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Outdoor Graduation Parties - Decorating And Landscaping Ideas

Outdoor_Graduation_Parties_-_Decorating_and_Landscaping_Ideas‘Tis the season for graduations, and every grad deserves a rousing party in their honor. Graduates come in all sizes, from kindergarten and grade school to middle or high school and college. Heck, you could throw an outdoor party to celebrate your dog’s graduation from obedience school (Finally! What a good boy!).

You’ll want to pull out the stops. Along with a tasty party menu, you’ll need a festive party atmosphere, so it’s time to decorate your yard, front and back.

Do what you can to make your lawn look presentable.

Given the current conditions here in California, there is only so much you can do (short of painting the grass a luscious emerald color), but your guests will understand, especially if they are also fighting the losing lawn battle at their house. (Don’t you wish you had artificial turf instead? Then your lawn would look stunning without you having to lift a finger. Next year … )

Plant flowers to add color.

Choose colors that match your grad’s school colors. Pots are perfect because they’re easy to move around. Bank them around your front door, or make a “welcome trellis” for your entryway. Line your front walkway with potted flowers. If your party is at night, intermingle the pots with “luminarias” made from candles in Mason jars.

Carry the school colors theme throughout all your decorating, table settings, etc. to make a comprehensive can’t miss statement.

Hit the party store early.

You don’t want other party-planners to grab up all the best goodies. Better yet, go online to find something everyone else won’t have. Or make your own. Your grad deserves a distinctive party, whether your goal is total informality or something on the posh side:

  • Strings of party lights in fun shapes or your theme colors, white twinkle lights to wrap tree trunks and porch pillars or decorate umbrellas and food and beverage stations around the yard. Add some Japanese lanterns (you can get battery-powered ones).
  • Print out photos of your grad and spray-glue them to colored paper to create instant “frames,” then string a clothesline outside and pin the pictures to it. Or hang the pictures individually from tree branches. Or mount them on sticks and place them around the yard.
  • Hang pennant line in school colors.
  • Hang a huge sheet of butcher paper on the fence with a basket of colorful markers and ask guests to write keepsake messages for your grad.
  • Surround your pool with flowers, and float something fun (or several fun somethings) in the pool.
  • Create signs for the front yard – spell out “congratulations, Josh” with individual letters. Add arrows to some of the photos you mounted and post them in series down the street: “this way to Josh’s grad party.”
  • Tie helium-filled balloons in your trees and to the backs of chairs, or build an arch for your grad to walk through (to thunderous applause, naturally).
  • Track down piñatas that represent your grad’s school mascot and use them as decorations – with or without candy.
  • Put up a tent or lots of umbrella tables to add color plus welcome shade.
  • You‘re going to need extra chairs, for sure. But nothing says “boring” like basic brown folding chairs. Fix that! Spray paint your folding chairs to match one or all of your theme colors.  
  • Toss plump cushions around on the lawn for extra seating.
  • Set up a croquet game on the lawn.
  • Invest in a fire pit, if you don’t already have one – talk about a gathering spot! Later in the party, pass around the fixin’s for s’mores.

Your outdoor graduation party is going to be a smash hit. Even though you’re saddled with iffy-looking grass, with snazzy decorations and lots of flowers you can draw attention elsewhere. Besides, all eyes should be on the grad at this party! 

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