Stress Less: “Taco ‘Bout a Future” Catered Graduation Party Ideas

Today’s easy graduation party ideas are sponsored by Evite and Qdoba.

Are you planning a party for your graduate this year? What a stressful thing that can be! Just prepping the house to have all those guest can be exhausting enough, before you ever get to the party planning – and much less, the party itself. It doesn’t have to be complicated, though. My husband and I have learned that the less you have to do the day of the party, the more you get to enjoy it, so we cater in for most of our special events.

I love these Mexican-themed ideas from Qdoba and Evite. Opting for a catered buffet like the Qdoba Hot Taco Bar with creamy 3-Cheese Queso shown here frees you up from the kitchen and lets you enjoy your guests – but you can still put together a beautiful party and make it your own with some great decor. Embrace the southwest with Evite’s taco and avocado printables. Just print, cut, and use a temporary tape like painter’s tape to put them on the wall. Add touches like these 3-D papier mache “TACO BAR” letters for lightweight, temporary ways to transform your space.

Looking for centerpieces? Try arranging potted cacti! They’re colorful, low-maintenance, and they also double as party favors. (Because let’s be honest – your grad and her friends may do a lot of things well, but chances are, a cactus is about all that can survive a college dorm.)

Every party requires a great beverage, and this easy horchata recipe served in mason jars is a non-alcoholic option made special with bright paper straws and cinnamon stick garnish.

This is a special time for your graduate to remember, and a photo booth area is a fun and festive way to do it. You can DIY it with a bright backdrop and printable photo booth signs from Evite. (Need some help with backdrop ideas? Try this DIY tassel garland how-to.)

Print signs on 110-lb card stock on your home printer, cut them out, and hot-glue wooden dowels from your local craft store to the back of the signs. Put a photo station together with an instant camera, markers, and washi tape.

Guests can snap a photo with the grad, write a note, a memory, or words of wisdom, and tape them up.

Personal photos and memories make for great conversation at celebrations like this, and you can mount them later in a memory album to enjoy for years to come.

Speaking of celebration – nothing says “party!” like confetti and streamers! I love the idea to include party poppers for everyone to celebrate with! Party-goers can grab one and celebrate the guest of honor’s bright future.

You can easily turn basic poppers into hot sauce party poppers with Evite’s free printable. Adorable!

Kick the whole fiesta off with a premium Evite invitation, or another graduation invitation from the Evite gallery.

For more awesome graduation party ideas, Evite knows parties! If you loved this post, then check out 6 graduation party must-haves, and their gallery of even more graduation party ideas.

Have you hosted a great themed graduation party? Are you planning one now? I’d love to hear about it!