Graduate in style: Tips and tricks for the best graduation party

If you’re reading this and you’re the grad, congrats! If you’re reading this and you’re the graduation party planner, take a deep breath, we’ve got this totally under control. The graduation might be all about the ceremony, but we all know that what happens after graduation is all about the party. All it takes is a little bit of patience, the perfect menu, and a few drinks. So sit back, don’t break the bank, and don’t break your sanity. Here are the 5 easiest tips for throwing the best graduation party:

1. The invitation- Never underestimate the power of a simple, yet stunning invitation. The invitation sets the stage for the party itself; a good invitation means a good party. Besides, everyone you or the Graduate cares about in their life will be receiving an invitation, which means everyone who is anyone will see it. So make it special, give it some pizzaz, and put just as much effort into the invitation as the fantastic Graduate did to get here. Besides, it makes for an excellent keepsake.

2. The food & drink- Oh the food and drink! The longer the guest list grows, the bigger your budget gets, but rest assured there are dozens of tips and tricks on how to feed a large crowd on a small budget. For starters, make your own appetizers and a nice boozy punch for guests to sip on. But one thing is for certain, NEVER forget the food or the keg…or two. The food is debatably the second-most important thing to the Graduate, so ALWAYS start your planning with food!

3. The music- Forget where it is, the important part is what it is; a party. And every great party needs music, lots of music, all kinds of music. Maybe you want to go all out and hire a live band, we say, go for it! Otherwise, a few speakers and a rockin’ playlist totally does the trick. Just make sure you’re not celebrating in silence.

4. The decor- For this, we always recommend going with a theme. The decor includes memorabilia, guest book, party favors, maybe even a photo booth. Most if not all of these things can easily be DIY’d which means you won’t be going over budget. The decor is one thing you don’t want to miss because most importantly it gives the Graduate thing to hold onto and remember forever.

5. The thank you’s- The easiest way to remember thank you notes is to create them at the same time as the invitation. (It’s all coming full circle right?) Thank you notes are especially important for the grad and a huge weight off their shoulders if they are made in advance. Friends, family, coworkers are often very generous to celebrate such a huge accomplishment, so a well-thought thank you note is definitely in order.