Graduation Party Ideas, Themes and Party Supplies!
Plan the perfect Graduation Party using a theme or the Graduate's
favorite or school colors. The party tips, recipes and theme ideas below
should help anyone plan a Graduation party that will be remembered for years
to come.
Graduation Party Tips
Graduation Food Ideas
Graduation Party Decorating Ideas
Graduation Party Favors
Graduation Party Fantasy Location Ideas
Graduation Party Hobby/Interest Themes
Hot Graduation Themes
Graduation Gifts
Graduation parties can be big blow outs, family affairs or you could even choose an Open House. An Open House works well if a lot of your
graduate's friends are also having parties around the same time - that way
friends can come and go between parties and get to see everyone and enjoy
all the fun at each event. Just remember when planning that there will be
all age groups showing up : family, friends, godparents, grandparents, etc.
You will want the party to be about the Graduate, so let him or her help
with the planning as much as possible. Do they want a theme party? A small,
quiet family get together? Do they want it at home or at a
restaurant/swimming pool/hotel ? base the theme and the general
planning of the graduation party around their likes/hobbies and you are
guaranteed a winner!
Once you have selected a graduation party theme, center your
invitations, decorations,
and party favors around the theme. At ReasonToParty, our party planners will
be happy to help you plan a never-to-be-forgotten graduation party!
Graduation Party Planning Checklist
Set the Budget - Determine up front what you
can spend and what you cannot, no matter the size of the graduation party.
Determine Location - At your Home, a
Restaurant, a hotel, community center, Sports Complex, etc.
Pick a theme/color scheme - Based on the
Graduate's preferences, hobbies, and of course, your budget.
Entertainment or Games and Activities - this
depends on the location, the guest list and the type of party. If its
at a restaurant/hall - what are you allowed to do? If the party is outdoors
at your home, will the neighbors approve?
Plan for Food - Are you cooking or catering?
For a larger event, you may opt to cater so you have one less thing to worry
about. For an informal party at your home for a small group, it may be best
to cook or purchase pre-made food trays.
Send invitations - Get the word
out as soon as you have the date settled and the location secured. Don't
forget to include a response card with the invitation for your head count
for food.
Purchase Decorations/Party Favors -
Do this right after sending out invitations. You already know
your theme/colors, so why wait? Don't forget your signage or
banners for outside, as well as balloons, table clothes, cut outs, plastic
cutlery and party supplies and anything else you want. Also, get your party favors to coordinate with your theme, or
something special that the Graduate likes and wants to present to guests.
These could include - key tags, key chains, picture frames, theme related
articles, custom candy bars/wrappers, mini nerf footballs, custom made CDs of the year's tops songs, calendars,
bookmarks, etc. Need some ideas - email us today with your theme and
budget and we'll be glad to get you ideas!
Fun ideas for a Graduation Party:
Make a time capsule! Have your guests
bring something that represents their years in high school, or the year of
the graduation. Add everything to a box and either bury it or give to
someone for safe keeping. Meet back in 10 years and open up to reveal the secrets within!
King or Queen for a Day! Blow up pictures
of the Guest of Honor/Graduate from birth to now and display around the party area.
Great favors for any graduation party!
Announce It! Custom candy bar wrappers...
use current pictures with a diploma and cap or even baby pictures for a cute
surprise!
After you decide on your color
scheme or theme for the Graduation party, choose invitations, decorations, and favors to match your
theme…we'll be happy to provide you with help on the details!
The following basic ideas will work with any theme or size graduation party:
Send formal or informal invitations depending on the type of party you are
hosting.
You can also use this as a fun way to send out unique Graduation Party invitations. If you are sending out
traditional paper or imprinted invites, sprinkle some confetti to match your
decorating colors inside. You could attach a computer generated or handwritten tag to an item related to your theme.
For example, you can create a mock diploma to use as an invite, or use a
miniature graduation cap. For a luau theme, use a lei or a pair of
inexpensive sunglasses …use
your imagination! Use curling ribbon, satin ribbon, or pipe cleaners to
attach the tag with all the party details.
Send the graduation party invites out as early as possible (at least 3 weeks prior to the
graduation party) so that your party isn't lost in the shuffle. If possible, check dates
with the parents of the graduate's good friends in order to avoid scheduling
conflicts.
Location, location, location. Your home, a park,
Country Club, community center, bowling alley, school gymnasium, local
YMCA…anywhere that can accommodate your graduation party group is a great
place to hold your event.
If your graduate has one or two very close friends, why not combine
the party (if the teens like the idea!). Rent a tent, set it up outside your home. Most rental businesses stock these tents .. many
will even deliver and set them up.
Fill a table with memorabilia…diploma, awards, prom photos, honors, senior pictures, mortarboard, yearbooks,
pom poms, textbooks, pennants, etc. The graduation party will be more
personal and unique this way.
Set up a photo backdrop area, (a balloon arch, metallic curtain) so that the graduate pictures taken with individuals
and/or groups. Take plenty of photographs during the graduation party to document this once-in-a-lifetime event!
In your invitation, ask each guest to come to the party with his or her own
tribute, toast or remembrance, in lieu of a gift. Such as: A personal note,
a message in song form, a tape recorded message, a doodle, a
video segment, a poem, a skit, a photo collage, slide presentation, or a
homemade music video. These makes for great memories!
Or, set up a video camera in an area that's decorated and ask
guests to stop by during the party and record a message for the Graduate.
Cover a wall with seamless paper and ask
guests to leave messages, clever doodles, or creative outlines of themselves
for the guest of honor.
These can then be clipped after the party and preserve
them in a scrapbook!
If there will be out of town guests, call a few hotels in your area and
ask about group discount rates and try to block a few rooms for the night of
the event/weekend; then
guests can call in and pay for their own room. On a separate insert in your
invitation, include hotel names, rates, and a code for your block rate. Don't
forget to add a small map of where the hotels are located along with driving
directions to the party/event.
Do as
little cooking as possible on party day! Choose
foods that can be prepared a day or two prior to your event, (or hire caterers,
if its in your budget)
and purchase prepared food from restaurants, delis, food service markets.
This gives you more time to enjoy the party, your guests and your
stress-free day!
Graduation Party and Themed Party Recipes at ReasonToParty!
Click Here
Buffet ideas:
Veggies & dip
Built-your-own Tacos or Nachos
Burgers & hot dogs
Mini eggrolls
Giant deli sandwiches
Mini pizzas
Chicken strips (have several different sauces)
Chicken wings
BBQ Meatballs
Swedish
Meatballs
Water chestnuts wrapped in bacon
Sandwiches made on mini buns (about 3-4 bite size).
Prepare as much as possible ahead of time. Store your hot items in an oven set at 200 degrees.
Place
bowls of munchies around the party room so your guests can mingle around.
Snacks such as nuts, M&Ms, Chex Mix, and dips are always a hit and easy to
prepare and serve.
Make layers out of your food
presentations and dress up your table. Pile up books, upside down buckets, or
even bricks on the table, cover them with gossamer or tablecloths in your
theme or colors.
For buffet help and general amounts of food and drinks to prepare for
each person, click here
TROPICAL PARADISE
YACHTING AROUND THE GLOBE
A DUDE RANCH
LAS VEGAS/MONACO
SULTRY SOUTH AMERICA
NEW ORLEANS
HOLLYWOOD
Embellish the party room to resemble the fantasy location, including authentic music
and lighting. Food is also an important part of your theme.
Alternately, you can center your theme around the
graduate's interests, passions, hobbies....
SPORTS:
Golf
Football
Soccer
Cheerleading
Bowling
Sailing/Boating
MUSIC
These are only some ideas that you could use to plan your Graduation party.
Decorating for a graduation party can be easy and fun! Start by
choosing your colors.
It is best if you use
one or two main colors. If you select only one color, try
to add little touches of another color or a lighter or darker shade of the
same color. Or, add small splashes of white,
black, gold or silver. This will not take away from your main color but will
make the decorating even more dramatic.
WHAT COLORS SHOULD I CHOOSE?
The most popular colors for graduation parties
are the school colors of the graduate, but many students are now choosing
favorite colors for decorating… whatever works best for your Graduate and
his/her vision for their party.
If the graduation party is a theme party, choose theme-related colors. Choose
color- based basics, then add some fun props related to your theme.
Stars – gold or silver and black
Mardi Gras – purple, green, yellow and gold
Nautical – navy blue, red & white
Fifties – black, white, hot or pastel pink
Luau – lots of bright
colors – green, yellow, blue, hot pink
Cinderella – pastel blue, white and silver
Hollywood – black & gold or silver
Casino Night – black & red, with splashes of green & white
Western – red, black, and white
Oriental – black, red and gold
60's & 70's Retro – lime green, hot pink, purple, banana yellow, or turquoise
Music – black and white with little splashes of red
DECORATIVE ELEMENTS FOR ANY SETTING
SPORTS ACCESSORIES – sports theme
graduation parties are very popular. Custom imprinted balls, foam hands,
cheer phones, pennants, pom poms, stadium cups, custom sport towels…all make great decorations that can
also be used as Graduation party favors! Add real-life
sports props too!
GOSSAMER – Gossamer is a fabulous, lightweight
fabric that creates fabulous touches at a very reasonable price. It drapes,
hangs and holds its shape beautifully.
Decorate with Gossamer!
BACKGROUND PAPER – Cover walls, windows, floors
and doors with rolls of decorative flat paper, Seamless Paper, or Poly Vinyl. They come in a
vast array of colors and patterns…marble, stars, checkered, brick, cobblestone, water,
etc.
Shop for CORRUGATED PAPER, COLUMNS ,TWINKLE LIGHTS, GOSSAMER, BACKGROUND PAPER
and SPORTS ACCESSORIES
Graduation Party Favors
Every
Graduation
Party should be marked with a favor to treasure. The Graduation
party favors do not have to
be expensive or extravagant, and we can help you find favors to
fit every budget.
Use your Graduation party favors as decorating items for the party
itself, then send them home with the guests.
If you need any help in selecting the perfect favors or in locating any of the favors
mentioned at ReasonToParty, please
let us know...
Email us today!
These themes are great for any graduation party!
CO-ED FUN (or just for girls!)
Backward Party Graduation Party Theme
Retro Mania
Amateur Night - Karaoke Party
Tacky Times Graduation
Party Theme
Hollywood Party
Set the Night to Music
Hawaiian Luau
Beach Bash Graduation Party
Wild,
Wild West Graduation theme party
Flower Power Graduation Party Theme
Rockin' the Night Away - 50's style
Sporting/Hobby Theme Graduation Parties
Limousine Scavenger Hunt
Everything's Coming up Roses!
Mardi Gras
Graduation Party Theme
Pajama Jam
Asian Fantasy
Mexican Fiesta
Graduation Themed Party
A Night on the Orient Express
How Brightly You
Shine Graduation Party theme
Night of a Thousand
Stars Graduation party Theme
Celestial Graduation Party
Star Light, Star Bright
Pool
Graduation Party
A World of Wonder Awaits
Toga Graduation Party
It's a Jungle out there!
Movie Mania
Graduation Theme Party
FORMAL FUN
Black tie and fancy dress are great
fun, or just set a dress code appropriate to your party theme…and enjoy!
Remember to take tons of pictures, and give your guests a
special favor so they'll never forget your night in the spotlight!
Celestial Party
Masquerade Ball
Backward Party
Silver & Gold Ball
Set the Night to Music
Everything's Coming up Roses!
Pajama Ball
Night of a Thousand Stars
Star Studded Night
Dance the Night Away
Hollywood Party
A World of Wonder Awaits
Be sure to ask us how we can help you decorate with tableware, tablecovers
and centerpieces for your Graduation Party too!
ReasonToParty has your Graduation
Party Supplies
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