course you can totally go with the classic guest book for everyone to sign their name and add well wishes, itās true, but there are also great alternatives out there. If you want to pick something outside the box, look for something thatās unique to the personality of your grad. Some great examples include: Having everyone sign a sports ball (for an athlete), signing the inside of a book (for a book choose something inspirational, useful, or personal), writing messages on a flag or map of the world, writing on the pieces of a game like Jenga, and so on. Get creative!
Make it fun!
This might seem obvious, but letās be honest; what theyāll remember the most about their graduation party is how much fun it was. How you make it fun will depend on the personality and interests of your grad. Some may find a small get together the most fun, while others will revel in a big party. Itās a good idea to consider setting up some fun games so the guests, and grad, donāt get bored.
Keep stress to a minimum
This goes for both you and the grad. If youāre stressed out everyoneās going to feel it. Try to avoid setting any unrealistic expectations for yourself or anyone else, especially the new grad. Hire help when you need to, and donāt try to overdo the party. Even if you do everything right, thereās only so much you can do to make a graduation party memorable. At the end of the day the point of a graduation party is to celebrate and have fun together.
You can do everything to plan a graduation party your grad will remember and the event might still be a blur, so make sure you also find time and enjoy the celebration together. And donāt forget to take some pictures together with the grad!