Graduation Decoration Ideas: 14+ Ways to Celebrate the Grad
Graduation is a special time to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and perseverance of a loved one. And what better way to mark the occasion than with a fantastic grad party? Whether you’re looking for ways to celebrate your own graduation or that of someone else, this list of graduation decoration ideas will help you get the job done.
14 Graduation Decoration Ideas That Get the Job Done
Whether you’re throwing a college graduation party, high school graduation party, or celebrating a tiny tot taking on the next school challenge, these ideas are sure to set the scene for a fun and celebratory event. Consider these graduation decoration ideas from DIY signs to photo centerpieces and more.
1. Share the Excitement Using a Yard Sign
Show your pride with a fun yard sign that celebrates your high school or college graduate. Order a printable sign in the shape of a graduation cap and add phrasing like “Congrats” or “Our kid did it!”
2. Set Up a Photo Booth
A photo booth is practically a must these days for any celebration, so be sure to set up a photo backdrop and a table full of fun props like graduation caps, tassels, and diplomas along with silly accessories and word props. You can use a white sheet or curtain to set up the backdrop and add decorative elements like graduation balloons or streamers. For something more elaborate, make a balloon arch or add fresh flowers to the mix. Don’t forget to hang a graduation banner to complete the look.
3. Add a Party Entrance Sign
Greet grad party guests with a sign that announces the exciting news. You can handwrite sweet messages on a chalkboard or go for a professionally printed graduation sign. These signs are useful for guiding guests to the party location and can be placed by the front entrance.
4. Decorate with Classic Party Supplies
When it comes to graduation decoration ideas, there’s a reason balloons, streamers, and confetti are popular party decor. They easily set the mood for any occasion, whether it’s a birthday party or graduation celebration. Set the scene with balloons featuring phrases like “Congrats grad,” “You did it,” and “The best is yet to come!” Choose streamers, confetti, and balloons that feature school colors to add a personal touch, or go for classic black and gold to celebrate the big accomplishment.
5. Hang a Photo Banner
Show the graduate how proud you are by featuring a large banner with their face on it. You can hang the banner at the entrance to the venue or inside above a photo booth or stage. Choose a photo that shows the graduate’s personality and matches the vibe of the party theme — a professional photo befits a fancy soiree while a silly snap is perfect for a backyard celebration.
6. Set Up a Dessert Table
Share the joy of sweet success by offering party guests treats like cupcakes, baked goods, and a colorful candy bar. Add cupcake toppers featuring the graduate’s face — you can use baby photos for a trip down memory lane or professional snaps of the grad ready to tackle life’s next chapter. For a candy buffet, you can order personalized candies like M&Ms. Label different candy types with phrases like “Bookworms” for sour gummies, “You’re a Smartie” for a jar of Smarties, and “Smart Cookie” for a tray of chocolate chip cookies.
7. Create Simple Photo Centerpieces
For one of the best no-fuss graduation decoration ideas, create table centerpieces featuring a photo of the high school or college grad. Simply place an 8”x12″ frame featuring your favorite graduate photo or mix it up by using different pictures at different tables. As part of the graduation centerpiece, you can outfit the table with vases of fresh flowers and confetti in the shape of grad caps and diplomas.
8. Go All-Out on the Graduation Cake
Celebrate the graduate with a sweet treat featuring their graduation photo. Order a photo cake from a local bakery or make your own cake and accent it with photo toppers. An easy way to DIY a cake topper is to print out a photo and attach it to a popsicle stick or photo clip.
9. Provide a Wisdom Jar
Give the graduate something to take home from their graduation celebration with a wisdom jar. Choose a large glass vase or Mason jar and affix a sticker with “Words of Wisdom” on the label. Ask guests to write down their favorite piece of advice on a slip of paper. Add it to the jar and have the graduate read them when they need some inspiration.
10. Accent Your Tableware
Make your servingware part of the table decor by choosing napkins, straws, and plates that feature the grad’s school colors. You can also choose a gold (or silver) and black palette for a classic look. A printed tablecloth featuring graduation phrases is another easy way to dress up your graduation party decorations without spending a lot of time and money. You can also choose their college flag as a tablecloth or backdrop to food tables.
11. Make a Photo Collage
A graduation photo collage makes for great grad party decor. Take photos of the graduate from various stages in their life and arrange them in the shape of their graduation year. Display this on a posterboard or large frame that the graduate can keep for years to come.
12. Graduation Party Favors
Send guests home with a little token of appreciation by making DIY party favors. You can give mini flashlights and attach tags to them saying “The future is bright.” Another idea is to wrap burlap around mini boxes filled with treats. Bookmarks, mini succulents, and mini candles are other simple yet memorable graduation party favors. Of course, you’ll also want to send graduation thank you cards within a week or two after the celebration.
13. Polaroid Guest Book
Pair your graduation-themed decoration ideas with a sweet guest book the graduate can cherish. Set up a small table with a Polaroid camera, tape, and a guest book. Ask guests to take a snap of themselves and write a celebratory message to the graduate.
14. Set Up a Graduation Card and Graduation Gifts Table
Decorate a table where guests can leave their graduation cards and gifts for the graduate. You can create your own box by decorating it with school spirit colors and graduation stickers. A card table is particularly useful for outdoor events so you don’t have to worry about cards blowing away in the wind.
Invite Guests With These Graduation Invitations
When you’re ready to share the news of your graduate’s accomplishments, it doesn’t get easier than graduation invitations and graduation announcements from Greenvelope. You can choose from hundreds of designs that match any graduation theme and customize the layout, font, color scheme, and message. (You can even add music, wax seals, and other decorative elements that are sure to make an impression.) Here are some of our favorite graduation invitations to kickstart the festivities.
1. Celebrating the Grad Invitation
Design: Jen Montgomery
This glittery hand-lettered invitation features a graduation cap, bold font, and festive confetti for a fun fete. Available in five color options with matching envelope liner, it’s perfect for casual graduation celebrations as well as setting the mood for a lively, over-the-top bash.
2. Traditional Corner Details Invitation
Design: Stacey Meacham Design, LLC
This classic and sleek invitation is ideal for formal celebrations honoring the graduate. It features a classic design, elegant script, and sophisticated color palette for a formal feel.
3. Grad Cap Pattern Invitation
Design: Owl & Toad
This photo invite allows you to upload your favorite snap of the grad to celebrate their latest achievements. Customize the invite to feature the school’s colors or choose a classic black and gold design.
4. Class Of Invitation
Design: Laura Bolter Design
This festive photo invitation features a bold heading made of balloons spelling out the graduation year. It’s accompanied by a photo slot where you can upload a pic of the graduate celebrating this special moment.
5. Graceful Graduate Invitation
Design: Jessica Williams
This sophisticated invite features a scrawling gold script and a modern gold foil frame surrounding a photo of the graduate. There’s room to include plenty of event details and there are five colorways, including red, green, blue, white, and black. It pairs perfectly with formal graduation decoration ideas including gold and black themes.
Celebrate the Grad in Style
With these graduation decoration ideas, you’re sure to host a successful graduation party. Make your celebration extra special with stationery and party planning tips from Greenvelope. Our designs makes it easy to share the exciting news with friends and family and gather everyone together for a celebratory event they won’t soon forget.
Need more ideas when it comes to pulling off the perfect graduation event? Continue browsing our blog to find more graduation party ideas as well as graduation announcement wording examples and tips for throwing a successful grad party.
