Another Season, Another Reason … For Graduatin’!
Summer is coming and along with the longer days and hotter temperatures comes graduation season and with it, graduation parties. Whether celebrations for high school graduations, college or post-college graduations or any other academic milestones, these parties herald the beginning of the summer … and for the graduates, the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. So what are some of the elements that make for a good graduation party? Spilled Milk Catering outlines a few of its thoughts on the matter below:
- Finger Foods and Passed Bites. For daytime graduation parties, we recommend a buffet or passed service of smaller, finger-size foods that guests can easily munch on while holding a drink and conversing with other partygoers. Why smaller bites? For one, graduations in the summer tend to occur in hotter weather, and whether outside or indoors, the hotter temperatures discourage heavy eating. Passed bites are lighter, easier for guests to handle and enable a party host to show off a range of delicious flavors and tastes.
- Signature Drink. Graduations are signature events so why not include a signature drink (or two) on the bar menu for the party? A drink that incorporates elements of the graduate’s tastes and likes, or even the graduate’s favorite drink can serve the role of a “signature drink” nicely. Guests will think it’s a neat element of the party and the celebratory graduate will feel special (isn’t that the point?). Remember, depending on the age of the graduate and partygoers, the signature drink need not be alcoholic; there are plenty of alcoholic drinks out there that can be made non-alcoholic. A good mixologist or bartender would easily know how to do this.
- Personal Elements. Sure, the baby pictures and the snapshots of the graduate in their “awkward youth” days may be too embarrassing for some, but a personal element to the party that reflects the graduate will make the party the more special. The diploma framed and on display on an easel at the party, the graduation photo as a centerpiece at each table, a speech and/or toast from someone special and meaningful in the graduate’s life, even a mix of songs played throughout the party that are some of the graduate’s favorites or reflect different periods of their life – any of these will make the graduate and his or her guests feel special and encourage a more intimate and meaningful gathering.
So there you have it. Some thoughts by Spilled Milk Catering on what makes a good graduation party stand apart from others. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t add that Spilled Milk Catering stands ready to help its clients prepare and deliver a standout party that honors the graduate and delivers a smile to the partygoers.
So with the coming summer, raise your glasses (and your graduation caps) to this year’s newest graduates! And celebrate them in style!
Amit, James and Raj
