Denika Aguilar

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Party Planning"The Perfect Graduation Party"

• Denika Aguilar
• Jamie Bishop
• Kristy Brown

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Objective Train how to throw a Perfect
Graduation PartyLearning Styles Lecture and
Visual aid
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Planning the Perfect Graduation Party

• Who
• Shall you invite just close relatives and a few
  friends, or do you want a huge party?
• Would you like to have a joint theme party with
  a friend or neighbor?
• What
• Do you have any ideas for a theme?
• What kind of food beverages would you like to
  serve?
• What kind of entertainment do you want?
• Do you have a budget?
• When Where
• What time of day would you like to have the
  party?
• Where would you like to have the party?

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Planning for the Budget

• Helpful tips while budgeting
• Plan on having your party before the graduation
  or on a weeknight
• Plan celebration in May instead of June. You will
  have a better chance with caterers rental
  companies.
• Limit your menu
• Create your own invitations
• Ask family members friends to make food items
• Share decorations with friend and neighbors
• Sample Budget
• Invitations 79.00
• Thank you notes and postage 35.00
• Decorations/Balloons/Flowers 50.00
• Scrap book/board assembly 6.00
• Banners and signs 15.00
• Food 300.00
• Beverages 35.00
• Alcohol Beverages 200.00
• TOTAL 720.00

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Who should you invite?

• Family
• Friends
• Neighbors
• Coworkers
• Friends of Family
• Out of town guests
• As soon as you pick the date let them know so
  they can make arrangements. Call, send an email
  or send a postcard before the invites go out.
• Create a list of hotels, telephone numbers,
  prices and availability for them if they will not
  be staying at your home.
• Joint Party
• Money saving Tip  Throw a graduation party for a
  group of friends graduating together.  You can
  share in the cost of food, beverages,
  decorations, etc.

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Choosing a Location Time of Day

• Most people host their graduation parties in
  their home or yard.  Take a look around your yard
  and determine the following
• Where you would serve food and beverages?
• Do you need tables and chairs? 
• Where will you display photos of the graduate?
• Consider the time of day and where the sun will
  be shining.
• Do you need a tent?
• Do you want guests to come through the front
  door?  If not, use balloons to lead your guests
  to the party with a fun yard sign.
• Do you want to make any improvements in your home
  or yard before the party?  Many people find the
  Graduation party is a great motivator.
• Here are some alternative locations
• Parks
• Health Clubs
• Country Clubs
• Apartment Complex Party Rooms
• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Banquet Facilities

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Theme

• Themes based on your degree
• Medical Field- purchase scrubs for your
  helpers/friends, serve drinks out of urine sample
  cups, give your guests face masks as party favors
• English Major- prepare a few signs with famous
  sayings you like, or that make you laugh
• Journalism-create your invitations like a
  newspaper or newsletter, include funny pictures
  or highlights about the graduate
• Other theme ideas
• Formal Dress up
• Toga
• Sports
• Beach/Luau

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Planning the Menu

• Keep it simple! Serve five to seven different
  menu items.
• Brunch Ideas
• Fresh baked bagels selection of spreads
• Coffee bar and juice bar
• Frosted doughnuts in your school color
• Fresh fruit in watermelon boat cut school logo
  of the watermelon
• Afternoon Evening Ideas
• Mexican taco/fajita bar
• Hoagie or Sandwich bar
• Large bread shaped as graduation year serve
• with variety of dips or spreads
• Baked potato bar
• BBQ bar
• Tasty Desserts
• Custom Cakes
• Sundae bar
• Root beer floats or Ice cream bar
• Fortune cookies

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Beverages- What would the party be without these?!

• Refreshments
• Soda, Tea, Punch, Lemonade, coffee, water
• Alcohol
• Beer (cans, bottles, kegs)
• Margaritas, Daiquiri's, Pina Coladas
• Wine, Champagne
• Mixed Cocktails
• Provide drinks on own, with guests getting as
  they please
• Or hire a bartender (professional, or friend)

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Entertainment The Music

• If its a large party Hire a Live Band
• Band should be recommended and reliable.
• Band should be within budget.
• If it is a family and friend function, make sure
  the band will play a variety of music, so it is
  appropriate.
• Make sure the band has time to set up before
  guests arrive.

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Music cont.

• Or if it is a smaller party, or a live band may
  not be in budget, then hire a DJ
• Make sure the DJ is recommendable.
• Have a variety of music.
• Make sure DJ knows the name of the graduate,
  knows the college/university, and knows the
  graduates major.
• This makes the graduate feel special

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Decorations, Decorations, Decorations

• Decorations depend on theme
• Formal theme
• Formal Invitations
• Dining ware
• Color coordinate with school colors
• Keep it simple with fresh flowers, candles, and
  few balloons
• Party favor
• Photo metal frames with graduates photo
• Casual theme
• Informal Invitations
• Lots of balloons, lots of banners, lots of
  confetti
• Paper Plates, Plastic Silverware
• Party favor
• Chocolate candy bars with graduates info

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Decorations cont.

• Hawaiian Luau
• Encourage guests to wear tropical clothing
• Lots of streamers, lots of tropical table
  settings
• Palm trees, coconuts, seashells, pineapples
• Use bright, tropical colors
• Have a live parrot
• Party favor
• Give guests real, flower leis
• Graduates Major
• If the student is a business major
• Decorate definitely with school colors
• Use studious decorations use books as table
  settings
• Party favors can include business cards with the
  graduates name, or calculators with the
  graduates information engraved

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Games

• The best way to plan games is to make it
  personal. Focus on the graduate.
• Plan a timeline with photos of the graduate
  growing up and ask guests to guess the correct
  year.
• Pin the cap on the graduate
• Word Scramble or Crossword Puzzle using facts
  about the graduate

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Great Prizes

• When you make the games competitive, offer prizes
  to get guests motivated.
• If guests are family and friends, make the prizes
  suitable to everyone.
• Money
• Gift Cards
• Gift Baskets