It is finally time to celebrate academic accomplishments and hard work. Four basic considerations will help make any graduation party planning process a breeze.

One of the most critical steps in planning a party is selecting the date and time.  The Spruce advises parents, “This can be harder than you think since Mother’s Day and Memorial Day occur around the same time as most high school graduations. Your teen’s friends will also likely be throwing parties of their own, so you’ll need to consider whether your teen wants your friends to attend as well.”  It’s never too early to send a save-the-date announcement.

Another important decision involves the location. Party411 indicates, “There are 3 basic choices for location. Your final choice will depend on your budget, how much time you have, and how many people are attending.  You can rent a hall.  You can make restaurant reservations. You can host the party at your house.” Each of these locations provides great space for hosting guests.

The next big item to handle is the menu. Party planning website Punchbowl recommends, “The easiest way to serve your guests when hosting a graduation open house is with a buffet. It is important to remember that everyone will not eat everything, so have a wide variety of graduation party foods available. With a buffet, there are options for everyone from meateaters to vegetarians,” notes Punchbowl.

Finally, decorating should be well thought out. According to Education Quest, “Choose a theme or color palate for your party and start purchasing decorations early.” Keep in mind there are many people doing the same thing you are doing, so don’t wait until the last minute to get decorations.  Buying them ahead of time will help determine what is needed and will avoid the need to search multiple locations because of low inventory.