The Most Popular High School Graduation Party Decorating Ideas

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High school graduation party planning can be so stressful! Planning the perfect theme that’s both functional and stylish is quite the chore, and it’s so hard to be able to find decor that will fit in with your venue and theme. 

After having my own graduation party and helping my friends and family plan theirs, I’ve been down the choosing decor path quite a few times. I am here to give you all the great tips and ideas. 

This post shows you the most popular high school graduation party decorating ideas. Seriously, is a graduation party even a graduation party without at least 5 of these super trendy ideas? 

HIGH  SCHOOL GRADUATION PARTY DECORATING IDEAS

1. SPARKLY GRADUATION CAP BANNER 

Sparkles are becoming more and more popular at high school graduation parties. Who doesn’t love a little bit of glam to add to their party? This super cute graduation cap banner comes completely pre-assembled, so all you have to do is hang it. Amazing! 

2. CONGRATS GRAD BANNER

Here’s a great continuation of the sparkly banner theme, but with the words “congrats grad” strung across some twine. This would be an amazing banner to hang over a food table, or near the picture displays. 

3. TASSEL BACKDROP 

You can buy tassels pre-made, or get some dollar store tissue paper and make them yourself. I love how easy it is to make a fully customized, textured photo backdrop at such an affordable price. 

4. COMPLETE PHOTO BOOTH KIT

Not feeling super crafty? Not a problem! This 2021 photo booth kit doesn’t take a ton of assembly, just requiring you to blow up some balloons and follow some instructions. Easier than you would think, and you have a complete graduation party photo booth at your fingertips! 

5. PERSONALIZED COCKTAIL NAPKINS 

Didn’t think napkins could be part of your high school graduation party decorations? Think again! These customized cocktail napkins come in almost any color, and the customization keeps your theme running throughout each element of your graduation party. 

RELATED: THE MOST UNIQUE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PARTY IDEAS

6. GUEST BOOK SERVING TRAY

This guest book is so simple, and perfect to send someone off to college with. Everyone loves a guest book they can always utilize! Cover the metallic sharpies with some clear resin to seal everything in, and you’re all set. 

7. ORGANIZE SILVERWARE IN BUCKETS

Galvanized buckets are all the rage at rustic themed high school graduation parties. Even if you’re not committing to an entirely rustic theme, these galvanized buckets give your cutlery holders a little bit of an upgrade. 

8. CANDY TABLE LABELS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PARTY DECORATING IDEAS

This great decor item is perfect for setting up at your exit, for people to grab candy as they are leaving. If you’re in a pinch, these candy tags are actually downloadable, so you can print them out right at home. 

9. BEER BARROW 

A cute wheelbarrow is definitely superior to the typical holding drinks in coolers of most graduation parties. If you’re looking to add some decor to your beverage area, a wheelbarrow is a great option for single serve drinks. 

10. SPARKLY GRADUATION STRAWS

These straws are guaranteed to be popular with guests! They’re paper, so they’re better for the environment, and they would work flawlessly with any graduation party that has some gold or black elements. 

RELATED: 33 ABSOLUTE BEST BACKYARD GRADUATION PARTY IDEAS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE

11. ADD A S’MORES BAR

This is just the cutest! Fire pit or not, you can host a s’mores bar for guests to enjoy. This amazing setup comes from Etsy as it’s viewed in the photo – you’ll be completely set up! 

12. PERSONALIZED GRADUATION BANNER

Want to add a personal touch but don’t own the materials needed to make a sign like the one above? Luckily there’s an Etsy seller that keeps their prices low while providing you with the customized banner of your choice. 

13. PAINT JARS TO MATCH YOUR THEME 

Painting jars is a fantastic high school graduation party decorating idea. Jars are so easy to spray paint, and they make amazing centerpieces. 

14. ADD SOME GREENERY

Big, bold greenery is the perfect addition to any high school graduation party. This fantastic package from Amazon comes with all of the essentials that you could need – tons of different kinds of greenery in a bunch of sizes to be placed everywhere at your party. 

15. TACO THEME 

Due to their simplicity, tacos are becoming a very popular graduation party food. Why not throw an entire taco themed graduation party? It’s guaranteed to be a great time! 

Thinking a taco themed graduation party seems like a great idea? Read our post below for allll the details. 

RELATED: HOW TO THROW A TACO THEMED GRADUATION PARTY | 22 TACO THEMED GRADUATION PARTY DECOR IDEAS

16. GLITTER CAKE TOPPER 

Let’s keep the glitter going! This fully customizable glitter cake topper is perfect for the people who are planning to have the traditional cake for their high school graduation party. 

17. ADD GOLD ELEMENTS

Gold elements are a great addition to any high school graduation party. This simple bowl of gold wrapped Hershey kisses is so simple, but goes really far in terms of your decorating! 

18. LAYERED TISSUE PAPER BACKGROUND

Here’s another super cheap graduation party backdrop idea! The simple fringed, layered tissue paper looks so elegant, and you can even go further and add a custom gold phrase or name. 

19. THEMED CANDY

Layered colored candy in a clear vase is functional decor that people can snack on! You can usually find some clear vases from thrift stores for a great price, too. 

20. GRADUATION YEAR CONFETTI 

Using confetti as table scatter around your graduation party centerpieces adds a great element. I love how bold and glittery the confetti listed above is, too. 

RELATED: BLACK AND GOLD GRADUATION PARTY DECOR | 21 IDEAS FOR A BLACK AND GOLD GRADUATION PARTY THEME

21. TISSUE PAPER DECORATIONS

Tissue paper decorations are super affordable, and they usually come pre-assembled like the ones listed above. These are amazing high school graduation party decorations for empty corners or for hanging from the ceiling. 

22. PHOTOS ON STRING LIGHTS

Picture displays that are at night or in a darker area of the venue benefit greatly from these string lights! These lights are also so cute to use in a dorm room, which makes them perfect to invest in for the graduation party. 

23. COCKTAIL BAR 

Why not have a cocktail bar at your high school graduation party? If you want to be extra fancy, you could even decide on a signature cocktail to feature on your display. 

24. WATER BOTTLE LABELS

Yes, even your water bottles can be decorated! In fact, I’ve seen tons of these at high school graduation parties, and they always add such a cute touch. 

25. CREATE A MEMORY WALL 

Decorating your photo backdrop by asking people to write a memory on it, or sign it, is such a cute idea! In the pin posted above, the people decorated a simple black backdrop with metallic paint or markers to create that abstract art at the top. 

THIS POST SHOWED YOU 25 SUPER TRENDY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PARTY DECORATING IDEAS.