As a graduate, everything you will be looking for is a good turn out and having a wonderful experience with your friends and family. Since it is a one-in-a-lifetime event, proper planning is the key to making a graduation party memorable and successful. This article looks at some of the dos and don’ts of a graduation party.
Do’s
- Pick an Invitation That Reflects Your Party
An invitation to a graduation party can be either casual or formal. While some specifics about the location, time, and who is graduating are a must, your invitation should also reflect the party you are throwing. Have the freedom to be casual and fun if that is your style.
- Pick a Date When People Will be Available
Since many of your graduating classmates will be having parties, it is important to pick a date when more people will be available. You are likely to get a bigger turnout on a day when many people are available including your family members.
- Plan Ahead of Time
Planning a graduation party can be a complicated affair since there is much to consider ahead of time. You need to send out invitations, compile the final guest list, set up the menu, and plan your music or other forms of entertainment. Since you will be the soul of the party, you need to determine who will be preparing food and serving guests.
- Dress Appropriately
Graduation is a big deal, so consider dressing appropriately like it is. Keep in mind that you will have to remove your gown at some point during your celebration. Avoid warm clothing, as you can get sweaty under the gown. Instead, wear lighter fabrics and make sure your dressing is graduation worthy.
- Let the Graduation Party be About the Graduate
Family and friends should not dictate who you can invite to your party since it is your day. While they can help you make certain decisions, you should be the one to give the final say. The reason all your friends and family members have come to the party is to celebrate your graduation party because it revolves around you.
Don’ts
- Don’t Send Announcements Before the Ceremony
Many people are likely to get confused as to whether they were invited for the ceremony or the graduation party. You do not want your guests to be turned away from the main event, as they need invitation cards for the ceremony. Consider sending the announcements after the graduation ceremony to avoid confusing people who were not invited to the main event.
- Don’t Ask for Presents
Never ask for presents from your guests. If someone brings you a gift, consider it as your good fortune and send a thank you note. However, if you are the one bringing gifts to the graduate, consider something that they may use in their next step.
- Don’t Forget to Plan an Activity
Do not just stop at offering food and drinks to your guests. Consider spicing up your graduation party with other entertainment activities such as backyard games or trivia quiz about the graduate. You can also offer a prize to your guests for the most accurate answers or put together a selfie station or a photo booth.
- Don’t Forget to Tell Your Neighbors
Let your next-door neighbors and the ones across the street know about potential noise and limited street parking ahead of time. You do not want to keep them in the dark, as they may not be happy about unexpected guests or parties that extend into the night.
- Don’t Forget to Send Thank You Notes
Although the graduate should not necessarily expect gifts from everyone, it is important to send a thank-you note if gifts are received. The type of thank you note may vary depending on the person who brought the gift or your relationship with them. You can simply send a text or email to a close friend or sibling and a thank you card for older family members and friends.
All the above tips can make your graduation party successful as long as everything is planned ahead of time. Most importantly, the celebration should revolve around the graduate, as it is their special day. Although a family member or friend can help in organizing a graduation party, the graduate should always make the final decision about how they want the event to look like.