Whether graduating from middle school or university, receiving a diploma for academic work is a momentous occasion that should be celebrated with loved ones.
Whether you want to host a small dinner party or a mega bash, it’s essential to take the correct steps to organize a fun and memorable event that runs as smoothly as possible.
As a premier venue with outstanding event planning staff, TCU Place has proudly hosted celebrations of all shapes and sizes over its 5-decade tenure in Saskatoon.
We’ve got a few helpful tips to plan this particular type of event. Read on!
Set Your Theme and Budget
First things first—ask the graduates what they’d like! While you may want to throw an elaborate bash, the graduates might be most happy with a laid-back party in an event space. Setting a theme will help you determine what you need for a facility, ranging from tables and modest decorations to a fully-catered event featuring live music.
Thankfully, if you choose to work with TCU, we have resources and knowledgeable staff members that can help with all of this.
Things to consider for both budget and theme are:
- Decorations
- Centrepieces
- Balloons
- Flowers
- Food
- Beverages
- Tableware
- Photography and video
- Caterer
- Entertainment
- Equipment rental
- That something extra special
Plan the Venue and Entertainment
The advantage of having a party at a venue is the ease of relying on an on-site caterer or planner to handle the details, including the clean-up, which gives you plenty of time to socialize.
Consider booking your party later in the summer when more venues are available. That way, you can throw a combination graduation and good luck party before graduates start on their next life adventure.
Entertainment can include hiring a disc jockey or a local band, or renting a karaoke machine, so everyone has a turn to sing. One fun idea is to create an IG worthy space decked out with graduation attire, appropriate signs, and props, plus the graduation year as part of the backdrop. Or, present a slideshow celebrating the accomplishments of your proud graduates.
If you’re using a caterer, meet with them early to plan the menu, which should match the theme or style of your party and feature some of your graduates’ favourite foods.
The party menu should be something everyone can enjoy. You want to make sure that it is something people will remember. Think about what your grads will like when they get together with friends after the ceremony. If you’d like it to be more of a surprise, research their social media pages, where they might post pictures of their favourite foods.
We hope this guide has helped you get a handle on the details of your graduation party. The list of things to consider can seem endless. But, if you take the time to make sure your budget is realistic, find a venue that matches your vision and size requirements, and then plan out all details ahead of time, you’ll have a party that everyone will remember for years to come.
We’d be thrilled to help you create a fantastic celebration. We’re proud to be your place to celebrate! Get in touch anytime.