my daughter is graduating from high school in 3 months. i would like to have her a graduation party

DISCLAIMER: I work as a mobile DJ/Master of Ceremonies, so take that into consideration as you read my advice. :-)

I would suggest that your first "hire" for the party would be a good DJ who can work with you to plan the party and help make it fun.

I've done a number of retirement parties, graduation parties, and corporate parties (as a DJ), and the key to success is working with the people to make it, as you said, "something she will think about years from now."

For the last graduation party I did, I talked to the parents and the graduate about music so that I would be sure to provide the kind of music they wanted but which would still be OK'd by the parents. Then we talked about various activities, such as:

1. Games of all sorts: relays, contests, trivia, etc. They decided on having a list of trivia questions, and the people with the most correct answers won some prizes (iTune gift cards, restaurant gift cards, and a choice of CDs). You could spend some extra money and have a "grand prize" at the end of the party, such as concert tickets or a significant gift card value, etc.

2. Karaoke for a limited time. I steered them away from having karaoke for the whole time, as that gets boring, and after a while, terrible in many cases. We saved the karaoke for the last hour of the party, so the kids had a chance to "build up" to it.

3. What I call "atta-boy/atta-girl" moments. (People congratulate the graduate and wish him/her well.) These were limited to 10, and we decided on a system for deciding who would be allowed to do this, how long they could talk, and what the limits were on what could be said. We spaced them out over the entire party so they weren't all together. Each person had a different perspective: One was a friend who talked about growing up together and recounted the "early years" of K-6; another took a later time period; a parent talked about family times; etc. We kept it all light and SHORT for each one.

We published the "schedule" for the party. Kids today tend to "do the rounds" for graduation parties, and they will show up a "Bill's" party for the video games; later it's off to "Rhonda's" party for dinner; then over to "Pat's" party for dancing; and finally to "Jerri's" party to end the night with an outdoor movie on a big screen in the back yard, etc.

Whatever you do, plan it with someone who will help you make it happen.

In addition to a professional DJ, you might want to hire a caricaturist for a while or a magician for a while or have a Photo Booth for a while, etc. It depends on what you want to spend and how well such things would go over with your daughter's friends.

The possibilities are endless, but you'll be glad that your first decision was to hire a competent professional to help you.

Best wishes for your party!!!!!

Rating Received:

Is your family part of any religious, social or other kind-of group? then have a group graduation party not a school mate graduation party.

Parents and kids - supply basis and ask friends if they wish to bring deserts, kind of stuff and close friends to help with the decorations. Many town have town sponsored meeting rooms for cheep. Social gathering type facilities.

Rating Received:

Don't let 'em drink beer unless you really want to risk your ass for the next few years behind bars.

Rating Received:

It sounds like a lovely sentiment but isn't that what a highschool Grad is for? Why don't you ask her about it?

Rating Received:

Just make sure there is plenty of alcohol and it will be a success.

Rating Received: