Trendy DIY Graduation Party Ideas
It’s one of the proudest moments in a parents’ journey: when your child walks across the stage, receives their diploma, and throws their graduation cap into the air. If your son or daughter is graduating this year, celebrate this huge milestone with an awesome graduation party using these DIY party ideas!
LYFETYMES can help you plan your perfect graduation party stress-free so you can soak up every moment. Here are some ideas to help celebrate this milestone in style without breaking the bank. So, dry those tears (#proudparent) and let’s get ready to party!
Photo Backdrop
It's not a party unless there's a photo backdrop. There are a ton of options, complete with fringe, balloons, and star garland is Insta-worthy.
It will help commemorate the day for years to come and easily DIY-able. Check out our favorite backdrops here for inspiration.
"Then and Now" Centerpieces
Pictures are a great way to help personalize tables and works as a centerpiece. Take some of the millions of photos you have taken as they have grown up and shared with the guests. Check out our centerpieces Pinterest board for all kinds of inspiration.
Candy Buffet
These are popular for milestone celebrations. You can buy in bulk, find something cute to put candy in with a scooper and it is a great “Thank You” treat for guests to leave with.
You can even personalize the bags with your Graduates name, etc. And your candy buffet can go beyond just candy: you can use DIY dipped doughnut pops, candy apples, and more Your guests will feel like a kid in a candy store! We have great ideas curated for you here.
Metallic Letter Balloons, Balloon Garlands, Jumbo Balloons with Tassels
Balloons have come a long way baby! With so many options available, you can get really creative with your graduation party decorations. You could decorate with words “The Tassel Was Worth the Hassle” with metallic letter balloons for stylish decorating this grad season.
Balloon garlands are very popular from decorating the entrance or incorporating in a photo backdrop. Balloons can serve as colorful but inexpensive centerpieces or create a chandelier.
Another significant trend that adds a pop of color and helps to fill a party space is jumbo balloons with colorful tassels.
Mix in smaller balloons to create an eye-popping display. Check out our Pinterest board here for fantastic ideas.
Theme Party
Like when they were little, one of the best ideas is to have a themed Graduation Party. You can theme based on the College they may be attending including colors, mascot, and personalized décor.
Another favorite theme due to the time of year is a Luau. It's bright, fun, tons of inexpensive DIY decor options and it’s fun to have your guests show up in their best Jimmy Buffett outfit. With LYFETYMES you can invite your Guest of Honor to help with personalization without giving away the party details.
Make a Graduation Money Lei
Along the Luau theme: remember when you used to pin money on the bride’s dress to dance with her? A money lei is a popular graduation idea that puts a modern spin on tradition.
Roll up dollar bills to get it started and use mini clothespins to attach them to DIY lei or buy one here and leave empty ones that your guests can attach money. It’s fun for the graduate to wear around and fun for the guests to pin on them.
Food Bars for Easy Menu Planning
If you are feeding any group of people, the new trend is Food Bars and Drink Stations- they are LYFE-savers!
From Hot Dogs with all the fixings to Taco Bars, you can help save hours of stress and money by having your guests serve themselves. The best part is you can put together a fantastic display with some inexpensive options that will fill them up and leave them happy. Check out some tremendous Bars and Stations here.
The New Interactive Guest Book
You could apply this with anything but skip the boring guestbook, and ask guests to sign a Jenga block with a piece of "Life Advice" with one-liners and their name on the other side.
Or how about a Polaroid guest book where guests snap it, shake it, stick it and sign it. Or if you’re a tech family come up with a hashtag for Instagram for your guests to use, so you get every pic from every guest there- remember when we used disposable cameras at every table?
Graduation parties are the perfect time to mix things up and make things FUN, not stuffy! Use some of these trendy DIY Graduation Party ideas that will make your graduate grin from ear to ear!
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