Graduation is right around the corner, and some of us will be graduating while the rest of us will be saying goodbye.
One of the best ways to say farewell is with a graduation party. Sometimes the family members will take care of everything but if not, then it may be up to you to plan the party. Since we are still college students and that means most of us have to plan on a budget, that means smart shopping.
If you have never planned a party before then the task can be a bit overwhelming. Choosing a day can be tricky since the week before graduation is finals week.
Unless it is a family party, do not plan on having a party the evening of graduation. Chances are that a lot of the friends of the graduate you are planning this party for, are also graduating and will have plans of their own that night with family.
Once you have a day figured out, you need to find a place to have this party. Now, if you are lucky, you have family nearby and can have the party at their house if they are willing, unless you have a place of your own where you can have the party.
Unfortunately, that is not always an option, so plan B is to find someplace within your budget that can accommodate the number of people you wish to invite. Hotels, restaurants and banquet rooms can be expensive, while a bar is not appropriate.
Even places like a pavilion at Sharon Woods Metro Park can go up to $100 for the day. The cheapest and nicest place to rent for a party is actually closer than you would think. The pavilion at Alum Creek Park, right on Main Street, can be rented for the day at the reasonable price of $25.
After finding the perfect place for the party it is time to invite the friends and family of your special graduate. Facebook is always the first means of invitation that is used and it helps when finding people you might not personally know but are aware of their friendship with your graduate.
Be careful though when you are inviting since not everyone always checks their Facebook accounts. And if this party is to be a surprise, make sure everyone else knows that too.
Now comes the tricky part — buying supplies. Of course it is easy to be carried away in the graduation theme, but buying all of the supplies with “Congrats Grad!” on them can sometimes be more than simply buying plain one colored supplies. Not to mention that if there are leftover supplies the plain, one colored supplies can be used again for a different occasion.
If you choose the plain one color for the materials then you have a multitude of colors to choose from but then it would probably make the most sense to buy red since it is one of Otterbein’s colors.
Also keep an eye on paper vs. plastic. Not only is paper recyclable but it is cheaper too.
Sometimes one store may be better than another for one or two items like Deal$, but Party City is great for buying items in bulk.
If you decide that you want to have decorations, Party City has a lot to pick from. And sometimes a “Congrats” banner is more effective than decoration overkill.
The most expensive part about hosting a graduation party is the food. Depending on the number of people, there are a few options. The more expensive option is ordering catering. Catering companies are known to have different serving sizes than people actually eat, so be sure if you choose this method to order more food than they suggest you need.
If that is out of your price range and your party is a smaller one, than perhaps you are willing to make the food yourself. In that case, think BBQ. Easy to do and everyone seems to love those types of food.
The easiest option is to have everyone who will be attending bring something for everyone in a pot-luck fashion. That way you can have a variety of foods and stay within your budget.
Remember the simpler the party, the less money you will spend. But just because you spend less does not mean it will not be a great party. It is the family, friends and the memories made that will make this graduation party a success. The graduate will love having everyone together to celebrate his or her accomplishments and graduation.
