Graduation Party Decorations That Everyone Will Remember

These graduation party decorations are sure to leave a mark on your guests! These decorations are unique and SUPER exciting… perfect for making the day extra special for the graduate!

Graduation season is SO exciting! After all the hard work and countless hours of studying, working, and going to school, it’s time to GRADUATE! This is something that deserves a major celebration!

Throwing a grad party isn’t just about gifts and good food (although that’s a definite bonus, hahaha!). It’s really about celebrating the graduate and all their incredible accomplishments! You want graduation party decorations that really highlight those moments and make the grad feel extra special. After all, the party is all about THEM!

When I had my graduation party, I was blown away by how incredible the decorations were. Everything came together perfectly.

Planning a grad party can be a lot… decor, invitation lists, food, cleaning, scheduling, invitations, hosting, desserts, ah! It can all feel a little overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to!!

If you’re looking to take some stress off of your plate with graduation party decorations, I have you covered will some of the very best grad party decor ideas!

This post is all about graduation party decorations.

Memorable Graduation Party Decorations

Best Entrance Grad Party Decoration: Welcome Banner

The party starts the second the guests drive up! Let them know that!!

Make it obvious which house is CELEBRATING! Graduating is a HUGE deal. Broadcast that to the world, girl!

Some of my favorite ways to welcome guests with graduation party decorations are cute signs and banners that say things like “Congrats Grad“, “Class of ___“, “Welcome to the Party“, etc.

There are tons of cute options to welcome your guests and get them in the grad party spirit right away!

Best Accomplishment-Based Grad Party Decoration: Achievement Display

A grad party is no time to be modest. You freaking graduated! This is the time to display all your accomplishments and be proud of yourself!

You. Did. That!!

These are some of my own personal graduation party decorations! I LOVE how this table turned out. There’s a lot to this part though so we’ll break it down one thing at a time here!!

Best Easy Grad Party Decoration: Graduation Banner

Let’s start from the back here. Banners are one of the most common and easy-to-find graduation party decorations. You can get them on Amazon, at the dollar tree, at a grocery store- ANYWHERE! Super convenient and they really spice up the party!

Best Simple Grad Party Decoration: Hanging Cap and Gown

I loved the idea of hanging up the actual graduation gown as a piece of graduation party decor. It’s cute, it’s festive, it’s simple, and you obviously already have it. LOL! No need to buy anything extra here!

Best Nostalgic Grad Party Decoration: K-12 Frame

This is one of my favorite (if not my #1 favorite) things on this table. I LOVE the frames that lay out all of the graduate’s school pictures dating all the way back to kindergarten. It’s adorable and so fun to look at! I always love looking at old pictures of my friends and so, not only is this incredibly meaningful and nostalgic, this is sure to be an eye-catcher for guests too!

Best Customized Grad Party Decoration: Custom Letter Name Sign

The sign with my name on it was actually handmade by my sweet momma! She got the letters and the bottom piece of wood and made my own name sign! I think that this adds so much to the table.

This is also super cute for the graduate to keep after the party. It can make a great office or room decor! My mom made one of these for my sister too when she graduated in 2014 and she still has it in her office today! 😍

Best Brag Grad Party Decoration: Shadowbox Award

This is such a fun way to display something you are proud of. Maybe it’s an academic achievement, an extracurricular award, a sports accomplishment… whatever it is, making your achievements a standout piece is a major YES for graduation party decorations.

Best Senior Picture Display Grad Party Decoration: Graduate Canvas

This is the main focal piece of my own graduation party table setup. My mom had this made with one of my senior pictures.

So many of my guests commented on how cute and special it was… and it really was. As the graduate, having this big canvas celebrating me made me feel like a million bucks! This is a definite attention-grabber for grad party decor.

You can have these made on multiple different sites. OfficeMax, CustomInk, Walmart, Shutterfly… they all do similar products!

Best Grad Party Decoration for Athletes: Sports Photo Collection

For those that don’t know, I danced for almost all of my youth, and then I switched to cheer during high school. Sports are a HUGE part of high school and, when you graduate high school, you are also oftentimes graduating from your lifelong hobbies and sports. That’s why I absolutely LOVED this display of some of my dance pictures throughout the years.

(It’s extremely hard to get a good photo of reflective glass. LOL… bear with me, guys!)

This will be different for every individual. Whether is basketball, soccer, football, dance, cheer, tennis, a club, girl scouts… it doesn’t matter WHAT it is. It’s part of what has shaped you and made you who you are now: a FREAKING GRADUATE!😉 Celebrate it!

Best “I’m Done” Grad Party Decoration: Display the Diploma

The reason we’re all here celebrating… the DIPLOMA!!! Display it!

(Pro-tip… if you have friends and family members with grubby fingers (or you’re serving finger food), make sure it’s in a protective sheet/cover. They WILL reach for it with mayo-fingers. I learned from experience…)

Best Collage Grad Party Decoration: Photo Collage with Message Board

(Again… reflective glass and overhead lighting are not friends)

HOW CUTE IS THIS?! This is such a perfect addition to your graduation party decorations. It combines a sweet message for the graduate and a photo collage of them!

This is a collection of my own senior pictures with a sweet, personalized message in the center. Love!!

Best Throwback Grad Party Decoration: Then and Now Photos

This grad party decor piece is a tear-jerker for those nostalgic party-goers. You know who… the ones that have watched you grow up and just “CAN’T believe you’re graduating already”! (So sweet! Those life-long people are the best!)

When I had this for my own grad party, it included my preschool picture and a picture of me on my graduation day. Really a full-circle moment. This is another grad party decor MUST!

Best Memorable Grad Party Decoration: Guest Message Photo

Now this one can get a little tricky. Well, not really. But it’s super important that you do it right.

So the frame itself has a message on it (“the Tassel was Worth the Hassle” in my case)… but the frame doesn’t actually go out! Just the photo and the board in the frame go out so people can sign it. This is why it’s super important to block off the area where the frame’s writing is.

I left the paper that we had on my canvas to show you. On this paper, we asked the guests to leave a note for the grad around the border of my photo (another senior pic!!). That way, everyone signs around the edges, and then, at the end of the party, you can take that paper off and it leaves the perfect gap for the actual frames writing.

SO SO SO personal and memorable. This is the perfect way to remember who came to your party and hear their sweet words of encouragement and celebration. I love this. Another definite highlight of my graduation party decorations! I’d 100% recommend this for all grad party decor!

Best Functional Grad Party Decoration: Festive Card Drop

Believe it or not, the cute grad cap decoration on the left side of this table display is actually the card drop! Adorable, right?!

A cute card drop is a MUST HAVE for grad party decorations! Almost everyone that comes will be bringing a card for you. Having an obvious place to put it makes it easy for them to just drop it off as they come in the door! Plus, it adds some festiveness to your grad party table decor!

Best College Prep Grad Party Decoration: Advice Cards

Similar to the card drop and the photo sign, having a place for your guests to leave the new grad some life advice is a perfect grad party decoration. Chances are good you’ll get some great responses here. Some heartfelt, some emotional, some meaningful, and some just freaking funny. It’ll be so fun to go through at the end of the night!

{RELATED POST: Must-Know Advice for College Freshmen}

Best Dessert Grad Party Decoration: Donut Wall

This may seem a BIT random but donut worry, your guests will LOVE it. I PROMISE!!

Not to mention, this grad party decoration doubles as a dessert. Killin’ two birds with one stone. Whoop whoop!!

Tip: I saw a super cute grad donut wall that used donuts for the zeros in the grad year! 

I personally think this one is SUPER cute for a grad party decoration. The “donut grow up” goes great with the theme!😍

Best Photo Backdrop Grad Party Decoration: Photo Banner

OH MY GOSH. I know I keep saying that certain things were a highlight of my own grad party decor, but this might’ve just been my #1 FAVORITE thing at my graduation party!

This custom banner was absolutely ADORABLE. I felt like I was at my very own red carpet event. LOL!

As the grad, you should feel special at your own grad party… and boy did this make me feel special! I can’t lie!

My mom had this made for my grad party at Walmart but, as I mentioned earlier with the canvas, these can also be made at OfficeMax, CustomInk, Shutterfly, etc. Pretty much all printing companies can do something similar to this!😍

This banner also doubled as my main photo area for pictures of me and my guests. It makes a great backdrop for taking pictures!

This leads me into my next grad party decor essential…

Best Fun Photo Grad Party Decoration: Photo Props

Photo props are a HUGE must-have for grad parties. Everyone’s going to be taking pictures and celebrating the moment… You gotta spice up the photo-ops with some fun and festive props!

Best Grad Year Grad Party Decoration: Grad Year Balloons

Grad year balloons are the perfect way to add a touch of grad party decor to an area with minimal effort and cost! There are super cheap grad balloons on Amazon that are great for tossing around the party to add some extra festive-ness! String them above tables, around displays, above doorways, or around the food setup (like I did here), and BOOM! Decorated!

Best Attention Grabbing Grad Party Decoration: Balloon Arch

And if you REALLY are all about the balloons, a balloon arch is a super trendy and fun graduation party decoration right now!

I think that this could be super cute at the entrance, around the achievement table we talked about earlier, or even around the dessert/food tables! It’s a great statement piece to add to your graduation party decor!

Those are 18 incredibly fun and festive graduation party decorations!

Now you are all set to throw the most memorable and festive graduation party in town!

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Remember, this day is special and celebratory! Don’t get so focused on the decorations and preparation that you forget your one main job… to ENJOY YOURSELF!

Congrats Grad! Proud of you!

XOXO,

Del