Graduation is a milestone that you should celebrate with friends and family. Planning a graduation party can be exciting for parents and graduating students, but there are some common mistakes that you’ll want to avoid when organizing your party. By learning about these pitfalls beforehand, you will have all the information you need to make sure your graduation party is one that you’ll remember all your life. Here are five mistakes to avoid when planning a graduation party.
Having the Party the Day As the Ceremony
When planning a graduation party, it’s important to consider the best date and time for your event. One of the common mistakes many people make is having the party on the same day as the graduation ceremony. And while this might work for some, it’s typically a bad idea. Graduation ceremonies are notorious for being long and tiresome. And your graduate will likely spend most of the day preparing for the ceremony. Therefore, you’re probably better off having the party on a separate day.
Not Picking a Suitable Venue
Another mistake many people make when planning graduation parties is not picking a suitable venue. The location for your event must have enough room to accommodate all of your guests. If you choose a venue that’s too small and cramped, it will be uncomfortable for everyone. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that your chosen venue has ample space, seating, and room for various activities like eating, dancing, etc. Consider places like hotel event rooms, restaurants with private rooms, or public parks.
Not Getting Enough Food for Guests
Many people make the mistake of not getting enough food for their party guests. It’s always better to have too much than not enough in these scenarios. So you want to determine how much food and drinks to get by analyzing the size of your guest list. It’s also a good idea to ensure that you have various options so that people can pick and choose what they’d like to eat or drink. And, of course, paper plates and plastic silverware come in handy. That way, you don’t have tons of dishes to do later.
Not Focusing on the Graduate’s Preferences
It’s also common for parents planning the graduation party to forget to focus on the graduate’s preferences. It’s important to keep the graduate’s ideas and desires in mind. After all, this special day is for them. The best way to ensure their personality shines through is by incorporating their ideas and thoughts into the event. Ask your graduate what they want their graduation party to be like, and keep that inspiration at the forefront while planning.
Forgetting To Send Out Invitations
And, of course, you don’t want to forget to send out invitations. Sending invitations ahead of time is among the most important guidelines for throwing a great graduation party. People need time to plan, especially if traveling long distances. It’s best to give at least two weeks’ notice so that guests can plan accordingly. You also want to make sure you send invites to everyone on your guest list. And be sure to include all the pertinent information on the invitations, such as date, time, location, and RSVP contact info.
Now that you know what common mistakes to avoid when planning graduation parties, you can start planning confidently today. It can be helpful to make a checklist so that you don’t forget any of the essential details.
