Simple ways to slash your graduation party costs

In a nationwide survey conducted by GraduationParty.com, $985 is the average amount spent on graduation parties. There are plenty of simple ways to slash that bill. Here are some ideas whether you are throwing together a celebration this year or thinking ahead a few years.

Graduation party to-do list

Who to invite?

Source: www.graduationparty.com

Diplomas in hand, caps and gowns tucked into the closet — now it’s time to party.

But while the hard work is almost over for high school graduates, the celebration can be anything but a piece of cake for parents who have to deal with the planning and budget.

Hall rental, invitations, catering, decorations, music and favors aren’t just the makings of a wedding reception — they can all be graduation party expenses. But it is possible to host a graduation party without spending a year’s worth of college tuition.

The guest list

Formal graduation announcements and personalized invitations are nice but can be an easily eliminated expense.

It takes only a few minutes for soon-to-be graduates to create an event on Facebook. Grads and their party-planning parents can get a count of those who are planning to attend in real time. This number will be critical when it comes time to plan for food, beverages and even paper products.

While social-media sites are a good option for friends of the grad, some family members, teachers and neighbors might prefer a traditional invitation. Pre-printed invitations with space to fill in party particulars are a cost-effective option. Special Occasions Party Supply, with locations in Kettering and Piqua, sells invitations in packages of 25 or 50 starting at $5.50.

E-invites are an even better bargain as sites like pingg.com enable party hosts to select a design, personalize it and e-mail it free of charge. Users can manage their invitations and announcements, see RSVP information and send personal messages to guests. Reminders and thank you e-mails can also be sent through pingg at no cost.

While shopping for invitations, it’s a good time to pick up graduation thank-you cards, as they might be sold out or picked over after the party.

No place like home

The least expensive way to host a party is to do so without having to rent a facility (and at this point, chances are most venues are booked). There is also the added perk of having a full kitchen for food prep and restroom facilities, something a park or other outdoor venue might be lacking. Depending on how big the guest list is and the size of your house, you might need to consider expanding the party area to include the deck, yard or driveway.

But any party planner who has experienced the recent bout of wet spring weather might want to consider renting a tent to keep guests dry, if necessary, or provide much-needed shade if summer strikes soon.

An example on tent options and pricing: Kosins Party and Tent Rental, in Centerville, has several summer party tent rental packages available. A 20x20 party tent, with four rectangular tables and 32 chairs is $249 plus delivery. Note that availability at party and tent rental locations may be limited given the volume of graduations, so it’s best to call and check your local stores as soon as possible.

Party prep

Decorations don’t have to be expensive to set a festive mood.

“Start with the table coverings and build on that,” said LaTrisha Kingseed, manager of Special Occasions Party Supply.

Kingseed also suggests a theme.

“It can be anything from school colors, to a fiesta or a luau,” she said. “And then decorate with that theme in mind.”

Once table coverings are chosen, select napkins, plates, cups and table decorations, like confetti, that will accent but not blend in with the table color. Bead necklaces or leis can do double duty at graduation parties.

“Buy enough for all the guests and have the grad pass them out as they talk to people to make sure that they talk to and thank everyone who comes,” Kingseed said. “And they can double as decorations.”

Beads, graduation mints and confetti can be inexpensively scattered on tables as decorations and party favors. Bags of prepackaged mints run $3.99 for 50 and are available in a variety of school colors, beads are $3.29 for a dozen and 2011 confetti is $1.99 for a package that could decorate as many as four tables.

Balloons, from table bouquets to a giant hot air balloon replica attached to a card box, can tie into the theme. Balloons are available in a variety of school colors and, some, even have mascots or school names printed on them.

An easy, do-it-yourself personalized decoration is an all-about-me-board, which is created on a tri-fold board frequently used for science fair projects. Simply decorate the board with pictures, stickers, awards or memorabilia that highlight the graduate. Position the board on its own table and add trophies, a jersey, framed pictures or even an instrument to the table — any items that are meaningful to the graduate.

While decorations can add to the fun, don’t forget the basics — plates, napkins, cups and plastic ware. Err on the side of too many rather than too few, as you don’t want to be out of forks before the cake is even cut. And if soft drinks will be poured from 2-liter bottles, extra cups will be a necessity as half-full cups will inevitably be strewn about and thrown away.

“One of the best money savers is mixing printed napkins with plain plates,” Kingseed said.

Feeding the masses

Carry-ins and potluck parties can help cut costs tremendously but if you are footing the entire bill, there are some ways to save money and still serve food that will leave your guests full and happy. And you won’t spend the whole party in the kitchen.

Everything from meatballs to macaroni salad and pasta to pulled pork is available at GFS Marketplace. There are also pre-built menus such as a taco bar or sundae buffet that start for as little at $4.71 a person, based on 50 people. GFS also has a Menu Wizard planning program to help determine how much food to buy and the cost per person for your menu selections.

If you would rather avoid the kitchen altogether, there are plenty of reasonable options from subs to wings that can easily be picked up or delivered to your party venue.

It doesn’t get much easier than subs.

“We do a lot of graduation parties,” said Brody Danner, The Submarine House owner. “We have a variety of items to choose from; it’s easy and it’s reasonable.”

For example, if the eye-popping 8-foot party sub is too much too handle, The Submarine House has a variety of sub trays to choose from that can serve from 10-30 people for $40-$80. The sub trays, with pre-cut 2-inch slices, can cost as little as $2-$3 per person.

“The first question we ask is how many people are you expecting and is this the only food you are going to have,” Danner said. “Then we can help determine how much food you will need.”

Another easy option is chicken wings. Both Buffalo Wild Wings and Fricker’s, for example, offer traditional and boneless wing options in quantities of 200 or more to feed a hungry party crowd. Buffalo Wild Wings has Graduation Bucket pricing available, starting at $135.98, and Fricker’s also has Chicken Chunks in 12-pound platters for $75.99.

When it’s time for sweets, money saving options can include trading in the traditional cake for bite-sized desserts like brownies, cupcakes, cookies or cake pops. These desserts can be decorated to reflect the party theme or school colors.

As for when to order, you will need to call around to different caterers to determine their requirements. But a good rule of thumb would be one to two weeks notice.