How to Word a College Graduation Party Invitation

Honor a new college graduate with a party.

You have to think about many different things when planning a college graduation party. The location, the time and the food are just a few of the important details. Don't overlook the importance of a well-worded party invitation. Whether the student is receiving an undergraduate degree or has advanced her studies and is celebrating the completion of graduate work, honor the student by using good invitation etiquette. Be sure to include information that gives party guests a better understanding of the work the student has accomplished. Guests also need to know about the commencement ceremonies, in case they plan to attend.

Instructions

1. Begin the invitation with a congratulatory statement such as "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smith are pleased to announce the graduation of their son." Use less formal wording if the party will be a casual affair, but maintain a level of pride. College graduation is a major accomplishment, and one that deserves to be recognized respectfully.

2. Write the graduate's formal name (for example, "John Scott Smith") on the next line. If you are using a word processing program, select a larger font size, a different font face or a different style to highlight the student's name. Center justify the name on the line.

3. Include the name of the college or university and the student's major or field of study on the line following the student's name: "From Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Bachelor of Arts, English, Class of 2010." If the student has completed a masters or doctoral program, you may choose to simply mention that he earned the degree.

4. Follow with the details about the commencement ceremony: "On Thursday, May twenty-seventh at nine forty-five in the morning at Tercentenary Theatre." Some schools allot only a few tickets per student for graduation exercises. In this case, do not include the commencement information unless everyone to whom you are sending the invitation can attend.

5. Conclude the invitation with the party details including the time, location and dress (if appropriate). "A graduation party will immediately follow at our home." Be sure to give the address, plus a telephone number or email address for guests to RSVP.

Tips & Warnings

• Feel free to use casual phrasing when writing out college graduation party invitations. As long as the invitation contains all of the necessary information, it's acceptable to customize the wording to fit the graduate's personality or course of study.

References

• Graduation Announcement Etiquette
• Sample Wording-Graduation Announcements

Resources

• Poem Source: Graduation Poems