06/03/2013
Planning a Graduation Party or Celebration?
Graduation is a very exciting time, and as such it is worth the time to think things through and plan accordingly. For the graduate these times can be filled with a little sadness about saying goodbye to the past, and anxiety while looking ahead to the future. As you plan to celebrate your child's graduation with a special party you will likely befit from their involvement right from the start. Involving your graduate in all of the graduation party decisions will likely make the event all that much more memorable giving and will sure to lay the foundation for making a great memory which your graduate will hold near and dear entering the next stage of their life.
First Things First - What You Need to Decide
Determine a budget. Forget how many people you are planning to have, the sort of food and decorations you want to have, figure out how much you want to spend. Regardless of where you plan on hosting the event, you need to know just how much money you want to spend. Be realistic, you can’t plan this sort of event on the most meager shoestring budget, and if that is what you are expecting to do, then McDonalds party room, the church basement, or the party room of your condo may end up being your best choice. Event planning to hold your event in the local park will cost you a park permit fee, so be realistic here. Are yourself how much money to do spend to feed a family of four or five weekly, that said, extend this amount to take into consideration the number of guests you could possibly have attending your function. Foods, decorations, event space, staff, are all costs you need to factor into the mix. Who will be on the guest list? Is this a party for only family members? Will classmates be invited? Are you inviting the entire neighborhood? All of these questions need to be dealt with at the outset of your planning. Think about it this way, if I were planning a wedding at a banquet hall, I’d plan on committing $x / person attending the function – well, this function has many of the same earmarks; the overall cost may be less; however, the issues surrounding planning and costs are just the same.
When will you hold the party? You could host the party directly after the graduation ceremony or you could plan it for a different day. If you are hosting a party for an older child, your party will probably compete with other classmates' parties. Take this into consideration. Friends will be traveling from party to party, not staying long at any one place unless you make sure that this is not the case. Carefully articulated RSVPs will firm things up and help avoid this issue. Before finalizing plans, do a little research by talking to other parents that may have hosted or planned similar events.
Since graduations are usually held in the spring, it's tempting to plan an outdoor party – this is usually a big mistake unless you have well designed backup plans to offset any issues that may stem from inclement weather. But if that's your plan, you should be prepared with a tent – tents aren’t cheap; they are big, time consuming to set up, there’s liability issues and insurance you will likely have to place on this temporary structure (c.f., event insurance, site insurance, or binder to your home / household policy). Notwithstanding this, you’ll need chairs, and tables, just to make the tent functional for one and all. Tents are a necessary hassle if you are going the outdoor party route. If you have chosen a location other than your home for the party, then one of the first things you should do is reserve the location for the event and don’t wait to the last minute – good dates and times go quickly (a word to the wise).
You need to decide, and make clear to your older graduating child, your policy regarding alcohol and underage drinkers. Why put you and your family at risk given the many issues surrounding the consumption of alcohol. If such is a necessary part of your plans, you may need a special occasion permit to facilitate such. Whether teens help themselves to alcohol you're serving to older party attendees, or bring along their own, you need to decide how you will handle this in advance. You are responsible for any underage drinkers at your party, and you can be legally prosecuted for permitting it to occur. You are further responsible for the overconsumption of alcohol on the part of your guests. Think this through, and decide how you want to proceed regarding such.
Step 2 - Pick Your Style and Theme
The style and theme you select will help as you plan the other elements of your party. Here are some possible directions you could go:
(1) Formal dress – everyone looks sharp with an upscale look.
(2) Theme based – endless selection of possibilities here.
(3) Casual – keep it simple, relaxed fun for one and all.
Other, Not So Minor, Details
In terms of your budget, you should factor in:
• invitations and postage
• decorations
• centerpieces
• balloons
• flowers
• food
• beverages
• tableware
• photography and video
• catering
• entertainment
• tent rental [hopefully not]
• party favors
• thank you notes and postage
Provide opportunities for your guests to add their own personal touch to the party. Possibly consider setting up a large poster board in a place where guests can sign it with a message for the graduate.
You can also invite your guests to contribute to a memorable guest book that includes photos along with a message – this is always a nice touch.
Schedule any entertainment you plan to hire. Will there be a band to entertain your guests? Are you using a dj for your party? For a grade school graduation, you may want to hire a magician to entertain your guests. High school grads will enjoy the opportunity to dance to their favorite songs played by a dj, band or possibly just enjoy karaoke. Consider your entire guest list, if nothing else, mix the music between young and older tastes so your party is fun for all.
