Graduation season is in full swing, which means that soon it will be time to plan your graduate's Open House or Graduation Party! A graduation party is the best way to celebrate your child’s hard work and accomplishment with your friends and family members. You get to take the opportunity to reminisce about all of the special moments that brought your child to this point.
High School Graduation is a pivotal time in a young person’s life as they transition from adolescence into adulthood. It can be stressful planning an event of this size. There is so much to consider, from gathering childhood photos and awards to choosing decorations, food, and party favors.
Let’s look at some important DO’s and DONT’s of planning a graduation party!
DO Send invitations well in advance!
The thing about graduation season is that everyone is planning a party to celebrate their graduates. Many people find themselves invited to a graduation party nearly every weekend for months on end throughout the summer! So it is vital to get your invitations out as soon as possible so that your guests have plenty of time to put your event on their schedules!
DO Talk with other Family and Friends planning a Grad Party!
This tip goes along with the last tip. You want to reach out to friends and family members planning a Grad party. Part of the fun of Open House season is celebrating with your friends and family. So you must coordinate your party dates/times to avoid overlap.
DONT Forget to Tell Your Neighbors!
If you’re planning on hosting your grad party at your home, you should absolutely do the courteous thing and let your neighbors know in advance that large numbers of people will be arriving at your home! Giving them a heads up is the best way to avoid any hard feelings or inconvenience to your neighbors.
DO Think about what you want your party to look like!
The most common theme for Graduation Parties is to just lean into the school colors and mascot from the High School from which your child is graduating. For example, if your child is graduating from Green Bay West, you’ll probably see a lot of purple and the Wildcats mascot at graduation parties this summer. However, some students prefer something a bit more personalized and unique for their party theme, so sit down with your graduate and discuss how they want their party to look!
DO Make your Grad Party all about your Graduate!
A graduation party is one of those days that is truly all about your child and celebrating who they have grown up to be and all the amazing things they have accomplished so far in their lives! It is absolutely crucial that you let them take the lead on this party as much as they want. They should have the ultimate say (within reason) in who is invited, how the party looks, and what is or is not included in the party.
DONT ask for presents!
In most cases, you can expect to receive a gift (usually money) from the people who are attending your graduation party. However, you should NEVER ask your guests to bring a gift. Think of the gifts you’ll undoubtedly receive as a bonus, not a requirement of attendance.
DO Rent or Borrow extra tables, chairs, or a party tent!
Generally speaking, a graduation party includes providing some sort of food for your guests to eat, and you should absolutely make sure that there is plenty of space for your guests to sit down and enjoy their meal! If you’re hosting your event at an event venue, this typically won't be a concern because they’ll be included in your rental price. However, if you’re hosting the event at your home, you likely don’t own as many tables and chairs as you’ll need to entertain large numbers of people at once. I recommend renting a party tent, tables, and chairs to give your guests a shady place to sit and visit while they eat.
DO Consider catering over cooking!
If you’re like me, then the thought of cooking for a huge party is an incredibly daunting prospect to consider. If you don’t love cooking, you should absolutely consider ordering from a local catering place. You can choose from so many different options that your guests will love, such as bbq, a taco bar, or even choose to order from your child’s favorite restaurant! I’ve seen grad parties that offered food from Panda Express, White Castle, and even Chick-Fil-A!
DONT Forget to Plan an activity!
When you’re hosting a large group, you really need to provide something for your guests to do to occupy their time! Nothing is worse than a party with nothing to do, and your guests are likely to leave earlier if they are bored at your event. We love a party with a good Photo Booth! A Photo Booth is a great hands-off activity to entertain your guests without adding any additional stress to your plate! With Snap N Pics Photo Booths, you will have a dedicated team member who operates the Photo Booth throughout your event and makes it incredibly easy for you to relax and enjoy your party!
DO send Thank You Cards!
As we mentioned before, your graduation party guests will bring a gift for the graduate in most cases. So you want to make sure that you (and your grad) remember to send out a thank you note to each person who attends your party and/or brings a gift. These can be as simple as a photo card (with your graduate’s senior portrait) and “Thank You” on the front with a short handwritten message on the back.
Are you planning a graduation party this summer? If you are, we would love to help entertain your guests and capture some fantastic photos from your special day! Give us a call today to reserve your photo booth!
Congratulations, Class of 2022!!
