Unique Graduation Party Ideas: All About the Graduate

You know I love all kinds of parties for all kinds of reasons. I've even made up reasons for a party. But, there is something about a party that belongs just to one person. Graduation is one of those days. Unlike birthdays, which you get to celebrate just for being around on your birth date, your graduate has really earned the spotlight upon commencement. Years of hard work bring him or her to a crossroads in their life.

Whether it's off to college or to a new job, things change upon graduation. It's a great to time celebrate a wonderful accomplishment and a bright future. It's a day that should be All About the Graduate!

Graduation Party Invitations
Make the graduate the center of attention from start to finish. They've earned it. The invitation should match the likes and style of the graduate. A personalized graduation invitation is a great starting place. We have over 20 designs (some of the new ones are fabulous!) so we are sure to have an invitation that will fit your graduate. For this theme I would suggest an invitation that will let you put the graduate’s picture front and center.

Personalized photo ticket invitations are really hot this year. What better way to showcase your grad's accomplishment than with a pic right on the invite?

We really like our semi-custom graduation invitations. There is one for female graduates and one for male graduates. We use artwork already drawn and add your graduate's face for an incredible invitation.

You can also consider a caricature invitation. These are truly unique and the caricature can be used for your life size cutout, candy bar wrapper and more.

With whatever invitation you decide to send we think you should sprinkle in some graduation confetti.

Graduation Decorations and Party Supplies
I like to have a life-sized cutout, of the graduate girl or boy, either at the welcome area or by the food table. It's a great way to greet guests, and it somehow seems to take some pressure off the graduate to meet everyone at the door. We used one for my son's graduation, and we kept it up in the hallway when he left for college. It was a nice way to remember him and a very good party.

We are really fond of setting the mood for your guests before they even walk into the door. Line the walkway to the party with these personalized luminary bags. Another way to have your graduate greet all of the guests as they enter. Then hang a great big personalized graduation banner announcing the big day by the front door.

Every graduate is unique. Share what makes him/her special. I always like a table with pictures, awards, and mementos. It's a great way to start conversations and stir memories. Decorate the table with an autograph picture matte and some customized graduation pens. Make sure you have some pictures in a photo album or two. People can bring them back to their tables. The aunts and uncles seem to enjoy this the most.

You can decorate the party area with fun graduation theme decorations, here are a few that are popular:

Graduation Balloon Bouquet - perfect for decorating any tables, doorways or corners.
Graduation Cap Garland - makes a big impact over the buffet or in a hallway.
Congrats Graduation Banner - these can go anywhere and everywhere, but I like them above the "memory" table.
Confetti - sprinkle some on the tables and other flat surfaces for an inexpensive shot of color.

You can also set up a 2012 photo op for your guests to take pictures with. You don't have to do too much, but a little decoration will make the party even more special.

Graduation Table Decorations and Menu
Set out graduation themed paper goods for your guests (no dishes!) and lay out a buffet that features the graduate's favorite foods. Does she love corned beef and sauerkraut? Indulge her! Or maybe he is a burger buff? Then hamburgers with all the fixings you could want it is!

You should also give the table a few touches that fit the graduate. Candy comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes these days: footballs, soccer balls, hearts, etc. You can find something that fits your grad. You can leave it in small dishes on the tables or sprinkle it like confetti!

Party411.com has a personalized graduation centerpiece that lets you put the grad's picture on every table. Have a graduation balloon bouquet coming out of the top and you have the perfect table decoration! You can also add to the tables some 2012 graduation glasses for all of your guests.

Or place a trio of personalized tabletop lanterns on the tables. They are also great for decorating the buffet, lining a walkway, or surrounding a pool. They come with an LED light and are personalized with your photo and wording.

Many graduations are in the summer, and warm weather means lots of beverages. A personalized graduation water bottle label is a memorable touch, and the empties make a fine party favor.

Graduation Party Favors

Speaking of favors, you'll want your guests to walk away with something that lets them remember the day and the graduate. Here are a few of our favorites:

I always like a picture. Personalized graduation cameras are a way to let your guests capture their own special moment. Or, you can put together a really nice picture frame with the graduate's favorite pose.
Personalized mint and candy tins are another great favor everyone will enjoy (who doesn't like candy?!?), and you can add a photo of the graduate to make it an extra special memento!
Personalized candy bar wrappers. A picture of the graduate, a list of ingredients that make them special, and the nutrients that will power them to success. Oh, and you get chocolate too! What's not to like? What is really neat is that many of the wrappers match invitations which allows you to carry the theme throughout the party.
Personalized lollipops. Another place to put the face of your graduate, and sure to be a sweet treat!
Personalized cookies. Who doesn't like cookies? And now imagine cookies with the graduate's face on them? Delicious.

No matter what you decide, just be sure to shine a spotlight on the graduate today. He/she has earned it!