A graduation party checklist for busy parents
Dates, guest lists, food and the small details that make a graduation party easy to host, from high school to college.
Graduation season means a lot of parties on the same few weekends. A little early planning keeps yours from competing with every other one on the calendar.
Six to eight weeks out
- Pick the date with your graduate. Check their friends' party dates too, since many guests will be the same.
- Choose a format. An open house with a three- or four-hour window lets guests stop by between other parties.
- Book anything that books up: rentals, catering, a tent and a photo booth.
Three to four weeks out
- Send invitations with the time window and address.
- Plan food that holds up for hours: sandwich trays, a taco bar, a dessert table.
- Pull together photos for a display board or slideshow.
The week of
- Set up a card box and a simple place for gifts.
- Plan shade and seating if the party is outside.
- Ask a friend or family member to keep food and drinks stocked, so you can visit.
Parking is the part people forget
An open house means cars arriving all afternoon. Tell the neighbors, ask a couple of them if guests can use their driveways, and put the parking plan on the invitation. If the street is narrow, a teenager in a bright shirt pointing at open spots is worth more than any decoration.
One more thing: plan the graduate's outfit change. Plenty of them want out of the dress clothes an hour in.