Graduations are memorable occasions and they are affirmations of the achievements that our loved ones have accomplished. Thus, it’s only proper to throw a great party to celebrate their academic success. There are actually many ideas that you can try out to give the party a personalized, fun and thoughtful feel. It just takes creativity and effort. As far as a month ahead, you can have the preparations worked out to have the party ready when the big day comes.

There are a few graduation party ideas we can explore to give you an idea what to prepare for your loved one’s graduation.

Have a graduation cap-themed party
This is easily one of the most recognizable party ideas you can have. Although this can be quite common, you can actually add personalized touches to this idea. For guys, you can have a manly touch added to the cap theme: you have bacon bouquets, bacon graduation caps or if they are of legal drinking age, you can add a graduation cap to the beer towers. For girls, you can give a feminine touch to the graduation party theme having pink-colored graduation caps and tassels, or Instagram-worthy backdrops with colors like pink, powder blue or rose gold. Sweets and pastries such as cupcakes, cookies, and rolos can be given graduation cap designs and tassel trimmings to make the party fee graduation worthy.

Donut graduation party
For your graduation party, take advantage of one of the most popular baked products – donuts. Comfort foods and usual snacks are good symbols that we can associate with reminiscing and remembering the struggles and hurdles our loved ones went through and the effort we did to help them achieve their success. Also, carbs make a great fuel for upcoming parties and events so this can be thrown right after graduation.

Use graduation balloons
Balloons never go out of style no matter the occasion. Graduations are made extra special when balloons jive with the festive mood of the party. Extra-large balloons make great party entrance sign decorations and they also make awesome photo props. They can be part of the backdrop or they can be given playful and creative shapes to be held by guests while they take pictures with the graduate. Also, to make the party more enjoyable up to the culmination, you can also insert confetti to the balloons to make them great noisemakers and guests will enjoy popping them as the party ends.

Use pictures as party themes
Pictures and portraits of the graduate can make a great central theme for the party. It’s a good way for guests to get to know the new graduate more and for them to have an idea of how much you appreciate your loved one’s achievement. You can make several copies of your new graduate’s picture and have them placed on the tables as centerpieces. Guys at 365Canvas offer an even better idea: make the graduate’s photo become a work of art as a canvas print. Not only will your dear graduate love it, even the guests will be awed by the wonderful portrait. While the party itself can be considered a gift, having a specially-made canvas print of the graduate’s portrait can be a great graduation idea that your beloved graduate could have to remember you by and also to reminisce the good old school days.

Utilize school themes
Evoke a sense of nostalgia not just from your graduate loved ones, but also the guest themselves. Make them recall the golden years of their education. Use a chalkboard-inspired photo backdrop for them to remember the classes, the teachers and the subjects they used to study. Scenes and symbols that call to mind many memories and experiences can make your party the talk of the town. Guests would engage in lively conversations remembering the schools they’ve been to and the similarities and contrasts they can find with their school days and the present school days. Use notebook-themed guest books or school color themed signboard to guide and direct guests.

Frame quotes and words of wisdom
You can print out inspiring and graduation-related quotes to make a great impact on both the graduate and the guests. You can also inject some humor into some of the quotes to inspire a lively atmosphere. Also, prior to the party, you can collate advice and words of wisdom from the graduate’s friends, parents of their classmates, your neighbors and even you as parents. Make this collection of words of wisdom into a collage or present the collected words of wisdom in a jar for the graduate to read.

Having a memorable and thoughtful party can actually be achievable if you can tap into your creativity. It doesn’t have to be grand and extravagant. As long as the thought, the love and the commendation of your beloved graduate, is there, the party is already a success. Best of all, make the party provide the graduate a sense of affirmation and a source of inspiration to do better in life.