Real adult life begins with graduation.

Once the exam, tests, sleepless nights with notes and dictionaries are left behind you can look forward to graduation.

It’s an American tradition to take graduation seriously. It is an event prepared for in advance and given  no less care than a wedding or big anniversary.

It’s important for college graduates to experience a day of beauty, festivity and a certain amount of solemnity before starting  a new chapter in life.

A successful graduation celebration hinges on attention to detail. If you decide to throw a thematic party (becoming increasingly popular by the day) decide on a theme. What’s the dress code going to be? What decorative ideas appeal to you? How about accessories?

Organizing a thematic party requires consistency.

 Step 1. Choose the theme

Do you want the graduate party themed like the Oscars, with graduates walking along a red carpet like celebrities? As an accessory you might choose to have symbolic figurines to gift to attendees to go with their diplomas.

Retro-style parties are also popular.These usually consist of bright costumes, romantic dresses and, of course, jazz and rock’n’roll. These are often themed after great movies for distinctive style and /or costume. Do you want the luxury of “Great Gatsby” or an outdoor party themed on “Alice in Wonderland”, or “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

You can use anything as the main party concept:

♦  an age,
♦  a film,
♦  a favorite book,
♦  a youth subculture.

The main thing is originality.

Step 2. Take care of the event script and figure out who’s invited and who’s not

Put together a script immediately after choosing a topic. The more detailed the party theme the better. You can also hand off the details to professionals.

Next think of the invitations. The invitation provides a first impression of what your grad party is going to be like. You should start months in advance distributing invites to your school mates. The sooner you start the more likely your party will be successful as your guests will have agreed to attend in advance.

It’s also possible to throw a party that’s open to all your friends, not just classmates. In this case you might want to use social media to announce your party and get agreements concerning attendance.

Step 3. Settle on a dress code for a particular theme

Let your guests know your expectations regarding dress. You want your guests to fit in and be comfortable. Let everyone know the type of clothes or costumes to wear (formal, masquerade, etc.) For example, if you want a party themed a certain color, then let everyone know you’d like them to wear that color – green, blue, chartreuse – whatever it is. The color can be in what’s worn or simply an element of clothing, like a belt, clutch, or tie.

Step 4. Set the stage and pick appropriate decorations

You have to know what type of party you’re going to throw before you pick the location. If it’s outdoors, e.g., a pirate evening – then chests, empty bottles of rum, etc. can be used to set an appropriate atmosphere.

Step 5. Plan your Menu

The best (most typical) option is to cater a buffet table. You can include light snacks so guests can satisfy hunger while at the same time allowing everyone to communicate and have fun. Of course the buffet must also be part of the theme. Use of festive thematic designs adds to  enjoyment. For example, if you decide to go with a Hawaiian evening theme a buffet decorated with fruit, seafood and refreshing cocktails fits the theme.

Step 6. Don’t forget to hire a professional photographer

A thematic graduation party is a special event that should be captured for posterity. While cellphone pics are popular it’s important to include an excellent photographer. The quality of your memories depends on the individual’s skill. Choose wisely.

Step 7. Figure out the entertainment

It’s always wise to contract with a professional entertainer and DJ. Based on your party’s theme magicians, professional dancers, clowns, etc., may also be great additions. You mgiht also want to have interesting party favors to give to party attendees.

Nicolas Walker is a recent University of Delaware graduate. He is a freelance writer and editor. In his spare time, Nicolas likes to binge watch documentaries on Netflix.

Shift Frequency © 2018 – Steps Required For A Successful Graduation Party