Graduation parties can be a little different from planning some other kinds of parties. Take advantage of the high mood to celebrate by choosing a time right after commencement.
Graduation rites are a celebration of a student's passing through a level of education,
through all of the tests and trials that they encounter during those years. Throwing a party for a graduate will show that you recognize their achievement and it will be a great gift for them to celebrate their graduation.
The first thing to do when planning a graduation party is to ask the graduate's opinion on how the party should be held and whether or not they'd like to help out in the planning. Find out who they want to have invited, whether it should be a lot of people or only a few intimate friends.
Next, you should set the date and time for the party to be held. It should be held after the commencement ceremony and can begin any time from a few moments to a few days after it. Many people like to have their party immediately after commencement while their feelings are running high and they are in the mood to party. Be careful when making plans around this time, because those who attend commencement can often be caught in traffic jams around the school right after the event.
A delay in all the party guests and the guest of honor arriving need not be awkward. It can be planned for by having quick and easy appetizers and push-button entertainment like recorded music. The pouring of alcoholic drinks could be delayed on the premise of waiting for enough guests to arrive, to prevent early intoxication of some of the guests.
The location of the party is also very important. Choose whether you want to rent a room, a restaurant, or whether you'd like to have it in your own home. You will need to make reservations for locations aside from your house, so plan the location out when thinking about the date. This time of year outdoor parties are very nice, but have an alternate location in mind so that the party won't be ruined by a little rain. Someone's house with a nice patio in the backyard or the clubhouse for some housing communities can handle quick changes from outdoor to indoor parties.
Even if there are only a few guests, it is still important to send them invitations so that they will know about the party and remember to go to it. If you can't hand them the invitations personally, you can also send them through mail, and send a reminder through email. Make sure to include all the details, like where and when as well as contact details for them to RSVP.
You should set a budget for your party since this will affect how the party will turn out. Find out how much you want to spend on food, drinks, decorations, and entertainment. Write all the different costs and list them so you know more or less how much you will have to pay for the party.
Along with the budget, plan out the menu for the party. Depending on the time of the party, you will have to serve either snacks or a full meal. You can choose to have the party catered or if you'd like to make the food yourself at home. If the party is catered, you have to have all the guests RSVP ahead so that you can know how much you'll spend for the caterers. Also, you may choose to have a graduation cake or not. You may want to buy a cake from a bakery and have it decorated, so make sure to do this ahead.
On the day itself, make sure that the plans are final and you know how to handle the party. You should ask for help from others to help facilitate the party, especially if you are attending commencement yourself. By the end of it all, the graduate and all the guests will have had a great time at the party, and the graduate will feel appreciated and accomplished.
