Senior Spotlight | Graduation Season | Hampton Roads Senior Portrait Photographer

Hi!

 

Today is May 11th (yay! Happy mama's day-don't forget to hug your mom today extra big!) and if you're a High School Senior or Junior in the area then you know that that means graduation is just a little over a month away! WOW. That's SUPER soon!

 

And that also means you've probably got a slew of grad parties to go to, too. Am I right?

 

Whether you're a grad party THROWER or a grad party GOER I've got the perfect list of things you need to make this grad season flawless (and stay tuned to this blog because I'll be throwing out SUPER helpful tips, tricks, and secrets throughout the summer and into next school year too- trust me you won't want to miss ANY of it)!

I'll start with the PARTY THROWER (party goer your blog post will be next week so check back!):

 

Chances are you have a ton of things on your mind right now: getting your shoes for your ceremony, booking your hair appointment for the ceremony, the ceremony itself, making sure you ordered enough wallets to pass out to friends (more on that one later), getting all of your invites out in time, confirming the caterer, cleaning the house since everyone and their sister will be at your party. The list goes on and on and on.

 

So, to help ease your stress level a bit I've collected some of the best go-to ideas for music, games, food, etc. That way your stress level is low and in turn your celebration level is through the roof! Because lets face it: you're only graduating High School once; make it AWESOME!

1. Best Play list for your party

   Your parents are inviting everyone from your neighbor to your great Aunt Milly in Dallas so you will have to pick things that everyone enjoys; that means you need a mixture of things from the 60s all the way to that hot hit that came out last week by Jason Derulo. 

Not even sure WHERE to begin with that task? Here's a good example of a mix to please *almost* everyone (including songs that won't make your grandma blush): http://blog.wondershare.com/graduation-party-playlist-101/

Take that list with a grain of salt, though, because I definitely wouldn't be interested in hearing "If I Can Dream" by Celine Dion (number 49 on the list); but hey, you can't realistically create a list that has every song everyone has ever liked- right? So just make a list, press the "play" button, and enjoy your party!

 

2. Food! (YUM!)

This one will also require a bit of variety. It's fair to say though that with this one NO ONE expects you to have their favorite foods- but variety is key to a happy party. If you're hiring a caterer I guarantee they have some great ideas up their sleeves-- this isn't their first rodeo after all ;)

 

But if you and mom are going to be hashing it out in the kitchen the day before the party, the first rule is to PLAN A MENU. Don't go into it blind. Pick a menu that YOU like and throw in a couple you know your parents like: that will start you off on a good variety to please not only picky palettes but also different age groups.

 

Here's a great link from Rachel Ray (some people say I look like her... thoughts on that????) that talks about different ways to incorporate food into your party (it also has some cute game ideas, too!):

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/easy-party-ideas/party-tips-ideas/how-to-throw-a-graduation-party


3. Decorations

 

Some parties have themes and others are simple "laid back backyard" parties where the sunshine is the only decoration. Whatever you do DON'T forget to celebrate YOU and your graduation! T

 

his your time to shine so show off pictures of you from throughout the year. Don't forget your Senior pictures- whether it's the formal cap and gown shot or your casuals. Don't let this party become just another party: it's about you and celebrating your achievement and your road ahead.

 

Over on Pinterest I've created a board with tons of ways to display you and your accomplishments without being too "look at me! look at me!":  http://www.pinterest.com/sarahellephoto/grad-party-ideas/

 

(while you're there be sure to follow me on Pinterest so you can see all my ideas!)

How are you feeling now? A little less stressed? This is supposed to be a fun, exciting, CELEBRATION time! So use the links above to make things easier for you-- and don't forget, this is about YOU so celebrate you and use those awesome senior pictures to showcase just how great you are!

And if you're the party GOER be sure to check back next week when I link you to some AWESOME grad party gift ideas (budget friendly, too, since you probably have about 30 parties to go to in the next 2 months, right?!)

 

Best,
Sarah

 

Did I miss anything? Let me know what else you might need for your party in the comments below!