Updated on: Feb 19, 2024
The day has come! Your little girl/boy is no longer little. After celebrating so many accomplishments such as their first day of school, their middle school graduation, and their high school graduation, it’s time for them to get into the real world and start their career. This is a very exciting time in not only their lives but also yours, so we are here to make the planning process for this party as simple as possible!
We want you to enjoy this day and spend time with your friends and family without having to worry about all the behind-the-scenes preparations that go into this event, so we are here to bring this party to life for you. Here are some amazing tips on how to create an unforgettable college graduation party.
College Graduation Party Decorations
1. Memory Board
Ask guests to send you a picture of them with your graduate or of your graduate themselves and to write a little memory along with the picture that you can put on a memory board and you can decorate it as you please. This is a great decor for the venue and something your graduate can keep after the event.
2. “Yearbook” Frame
You can frame your graduate's graduation picture in a graduation-themed frame or any frame you see fit. This is a great decoration to have at the party since the graduate is the reason for this party. You can have many different pictures of them from their graduation pictures in many different frames throughout the party.
3. Photo Timeline
You can take pictures of your graduate throughout their schooling and place them around your venue or have them hanging on a photo banner to highlight their growth. You can choose school pictures from varying years and make it something fun. This can be a trip down memory lane!
4. Greek Decor
If your graduate was part of a fraternity or sorority then you can take their colors and greek letters to decorate your venue. You can also get pictures of them in their letters to put around your venue to bring back memories of their time within their specific organization.
5. School Year Graduation Booth
You can buy numbered balloons at your local party store along with a decorative wall fringe background and make a DIY photo booth. You can make
6. Graduation themed photo props
With everyone taking so many pictures throughout the night, you want to provide the guests with some graduation-themed photo props so they are able to take all different kinds of photos! The guests will really enjoy these and they appeal to all ages.
7. Graduation themed lawn signs
People will love coming up to the graduations party seeing the lawn signs. It gives people excitement to enter the party and it shows how much work was put into planning the graduation party.
8. Confetti Balloons
To spice up any venue you may want to turn away from regular balloons and rather get confetti balloons, which not only look great but are fun to pop once the party is over!
College Graduation Party Party favors
9. Graduation Wine Glass
This is a great idea to have as a party favor for your guests. Having a graduation wine glass is a way for everyone to always remember this amazing achievement. It is even great for other graduates that are at the party that graduated at the same time, they will have something else to also remember their graduation. Since most college graduates are of age for wine, they will get great use out of this wine glass and will always remember this huge achievement whenever they use it.
10. Candy Buffet
No one is ever too old to have some candy. Candy is a classic party favor and everyone loves it. You can get a wide variety of candy so everyone has something that they like and they can take it home or snack on it while they are at the party.
11. Graduation Party Bags
Every kind of party needs party goodie bags that make it easy for all the guests to bring home their favors. For a graduation party, graduation-themed goodie bags are definitely the way to go. This goodie bag is a great item to put all your candy in from the candy buffet and much more! Adults and children can use this and it adds excitement to the favors.
12. Customized Chocolate Bars
Get a bunch of Hershey chocolate bars and customize them in candy bar wrapping! You can wrap it in anything you see fit and you can use this as a way to say thank you to all your guests for coming and making the night special. So many people love chocolate and with the wrapping on it, they will no doubt want to take it home.
13. Reusable Straws
Believe it or not, reusable straws can be a great party favor gift for your guests. You can even customize them with the graduation year on them. A lot of people like to use straws when they are drinking, so they can use them at the party and then bring it home and reuse it all the time, whenever they need them.
14. Polaroid Camera photos
Have polaroid cameras on each table and throughout the night everyone can take pictures. They can take group pictures, funny pictures, serious pictures, etc and the guests are able to take those home and keep them as memories forever. This is a meaningful favor that the guests will definitely appreciate.
15. Customized Glasses or Cups with Guests Name on Them
Personalized cups are a great favor because guests can use this while they are at the party, but can also bring it home and use it on a normal basis. Guests will love this because it will make them feel important and they will see how much work the people throwing the party put into making this great.
College Graduation Party Food
16. Condiment Container
A very useful container you need at your graduation party is a condiment container. You will be having many drinks and speeches at this graduation party, so having a container that can hold all your garnishes that is easily accessible is great.
17. Signature Cocktail
Make a drink and name it after your graduate. You can serve something of your graduate's choices or come up with a mixture of your choice!
18. From Abroad
If your graduate studied abroad to any other country throughout their college experience then you can look up simple dishes popular in that country. This can be a great way of reminding your graduate of their experience and bringing in new treats that your guests may not be accustomed to.
19. Graduation Cupcakes
Cupcakes are a great finger food to have at any event! You can decorate your cupcakes with your graduate’s school colors or with graduation cupcake toppers. Anything that has to do with graduation will be an acceptable design and will taste amazing! Another great idea is to place your cupcakes in the shape of your graduates' graduation year.
20. School Color Cake Pops
Along with cupcakes, you can have little cake pops dipped in icing and then you can get food coloring to make the icing the color of your graduates' school colors. You can choose to decorate your cake pops with sprinkles or even take the extra step of writing little messages on them such as congrats grad.
21. Graduation Cap Cookies
Cookies are an easy and delicious treat to have at your event! You can make your own cookies by using cookie stencils that are graduation-themed and decorating them before displaying them on your table or you can simply buy some cookies and set them out for your guests to enjoy.
22. “Nacho Average Graduate” Taco Bar
Tacos are great finger food and can be an easy way to satisfy your guest's appetite. You can decorate your taco bar with a sign or banner saying “Nacho Average Graduate” and even take it a step further by adding pictures of your graduate around the sign or banner.
23. Fortune Cookies
As your graduate is beginning the rest of their lives, why not give them a cookie with a customized fortune in it that will give them a positive look at their future. Guests will love this and they can all include positive words about the future for everyone at the party.
College Graduation Party Ideas Games and Activities
24. Lifesized Jenga
Since graduating college means you are officially in the real world and are a real adult, you can play big life-sized Jenga or an off-brand that you can find, at your graduation party. This will mirror the fact that you are growing but you are still able to have fun playing these games as an adult.
25. Superlative game
You can take pictures of all family and friends at the graduation party and everyone at the party can vote on which superlative will best fit each person. This game will get everyone involved and people will be excited to see which superlative people think best fits them.
26. Baby guessing game
Everyone at the party can bring a baby picture of themselves and everyone at the party will have to guess who is who now that everyone is grown up and graduating college. This will be a lot of fun and is an activity and will include everyone.
27. Spike ball
A lot of kids and even college kids love a game of spike ball. People are always playing this with their friends and it is something that keeps everyone occupied for a long time. This is a great game to have at a party and it can include all age groups. They can have competitions going on or just friendly games. You can also get the knock off brand called slam ball if needed
28. Drinking games
Most people at this graduation party will be able to have a couple of drinks. When graduating college, you are practically a drinking game expert. So you will definitely want to have some drinking games set up around the venue. This will give the party a competitive edge and will be a lot of fun for the 21+ people.
29. Pool games
If your graduation party is taking place in the summer, if you graduate in the spring, it is always great to have some pool party games in store. During a hot summer day, so many people want to go in the pool, and as you get older you like to hang out and play some games in the pool rather than swim around aimlessly. This will attract many people to the pool and give them something to look forward to.
30. Corn hole
Corn hole is always fun and a friendly, competitive game to have at a party. Some people even make this into a drinking game with different rules they add. This can include all ages if drinking is not involved, and it is super fun for everyone.
31. Kan jam
This is a great outdoor game that will get all the guests excited. For graduation parties, you want to make sure you have many games to offer so no one ever gets bored. Kan Jam is the type of game that guests can play over and over again and never get bored. This is a great game to have
College Graduation Party Ideas Party Supplies
32. Table cloths
Table cloths are always a necessity when throwing any kind of party. Table cloths are great because they prevent huge messes, but even better, they can coordinate with the theme of the party. You can get a graduation-themed table cloth or you can do the colors of the school your graduate graduated from. There are great options you can do with tablecloths!
33. Tents
If you are holding the graduation party outside, it might be a great idea to invest in some tents. The weather is always unpredictable so this would be great in case it starts to rain. Outdoor tents are also great in case it is too hot and sunny out. It will help block out the sun and give your guests some shade.
34. Plates
When at a party you wouldn’t think that many people pay attention to the plates they are using, but people really are. People react so much better when the plate relates to the theme of the party rather than having something plain. You can get graduation-themed plates, or you can get the colors of the school. Either will look amazing with the overall look of the party
35. Napkins
Napkins are always a necessity for a party. Things can easily make a mess and spill so it is always good to have napkins on site. Even when people are eating, guests like to have napkins to make sure they are clean. You can even get themed napkins for the event!
36. Foldable table
Foldable tables will come in handy, especially if your graduation party is in the backyard. These are easy to take out and put away and these tables can also have many uses. They can be used for sitting down and eating but people can also use them for the drinking games that might be taking place during the party.
37. Speakers
If you are having your party in the backyard or even at a venue and choose not to hire a DJ then it is important to have a speaker. Everyone likes to listen to music at a party and especially if you want some dancing going on, you definitely need some music. A party with no music is just not the same!
38. Utensils
When holding a party, you need to make sure you are thinking of everything possible! When providing food, you want to have an easy clean-up for yourself and the guests. Get plastic utensils that the guests can grab themselves and then throw out themselves. It is easy for you and for them!
College Graduation Party Invitations
39. Customized Graduation Ornament Invite
A graduation ornament invite is a perfect invitation. This is something the guests will want to keep forever and can use during the holiday season. With the ornament, you can attach a little note with all the important information about the party.
40. Normal Graduation Invitation
You can definitely go more simple and just send a normal graduation-themed party invitation and personalize it any way you would like. You can list all the information that the people need to know and you will be all set! Sometimes simple is more.
41. Baby PIcture Invitations
For the invitations, instead, you can personalize it with a baby picture of them on it and then their graduation year. It shows the guests how fast time has gone and how much the graduate has accomplished. This adds meaningful momentum to the invitations and a lot of people will like that!
42. Grad Quote Invitations
For these, you can send a simple invitation of your choice that you would like to do but with the invitations, you can also include a powerful quote about graduating and what is next in life that you have personally written on a small note card. This will leave a powerful life quote with the people you are inviting and it shows people how proud you are of your graduate and how meaningful it is.
43. Pennant Invitations
Since colleges are huge on tailgating and hanging college-themed pennants in their dorms, you can send your guests a customized pennant invitation. You can add all the details about the graduation party and then add a logo of the school the graduate graduated from. People will love this!
College Graduation Party: Conclusion
A College graduation party is one of the most important achievements in your life, so you have to celebrate this the right way. With all of these amazing ideas, you will be planning this event completely stress-free. Congratulations to the graduates! Now, it's time to celebrate!
Written by Gianna Rutigliano and Paola Valdez