Graduation Party: Cove High School

My cousin, Taylor, graduated from high school this past weekend and his family planned a fun open house to celebrate.  There were so many fun pieces to this party!  The inspiration was, of course, graduation, but Lisa (Taylor's mom) chose to stick with the school colors and focus on a walk through Taylor's life up to that moment.

In blue and yellow, the decorations popped and there were small touches throughout the party that added to the fun.  I loved the "centerpiece" above the table.  This was no "small thing" but it sure was fun!

  I also loved the ribbon and labels on the silverware jars.  Silverware can be left as boring or made to pop with just a few pieces of ribbon!

 

And, of course, the food was fabulous with pops of color brought in throughout.

One of the highlights were these fabulous cupcakes!  They were made by one of Taylor's cousins, so it was not only a fun touch, but special, too!

Because this was an open house, there weren't any organized party games or activities.  However, I loved this "Advice & Memories" jar.  Guests were encouraged to give advice for the journey ahead as well as share a memory of Taylor from the journey behind.  How sweet is that?

Another special piece to the party was the use of pictures throughout the house.  Pictures frames were filled with pictures of Taylor from baby to graduate.  This is an easy way to personalize the party as well as put the focus on the graduate's life rather than a theme.

There was also a fabulous picture wall created by Taylor's sister, Reilley.  This was a guest favorite but also a hostess favorite.  When asked about it, Lisa replied, "I loved the picture wall and I loved that Reilley created it for Taylor.  All those years of sibling rivalry and she still loves her brother."  Special indeed!

There were so many things I loved about this party!  But I think the best part was celebrating Taylor and his life to this point.  I loved that the focus was on how much we love him.  I asked Lisa what her favorite part was and she responded, "The best part of the whole party was seeing all of the people who came to help us celebrate Taylor's graduation.  It was awesome to see how many people love Taylor and also to watch him with all of those people.  We are pretty proud of that boy!" 

What a great party!

Glow Party: Black Light Bowling

Last fall, I helped plan a Sweet 16 Glow Party for a friend and loved how it all came together!  This spring, we took a simpler route for a black light "Level Up" party at our church.  We rented out the bowling alley and invited the outgoing 8th graders and all the high schools from our church to attend.  It was a great way for the 8th grade students to start making that big transition to high school - and the party was great!  Good food (pizza, of course) and lots of glow!  We handed out glow bracelets, but also asked the students to wear white and neon.  The party started when the lights in the bowling alley were switched on and the music started blasting.  So fun!

The planning for this party was super simple (basically reserving the space and inviting the kids).  But regardless of how much time you spend on a party, it can still be a blast for everyone!  Sometimes hosting a party outside of your home is the best way to tackle a theme (and lots of people).  When you start planning your party, be sure to think about the different options you have in your area.  Can you gather at a park?  Or in a bowling alley?  Maybe a local putt-putt course?  

Bring your inspiration to a location or have your location be your inspiration - and be creative!