Our Guide to Throwing a Graduation Bash

It’s May, which means graduation season is almost here! And with that comes graduation parties. Planning an open house for your graduate can be a lot of fun, but also a little stressful. One search on Pinterest brings up a never-ending page of ideas and to-do’s. It’s a lot. So, we combed through all of this inspiration to bring you the ultimate guide to throwing a memorable graduation party. Consider this your one-stop-inspiration-shop.

Good Eats

It’s no surprise we are starting with this one first; you can’t have a party without good food! Open house food is best when it’s hassle-free and easy to eat. We created our graduation menu with this in mind. Our choose-your-own-toppings burger bars, taco bars and macaroni and cheese stations allow your guests to customize what they’d like on their plate. From wings and sliders to popcorn and pretzel stations to beverages and dessert bars, we offer food options that are guaranteed party hits. Even if you just need a couple dishes to round out your spread, we can help. With both drop-off and staffed graduation party options and table and linen rentals, we can assist as little or as much as you need. Have the time to celebrate your grad and visit with friends and family, rather than being in the kitchen all day.

Want more fun? Tie pirouette cookies with a ribbon to make fun edible diplomas:

Add graduation flags to striped paper straws for festive drinks:

Decorations

Decorations are key for a festive open house. Here are some of our favorite ideas:

Spell out your inspirational phrases:

Cover clear balloons with tulle in you school colors:

Show off your grad’s school spirit with DIY pennants:

Let your guests know they’re at the right house with a curbside sign:

Make these tissue paper tassels in your grad’s school colors:

Display pictures of your senior in the shape of their initials or the graduation year:

Stay on theme with a ‘graduation hat’ card box:

Funtivities

Keep guests around a little longer by providing some fun activities!

For outdoor parties, yard games like cornhole are a must:

Have guests create a polaroid memory book your senior can look back on. You’ll need a notebook, pen, glue stick and an easy to use instant camera. Have everyone write a piece of advice or memory next to their photo. For a bonus, gift the camera to your grad for them to document their first year of college.

Set up a designated photo area for guests to take their pics, complete with props:

Music

Music is key to any party, especially in keeping an upbeat, celebratory vibe. Not everyone has the funds to hire a DJ, but with services like Spotify, Pandora and iTunes music, you don’t have to. Make a playlist beforehand or use your grad’s favorite song to start a themed radio channel. If you’re feeling stumped, we recently asked high school seniors what graduation songs they’re going to play at their parties. Here are the top ten:

1. We Are Young by Fun
2. Thunder/Young Dumb & Broke Remix by Imagine Dragons/Khalid
3. With a Little Help From my Friends by The Beatles
4. The Climb by Miley Cyrus
5. Schools Out by Alice Cooper
6. See You Again by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth
7. Good Old Days by Macklemore and Kesha
8. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day
9. Youth (feat. Khalid) by Shawn Mendes
10. Good Life by OneRepublic

And now you have everything covered to throw a memorable party celebrating your senior!