Custom printed graduation items for your star student’s big day will show them you appreciate their hard work and dedication! After the stresses of finals and end of the year exams, it will be great to have the big party and rejoice in their achievements.
Planning the party weeks or months beforehand will give you plenty of time to figure out what printed graduation items you will need. Your graduate can help you decide whether you want to have a large formal bash or a family cookout. It’s their big day – so they should naturally be involved in all the stages of party planning.
The first thing to remember is that everyone is graduating at the same time, so caterers and party supply rental companies will fill up available slots fast. Consider having your grad’s party in May instead of June, and send out a “Save the date!” email to your nearest and dearest friends.
Printed graduation announcements should be sent out prior to the invitations, which should usually be separate. The announcement is generally not an invite to the party, and may go out to a larger circle of people, including those who live too far away to make it to the actual party. The exception to this rule is if you are having an “open house party” in which case you can place the invitation to the party in the same envelope.
Formal printed graduation invitations should be ordered in advance and plenty of attention given to the text. Be sure to note if you are hosting a formal party indoors at a reserved hall with dancing and dinner, so guests will know what to wear, and indicate if they are allowed to bring a “plus one.” These should be mailed 14 days in advance of the event, and the envelopes should be addressed by hand if possible. Matching custom printed envelopes that match the paper weight of the invitation are a nice touch.
As far as gifts go, you may want to include a line on the invitation such as “Your presence at this much anticipated event is your gift to us!” That way, people won’t feel obliged to show up with a gift, or feel that they can’t come because they don’t want to appear empty handed.
At the party itself, there are plenty of opportunities to customize using printed items. Banners, signs and even programs detailing the evening’s entertainment or recognizing the caterer and band can be created. Paper cups, plates and other items can also be printed with “Congratulations!” and the graduate’s name. This is a once in a lifetime party, so make sure you take full advantage of printed graduation items to make it truly special!