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Senior year can be quite a whirlwind, especially if it’s your first time experiencing it. As I look back on my son’s Senior year and all the new things we had to oversee, plan, and navigate, I understand why I feel so exhausted. One of the major events to plan for during senior year is the graduation party. In this article, I will share tips on how to plan the perfect high school graduation party and provide ideal timelines and checklists.
High School graduation party
When to start planning the party
The start of the timeline will vary based on several different factors. Therefore, you need to make a few important decisions early. I suggest making these decisions about 4-5 months prior to the party.
For a high school graduation party that will take place in early June, you should try to make these important decisions in January.
The first important decision is the venue.
Many families prefer to have an open house type of graduation party at their house. However, others prefer to rent a venue to host the event. This decision is a personal one, here are a few pros and cons.
| Type of Party | Pros | Cons |
| House party | No venue cost, more personal | Easier to do a multi-graduate party, which often comes with chairs, tables, and all the necessities, |
| Venue party | Easier to do a multi-graduate party, often comes with chairs, tables, and all the necessities, | Rental expenses, transportation of everything to the venue, |
The second important decision is the size of the party. More specifically, do you or your graduate want to do a multi-graduate party?
Both important decisions need to be made at the same time. You need to know the size of your party before you book a venue or decide if the high school graduation party can take place at your house or the house of another parent.
In conclusion, if you plan to rent a venue, you must do so at least 4-5 months before the party. Alternatively, if you plan to host the party at your house, you should plan to make a reservation for any large equipment you will need such as tents, tables, chairs, etc
Our decisions
We decided to go for a large multi-graduate party. Our son has a small but tight-knit friend group. We would have needed to coordinate with those families to ensure we didn’t all plan our party for the same day and time.
After discussing, we opted to have one large party. We found a venue that could accommodate 7 graduates and signed the contract in January.
What’s next?
About 3 months before the party, it’s time to start planning the details of the event. If you are hosting a single party at your home, you can be tempted to push this off. But I urge you not to. There are so many details to consider. For a stress-free party, plan ahead!
It’s time to make the following decisions:
- Food (it’s necessary to estimate the number of guests you will have to ensure you don’t have too little or too much food. A good rule of thumb is to assume food for about 50% of your total count)
- Drinks (more drinks are better than not enough. Have a good variety of water, soda, juice, and adult beverages if you choose so)
- Decor (Pick a theme or color scheme and look for decor options that will make the place feel extra festive)
- Necessities (Start listing things you will need: paper plates, napkins, cutlery, cups, card box, etc)
- Music or entertainment (do you want a photo booth, play music from your phone, have yard games, etc)
- Type of invites (will you do paper or online invites, or a mix of both)
Our decisions
We decided to serve two types of food during our high school graduation party. We opted for Tex-Mex and fried chicken. We felt that most people can find something they like in the mix, including vegetarians who can have beans and rice bowls with chips and salsa.
We also chose to have a dessert table. A few of the moms were fabulous bakers and were going to make delicious sweet treats in addition to the traditional sheet cake.
Each family was going to bring a cooler of drinks for the guests to share.
We met at the venue and decided on the main decor and entertainment. We also assigned responsibilities to each family during this meeting. Because the place we rented was really quite spacious, we decided to order large banners of each kid, an extra large yard sign, a few group photos on canvas, and a 360 photo booth (rental).
Each family was going to be responsible for their own senior table.
It’s getting real!
Two months before the party, it’s time to create your invitations and send them out. With so many senior parties around the same time of year, it’s crucial to give plenty of notice to your guests.
We decided to do a Facebook invite for all guests with access to the online platform (most) and follow up with paper invites for other guests or close family members that we wanted to send a more personalized invitation.
It’s also time to prepare for the senior table. Make decisions on what you and your graduate would like to display on his or her table. Some ideas include medals, plaques, trophies, photos, favorite books or items with a special meaning for them, etc). Locate the items, print photos, and order what is needed to complete the look.
Tip: Buy the thank you cards ahead of time and have guests pre-address an envelop for themselves during the party.
Items we got for our senior display table:
- Table cloth
- Card box
- Thank you cards
- Guests book (I bought ours on Etsy, but here is a similar option)
- Banner (Also bought on Etsy, but something like that would be really cute)
- Tri-fold to make a photo montage
It’s also time to order any larger display items that you might have identified as needed such as banners, canvas, yard signs, etc.
The final countdown
The last month’s activities will revolve around food, drinks, and last-minute items.
It’s time to place the order with the caterers and bakers. Stop by Costco and get plenty of drinks, paper plates, and other items you had originally placed on your list.
You are almost there! Finalize the senior table and all you have to do is wait for the big moment!
In conclusion
A high school graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime event. I believe in celebrating this accomplishment and the new chapter that is ahead. Although it can be a stressful time for parents and teens alike, it’s also filled with memories that will last a lifetime. I hope this article was helpful in planning your perfect high school graduation party.
Congrats to your graduate!
Cat xx