The Basics of Planning a Graduation Party You Will Remember Forever

Gracie's senior session with Melissa M. Harden at Studio 21 in Mattoon, IL

You deserve recognition and to celebrate this important milestone!

Here are the elements you need to focus on.

The Guest List
Deciding who you want to invite will help you determine whether you need a venue, entertainment, and a caterer. Do you just want it to be family or friends and family? How many people do you plan to invite? Will it be a grand party or something more intimate?

Set a Budget

Sit down with your parents and work out a budget for the party. Start by listing what is most important to you and allocating budget towards that first. Whatever is leftover can be used to pay for small extras.

Search for Venues

Many seniors choose to have their parties right at home. If you would prefer to hire a venue, start searching for something in your area that fits in with your theme and your budget. Once you have a shortlist, find out about venue hire fees and whether you have to purchase food and drinks directly from them. Being able to supply your own food and drinks always works out much cheaper.

Decide on the Food

Food that’s easy to make and eat is a popular choice for graduation parties, unless you prefer to have a more formal sit-down meal. If you are having a party at home, opt for food you can prepare the day before. The other option is to have a caterer take care of the food for you. In fact, many restaurants are catering parties now too. If you have some additional budget, you could even consider a food truck.
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Plan Your Décor & Entertainment

This is one of the best parts of planning a graduation party. Once you decide on a theme, create a Pinterest board and start collecting ideas. There is so much you can create right at home without spending a fortune. Whatever theme you decide on, have fun with it and make it your own. In terms of entertainment, a good playlist is all you really need. However, if you want to go big, you could hire a local band or DJ, or set up a games area. Since you will be sharing this celebration with the people you love the most, ask your senior photographer about photo booth options too.

Remember, this is your graduation party, which means you don’t need to do what everyone else is doing. Celebrate in style, your way!