Hosting a college graduation party can look daunting at first, but with a little planning and preparation a great party can be thrown relatively easily.
Alcohol
Beer and or champagne are prerequisites for most adult parties, and as such, requires an appropriate amount of attention. If you plan on 20 or more drinkers attending, a keg will do nicely. Should you be hosting a more refined crowd, consider providing champagne and cocktails. A small bottle of bubbly for each attendee, plus spirits should be a good start for planning purposes. It never hurts to hire a full bar and bartender; they should show up with plenty of drinks for everybody.
Venue
If you’re not going to hold the party at a bar or hotel, a house with a large yard or large reception room should suffice. Indoor parties are great for keeping overly hot temperatures and bugs away, allowing for party-goers to dress more formally and remain comfortable. Outdoor venues generally lend themselves to more casual attire in warmer climates. Keep plenty of garbage bags / cans easily accessible and obvious (but not unaesthetic), to help your guests, help you to keep the place clean.
Food
If you opt not to hire a caterer, consider smoking a pork shoulder or two the night prior to the party. These cuts provide a large, tasty yield for a fairly small outlay, and allow the host to knockout most of the cooking before the party starts. Nobody wants to spend a party minding over a kitchen or barbecue. Salty snacks always go well with alcohol and soft drinks, so be sure to have plenty on hand in bowls scattered around the venue.
Plates & Glasses
Unless you are going high-end, you should be able to get all your paper plates and a rich variety of plastic-ware and glasses at your nearest dollar store. Our local Dollar General has a plethora or party supplies. Fine bone china and crystal do add to any occasion, but as many graduations involve a younger audience, who may (or may not) be accustomed to the finer things, a host can save heartache and stress by using disposable items.
If on the other hand, there is an older crowd in attendance, and perhaps nicer food and more discerning beverages on offer, then of course proper provisions should be made. Nobody, even graduates from Alabama or Auburn, should be expected to sip his or her single malt whisky from a plastic cup – it’s barbaric.
Disaster Relief
It’s important to remember that a graduation party is all about having fun and celebrating an achievement. If you burn the food, the band calls off, or it rains cats and dogs, a pizza parlor will almost always go down a treat with any guest – they may even replay the graduation event for everybody to see on a big screen T.V.
