i’m matt james

professional event producer

  • 27 years event-planning experience
  • Winner of 30 industry awards
  • Clients include:
  • Elton John,
  • Stella McCartney,
  • Sarah Jessica Parker,
  • Kevin Spacey……and more

welcome

Matt James professional event planner
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01 how to make a graduate feel special

CELEBRATE THE PERSON, NOT just their graduation

  • Don’t make the common mistake of theming everything around a graduation.
  • This makes for an impersonal and unoriginal graduation celebration.
  • Instead, celebrate the person, not just their achievement.

FOCUS ON THE FEEL-GOOD

  • Concentrate on making them feel loved and appreciated.
  • A graduation is an opportunity to make that person feel good about themselves;
  • treating them, reminding them what makes them special, and expressing what they mean to you.
  • It’s an opportunity to communicate all the things we might often think, but seldom say.
  • People often focus on their own faults or failings and overlook or underestimate the good things about themselves.
  • Friends and family are there to remind them of how amazing they are;
  • the good they’ve done; what they’ve contributed, accomplished, and the effect they’ve had on others.
  • So, focus on thoughtful graduation ideas that will make them feel special.
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the idea

reasons we love you

Invite friends and family to highlight the admirable qualities, notable traits, or amusing quirks that make the graduate so loved

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framed reasons we love you poster with photo of the graduate
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a gift every hour

Spread the love over an entire day with 12 smaller gifts; one to be opened every hour.

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a collection of gift wrapped boxes
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graduation slideshow

Invite friends and family to contribute photos and videos of the graduate to surprise them with an animated slideshow

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group of friends watching a backyard slideshow
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audio guestbook

Bring your guestbook to life and capture authentic and unfiltered voice messages from friends and family to treasure forever

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graduation party red telephone audio guest book next to a printable instructions sign inviting party guests to leave a message
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open when… letters

Be there in spirit when you can’t be there in person with a collection of ‘Open When…’ letters for every occasion

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selection of brown 'open when...' letters for different occasions
advice from a pro

02 thoughtful graduation ideas

  • Many of the special graduation ideas on this page are designed to make the guest of honor feel loved and appreciated.
  • So, use them to:
  • Celebrate their life; their background, their achievements, and what they’ve contributed
  • Celebrate who they are; their admirable qualities, characteristics everyone loves, and even their weird habits and obsessions that drive people crazy!
  • Celebrate your relationship with them; take a walk down memory lane, share memories, funny stories, embarrassing photos, amusing anecdotes, fun facts guests may not know, and indulge in a little sentimentality.
  • You want them to look back and remember their graduation warmly.
  • So, focus on things that are meaningful, because that’s what they’ll remember.

MATT’S TIP

Matt James professional event planner
the idea

a trip down memory lane

Have guests take a trip down memory lane by sharing their favorite memory of the graduate

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Share a memory cards and sign for a graduation party trip down memory lane
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reasons we love you photo book

Invite friends and family to take photos expressing all the things they love about the graduate to collect together in a keepsake photo book to celebrate their graduation

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reasons we love you graduation photo book
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Matt James professional event planner
the idea

photo memory box

Collect cards, memories, letters, photos, and best wishes from friends and family and present them to the graduate in a custom photo keepsake box

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memory keepsake box customized with photos of the graduate throughout their life
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4 years of memories

Invite ask school / college friends to pen a handwritten letter sharing their fondest memories of the graduate to present as a thoughtful graduation gift

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a stack of numbered 'memory letters' in air mail envelopes
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bucket list suggestions

Ask guests to suggest experiences for the graduate to have now they’ve graduated

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'what's next?' bucket list suggestions cards and sign for a graduation party
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reasons we love you guestbook

Turn a guestbook into a meaningful keepsake by having party-goers write down all the things they love about the graduate

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handwritten 18 reasons we love you signing poster graduation party guestbook alternative
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video guestbook

Capture the love by setting up a tablet on a tripod for guests to record video messages for the graduate

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grandparents and grandchild recording a video message on a tablet on a tripod for a graduation party
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‘through the years’ photo garlands

Create interactive party decorations by asking guests to bring their favorite pictures of the graduate to add to photo garland decorations

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woman hanging a photo on interactive photo garland graduation party decorations showing the graduate 'Through the Years'
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40 years of memories photo book

Invite friends and family to contribute photos of the graduate ‘through the years’ to capture in a custom photo book

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the journey so far photo book showing the graduate through the years
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photo collage

A framed photo collage of the graduate at different stages of their life makes both a thoughtful graduation gift and an entertaining tabletop display to entertain guests

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framed congratulations photo collage with the word grad made up of 'through the years' style photos of the graduate at different ages
the idea

share a memory postcards

Invite friends and family to mail a postcard sharing a favorite memory of the graduate in the days leading up to their graduation

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Share a Memory postcards printed with '21 Memories for 21 Years' on one side and handwritten message on reverse
advice from a pro

03 limit the gag gifts

  • A few gag gifts are fine, but don’t make them the entire focus of your celebration.
  • Everyone has seen and heard them all before,
  • and they’re the type of thing that just ends up stuffed in a drawer the next day,
  • or worse, in the trash.
  • Instead, focus on fun gifts that are personalized and/or meaningful, because that’s what they’ll remember and want to keep.

MATT’S TIP

Matt James professional event planner
the idea

custom piñata

Create a talking point, memorable moment, and photo op for guests to share with a custom piñata resembling the graduate

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girl standing next to a custom pinata of herself in a graduation cap and gown
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custom puppet

For a truly unique and personal gift have a custom Muppet-style puppet made of the graduate

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woman standing next to a custom muppet-style puppet of herself for a adult birthday gift
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custom reel viewer

Ask friends an family for photos of their favorite memory of the graduate to collect together in a custom reel viewer

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custom reel viewer / viewfinder made with your own photos for a adult birthday gift
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custom comic book

Tell the graduate’s life story (so far) by creating a custom comic book featuring photos of them ‘through the years’

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'Super Dad' custom comic book featuring cartoon versions of family photos for a adult birthday gift
advice from a pro

03 how to make a graduation memorable

  • Let’s be honest, looking back, they’re probably not going to remember that their party had graduation cap shaped cookies…
  • or gourmet bacon & goat cheese sliders…
  • or that the balloons were emblazoned with ‘Congrats Grad’.
  • And all those graduation themed party supplies are probably going to get stuffed in a drawer (or the trash!) the very next day.
  • But the special graduation ideas on this page are the type of things they’ll keep and treasure.
  • They’ll get enjoyment from re-visiting them in the future.
  • Because they’ll remember how they made them FEEL.

MATT’S TIP

Matt James professional event planner
the idea

fun facts balloons

Hang photos with ‘fun facts you may not know about the graduate’ from helium balloons to entertain guests

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Photos and 'Fun Facts' about the graduate hanging from helium balloon strings used as party room decorations
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FUN FACTS FILLED BALLOONS

Fill balloons with ‘fun facts you may not know about the graduate’ and encourage guests to pop to reveal

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Fun facts filled 'Pop Me' balloons for a graduation party
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guestbook alternative: signing poster

Invite guests to write messages for the graduate on a signing poster with ‘Then & Now’ photos to be framed as a keepsake

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graduation party custom 'then & now' photo framed signing poster guestbook alternative
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fun facts napkins

Use on bars, buffet, or dessert tables to provide conversation-starters and entertain guests with ‘Fun Facts About the graduate’

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custom photo 'Fun Facts about the Graduate' graduation party napkins
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polaroid guestbook

Snap it, shake it, stick it, sign it! Invite guests to illustrate their guestbook entry by using an instant camera

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Polaroid guestbook, instant camera, and instructions sign set up for a graduation party

fantastic finds

great Ideas i wish i’d thought of…

Check out this great idea below from Marta Dansie of Marta Writes

the idea

fun facts garland banners

Personalize your party decorations and entertain guests with garland banners highlighting fun facts about the graduate

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fun facts about the graduate garland banner decorations hanging from tree at graduation garden party
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more graduation party ideas

Hit the ‘Read More’ button below to check out my main page of graduation party ideas.

graduation party self service drinks bar with drinks dispensers, mixers, and mini champagne bottles
black and gold striped custom graduation party dessert table backdrop
Hors d'oeuvres and appetizers arranged in rows on a modern graduation party buffet table / food station
boxwood hedge graduation party drinks bar wall with shelves of self-service drinks for guests to help themselves to
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