Graduation is a big deal for any student. Whether this is High school graduation, College Graduation, or even kindergarten graduation, they are a celebration and need to be treated the same.  From the guest list to the place where you’ll have the party, deciding on how big to be and what dress to wear, are all things one should take into account. 

But what makes a party a great party? We’ll tell you all about our graduation party ideas for girls.

GRADUATION PARTY GUEST LIST AND INVITATIONS

When planning for a graduation party, we’ll start with the guest list. Only after deciding who will attend can we pick the venue for the party. But how do we decide who goes on the list and who doesn’t? Simple enough. We’ll take a piece of paper and a pen and write down the most important people in our life. Then move on with the friends and members of the family we want to have near us on that special day. If the child is old enough, they can help with the list or even make the list themselves. If she’s not, then the parent should do it, but still talk to the child about her preference as guests.

Keep in mind that the closest friends will be bound to be their classmates and have the graduation party at the same time, so be careful when choosing the date. For your girl’s graduation party invitations, you can make them yourself or look online for a cute design and just your personal touch. You can send them by e-mail or just in a social media message chat, or be formal and print them. There are also design shops that can help you create the invitations and also deliver them. Don’t forget to also write a „thank you” note for when the party is over and give them to your guests.

GRADUATION PARTY VENUES 

After making the guest list and determining how many people will come to the party, you need to find a place for the party. Usually, the graduation parties will be held in spring so make sure the location is appropriate for any weather there might be. If you decide to have the party outdoors, then take into account that you will probably need to use a tent in case the weather is not pleasant enough. If you opt for a restaurant or an event venue, then the weather thing is no longer an issue. Just don’t forget to include this on the list for your girl graduation party ideas. 

THEME OF THE PARTY

Depending on the age of the child, the party will have a theme. 

If we’re talking about a kindergarten graduation party, then it should be easy choosing a theme. Your child will most likely want something with his favorite cartoon character. But if there’s an older child, and you need to oversee an 8th grader graduation, then things change. 

So, what could be considered amazing for girl 8th-grade graduation party ideas?

You could make it a favorite book character theme, or a movie character, you can play with ideas like transforming the place into a botanical garden or keeping it fancy and making her the princess for a night.

Honestly, when it comes to kids and their ideas of a good time, the sky's the limit. Their imagination will only be topped by how much money they are willing to spend.

Now let’s talk for a moment about a high school graduation party. Here, things tend to become more complicated. Not only does a high school girl need more than a cartoon character theme party, but she will also have expectations regarding the dress she’ll wear, the location, and everything in between.

But, you can throw in some great girls’ graduation party themes such as:

• a picnic party, if she wants to keep it on low profile; 
• fun party with balloons filled with messages and floating lanterns;
• a fancy-themed party where everyone is expected to dress in a certain attire (for example a Great Gatsby theme party) and play a part.

ENTERTAINMENT AT A GRADUATION PARTY

You have the location, the guest list is done, you know the theme, the most logical step would be to find entertaining things to do. After all, a party is not a party without music and something fun. Here’s our list of what you can do, especially for older graduates:

Hire a DJ

Without the proper music, a party could be boring. Hiring a good DJ to spice things up where music is concerned, will transform your party into THE party. This kind of fun doesn’t have an age limit.

Set up a photo-booth

This is something fun that people will remember you by. You can set up a photo booth and come up with funny dresses and props that people will enjoy. This is also a type of entertainment that can be used no matter the age. At the end of the night, your guests will have something silly, yet fun to take home with them.

Use social media to have fun

A special party needs to have a special hashtag. You can create one for your guests and post pictures online with your group of friends using the special hashtag. If you decide to hold the graduation party with some of your friends, then besides the hashtag you could also live stream the party or just fun parts. Come up with a special dance, sing something funny, and let the world see you do it. 

Set up and open bar

For small childrens' graduation or high school one, an open bar can be filled with something other than alcoholic beverages: different kinds of lemonade, smoothies, ice cream, and sweets. It is not your conventional fun, but it will be fun to taste.

THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET

We all want amazing girls’ graduation party ideas, but sometimes we forget that all those ideas cost a pretty penny. Before sending the invites, make sure you know how much your party will cost. 

Make a detailed list with everything you’ll need and how much it will cost. 

You can put on that list the following:

• Location cost
• Food and beverages
• Special items such as a candy bar
• Invitations
• Decorations and flowers
• Photographer 
• Entertainment if there is something special you are doing
• Thank you notes and gifts for the guests
• Dresses and shoes
• Hairdresser and makeup
• Special kind of transportation

Remember there are many expenses and probably some of them are unknown. So be prepared for an extra 20% over the initial budget.

CLOTHING AND APPEARANCE

Depending on the theme and location the clothes, shoes, makeup, and hairstyle will need to adapt. If you’re having an outdoor graduation party with a picnic theme, then casual clothes could work. If the graduation party is for a little girl, she’ll probably want to dress up as her favorite character so be prepared to buy an Elsa, Rapunzel, or Minnie dress. On the other hand, if the girl is a high school graduate and she’ll want a fancy party, then the dress should be a fancy one. 

Lucky for you, at Sophia’s Style, we have plenty of dresses to match almost every party you can think of. After she chooses the dress and shoes, she’ll need a hairstylist and makeup artist to transform her into whatever she chooses to be for a night. Don’t forget to book them in advance, also make sure you order the dress and have time for adjustments if needed.

DECORATIONS and MENU

Last, but not least, a great party must also have a great decorated location, to reflect the theme of the party, but don’t forget what the party is all about. You can decorate with diplomas, a string of photographs since you and your friends were little, you can choose to incorporate flowers and make sure there is a guestbook at the entrance.

After the party is over you can have every guest leave with a little present and a thank you note. 

Now, whether you start planning for a graduation party just a few days before or months before, don't forget to make a checklist for all the things you need to do. When picking the date make sure all your friends and family can be there and don’t have other events to attend. Follow our guide for graduation party ideas for girls and keep in mind that this is a joyful occasion. So, have fun!