Photos: Chris Emeott
All that pomp and circumstance doesn’t happen by itself.
Let’s be honest. Graduation parties have—evolved. For the most part, the celebrations have become larger and more involved than the days when grad parties were primarily made up of the student of honor, the requisite family members, a few neighbors and a handful of teenagers all gathered at the honoree’s home/backyard/garage.
While that is still the case, and those celebrations are just as wonderful, other families are going in another direction with attendee numbers tipping into the hundreds, and the food fare and décor elements ramping up their games, too.
Since the second semester of senior year brims with plenty of deadlines (college and scholarship applications, housing contracts or gap year decisions) and milestones (the last spring break, prom and the ending of spring sports—cue the tears), it can be overwhelming. Add in planning a graduation party and emotional chaos might ensue.
As this year’s seniors start their academic year, their graduation party planning should swing into gear. The first step is getting organized. To help, we put together a month-to-month plan to break down the to-do list into manageable sections. (This is a loose timeline because all parties are as individual as the honorees, but this can serve as a guide for your perfect party planning.)
Calendar of Events
September: If you and the graduate already have your hearts set on a party venue, book it now. (Note: Some places require reservations several months or a year in advance.) For the rest of you, have a discussion with your senior student. Is he/she interested in having a party, and what would that look like in terms of home vs. venue, solo vs. with friends or large vs. a smaller gathering?
October: If this is a combined event, reach out to the other parents/guardians to make sure they are on the same page in terms of budget and planning. Finalize the party date. Be sure to take into consideration potential district/regional/state appearances for extracurriculars in the spring.
November: If this is a group event, bring the students and parents together to discuss tasks. Put people in charge of beverages, food, games, set-up/clean-up duties, venue rental, etc. Set up a timeline through the date of the party. Finalize the décor theme. Research food vendors. If not done already, it’s not a bad idea to get the venue locked in. When talking with venue representatives, ask about table/chair counts and if linens are included. If not, research other vendors for those items.
December: Take the month off to enjoy the holidays. January will be here sooner than you think.
January: Finalize catering or food truck vendors. Be sure to ask about deposits, pricing, set-up/clean-up options, staffing, dining ware availability and cancellation policies. If you haven’t done so already, move on booking this month; food vendors and venues fill up with other spring and summer events.
February: If making photo boards, go through albums (digital or otherwise) to identify photographs you want to feature. Gather award certificates, school memorabilia, trophies, sport uniforms, etc. to include for display tables. If using annual school pictures, organize them now. (If a year is missing, contact the school to see if it has a version from the yearbook archives.)
March: Meet with families to finalize décor. If decorating individual display tables, share ideas with one another, so each student feels equally represented. Using sports equipment can be a fun and easy way to decorate a space. (Place skis a few feet apart, string cord between them and hang photos along the cords. Prop up tennis rackets or hockey or lacrosse sticks. Fill large, clear vases or containers with baseballs/softballs, pucks, tennis balls, etc.) Create a fun backdrop that is Instagram-worthy for photo taking. If the student is attending college, order the school’s banner or a pennant to display.
April: Order or create party invitations for family, friends, neighbors and other guests. Drop those in the mail, so it’s one less thing to think about. Make sure students spread the party word via social media or on their high school’s party page. Ask a couple of friends or older teens to serve as party helpers, refilling food trays and beverage coolers, bussing tables and the like.
May or June: A few weeks ahead of the big day, check in with all the vendors to confirm final details and timelines. If doing a group party, have final check in with families. Once the party day arrives, enjoy it. Take time to celebrate your student and yourself. Let’s face it, K-12 isn’t a road traveled just by the students!
July: Handwritten thank you notes (not emails or texts) never go out of style, and they offer graduates a great opportunity to practice their cursive!
Food for Thought
Aside from the graduate, food is a major attendee at any graduation party. If the thought of making all the food yourself is giving you pause, here’s a starting point for local catering options.
Bella Vida Catering: With meal buffet and snack bar options (including mac ’n’ cheese!), this menu is made for grads. 651.702.2766; one23events.com
Donatelli’s: Celebrate as they do in Italy, with an array of mouth-watering homemade fare. 2692 County Road E East, White Bear Lake; 651.777.9199; donatellis.com
HomeTown Creamery: You’re never too old for an ice cream party. 651.779.4400; hometowncreamerymn.com
Kowalski’s Markets: Tried and true. Locations vary; 651.313.6870 (catering); kowalskis.com
Lunds & Byerlys: Consider this party regular that never disappoints. Locations vary; 952.897.9800; catering.lundsandbyerlys.com
Orchid Restaurant: Order trays of your favorite Vietnamese dishes. 1190 County Road J Suite 100, White Bear Township; 651.426.3558; orchid-restaurant.com
Red Luna Taco Factory: Add some Mexican flair to the festivities. 5960 US-61, White Bear Lake; 651.788.7136; redlunatacofactory.com
Stonehouse Catering: From small events up to large gatherings, these are the folks to call. 4466 Centerville Road, White Bear Lake; 651.426.8831; stonehousemn.com
Tally’s Dockside: Bring Memphis-style BBQ to your backyard. 4441 Lake Ave. S., White Bear Lake; keith@cghooks.com; cghooks.com
