22 Graduation Party Ideas Not to Miss One Stop Shop for All Celebration

Hooray! It’s finally graduation season. Are you #proudparent with a special graduate in your life? If so, you were there for all the hard work that led up to this moment, and it calls for a celebration! After the caps are thrown high in the sky, continue the milestone with a special party. Explore these graduation party ideas we have listed below to gain inspo for throwing a fabulous bash on a budget. To keep it affordable, why not make your own graduation party decorations DIY style? Celebrate the graduate’s accomplishments and create lasting memories by making your space looking fun and fabulous. Ok, enough of our speech, let’s get this graduation 2022 party started!

Grad party 101: Make graduation party decorations at home

If you’re the crafty kind, and looking to save money, why not make your own unique decorations that will look as nice as anything you find in a store. Plue, there’s tons of resources online on how to craft DIY party decorations. See our list graduation party ideas below!

Here’s some examples we love!

Give the gift of a sugar rush, and make your own candy bouquet!

Before the party, have a cap decorating party so your grad can personalize their cap. Get materials like markers, cardstock (in a variety of colors), glitter, glue, gems, stencils and rulers. Bonus if you have a Cricut Machine or a exacto knife.

DIY hanging decorations

Graduation Photo Wreath – This sentimental idea was just too cute and easy, not to include. Tears may flow a result.

Words of wisdom for the grad – find a Mason jar and get it personalized with your grad’s name or personalize it yourself. Then, have friends and family put notes, advice, and $$$ into the jar! This jar will be a precious keepsake for years to come!

Make a GIANT diploma and put gifts inside!

How to make decorations with a Cricut Machine

Have you heard of the Cricut machine? Apparently they’re all the rage. With this machine and it’s software you can customize literally anything! From glassware to t-shirts, personalized decals, and so much more! There’s a ton of tutorials on YouTube and TikTok because the Cricut can be daunting at first. Start small, like personalized graduation decorations like caps or party favors!

Where to buy cheap graduation party decorations

If you don’t have the time or patience for DIY decorations, and want to keep your party wallet friendly, (trust us, we know food, drinks and gift adds up quick!) retailers like Target and Walmart (And Joyfy!) offer a wide selection of graduation decorations for those ballin’ on a budget. Whether you’re hosting a small gathering or throwing a huge blowout, it’s so easy to make your space look stylish and fun with affordable decorations.

Let the new grad choose the colors and/or theme of the party

We’re guessing your bookworm worked hard, and they earned this party! Let them choose the colors and/or theme so they can express their personal aesthetic because it’s their day and we’re all just living in it! Below, we’d like to highlight some popular graduation party ideas and color schemes for inspo! Black and gold (traditional), blue and white, and rose gold.

black and gold

As we said, black and gold is the traditional graduation party look. These colors are classic, elegant and they never go out of style, just like our Party Decoration Kit With Balloons, 41 pcs. Kit includes 1 banner, 10 colorful swirls with double-side print golden cards, 6 double-head swirls, 2 PET swirls with colorful pentagram cards, 9 latex balloons (3 golds, 3 silvers, 3 blacks), 3 mylar foil balloons, 4 paper fans, and 6 paper pom poms.

Next up, this Large Fabric Banner + Hanging Banner (White) is a must-have. Banners really set the celebratory tone for any party and the grad party is no exception. Set includes: 2 side hanging banners and a large fabric banner backdrop. The large fabric banner backdrop measures 35″ x 74″, and each of the two side hanging banners measures 10.5″ x 72.”

This graduation fabric banner set is easy to attach anywhere. It can be placed in the wall, ceiling, garden, and more!

Next up you’ll need party decor for the desserts and photo booth props. Let us give you 2 for the price of 1 with our Cupcake Topper + Photobooth Props + Center Piece Set! See image below for what this value pack includes!

blue and white

Blue and white is a popular choice because many school’s have that as their school colors. Check out this blue and white inspo we loved!

rose gold

For a chic and feminine look, opt for a beautiful chromatic hue, like rose gold. A rose gold theme beautifully complements neutral shades like nude, white and black. The color also goes well with lace, rustic and floral elements. We even found a tutorial on how to make your very own rose gold balloon grad backdrop, here!

As far as colors and party themes go, there’s no limit to the possibilities. Maybe plan a fiesta? Or a tropical luau theme! Make the party planning an adventure that you and the graduate can go on together!

More graduation party ideas! Party favors needed – Give everyone a lei!

Leis are a thing at graduation. All the graduates get them and they give them too! Don’t miss out on participating with our 6″ Tropical Hawaiian Luau Flower Lei, 36 pack.

Jelly shots – With a graduation, there’s cause for celebration, so if it’s a college grad, fill up with your jelly/booze of choice with this 60 Piece Jelly Shot Party Set! Includes 60 x Jelly syringes with caps and can take 2oz of Jelly. (Jelly and booze not included).

What decorations do you need for a Graduation Party?

Ok, we’ve given you a ton of tips on how you can find affordable graduation decorations. We want to share with you a few more affordable picks from our Joyfy collection such as hanging decorations, balloons, and photo booth props!

Hanging decorations

Our Graduation Party Banner is 3 banners in 1 package! Each banner piece is 70″x36″ and made of high-quality plastic. It’s reusable and waterproof.

This Photo Banner Garland is a precious way to show off memories with your graduation. Set includes a glittery banner card with, “WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU” with golden string, and 12 pieces of a gold “CONGRATS GRAD” photo banner with 10 feet long string, 3 black pom poms (9.8inch) and 120 glue dots. This elegant glitter-themed graduation photo banner is easy to attach anywhere.

Our Burlap “Congrats Grads”+ Burlap “We Are So Proud of You” Banner includes: 36 pieces in total, which has 26 word cards, 6 decoration cards, 2 black paper pom poms and 2 black pom pom flowers.

Banner “Congrats Grad” + Hanging Decor, 19 pcs This graduation decoration set includes 1 banner, 10 colorful swirls with double-side print golden cards, 6 double-head swirls, 2 pet swirls with colorful pentagram cards.

Balloons

Any graduation party must have balloons, so included our Gold Letter Banner “We Are So Proud of You” + Hanging Décor. Set includes: 6 glittery banner cards, 4 hanging decorations, 12 latex balloons (4 silvers, 4 golds and 4 blacks) and 2 sets of 9ft string.

Graduation party photo props

For photo backdrops, funny props are a must-have! Here’s our Photo Booth Props, 66 piece Set. Set includes: 66 pieces of graduation photo booth props. Hundreds of combinations of hats, funny glasses. Also has extra pieces with unique designs such as bunny ears, roses, Mr. & Mrs. Glasses,masks and more! All the props are printed on high-quality thick cardboard in vibrant colors.

Conclusion: Finally, all that hard work paid off right? We hope you got some graduation party ideas inspiration so you can celebrate your kid’s dreams right along with them, in style! Do you have a high school or college graduate in your life? Tell us how you plan to celebrate in the comments below!