The Ultimate Guide to a Friends Themed Graduation Party
This post is all about hosting a Friends themed graduation party.
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A Friends themed graduation party is a total crowd-pleaser. After the tragic passing of Matthew Perry in 2023, this graduation party theme holds even more meaning and sentiment. I can’t think of a better way to thank Matthew Perry for giving us one of the funniest characters on television.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love to reference Friends episodes and quotes, from Monica’s turkey head dance to Smelly Cat to PIVOT! If you’re a soon-to-be high school or college graduate, all of your loved ones are bound to be obsessed with this graduation party theme. Could this BE any cuter of an idea??
There are hundreds of Friends episodes, but these are some of the most iconic parts of the sitcom turned into ideas for party decor, food, activities, invitations, and more. Here is your ultimate guide to hosting a Friends themed graduation party.
Here is the ultimate guide to a Friends themed graduation party.
FRIENDS THEMED GRADUATION INVITATIONS
Step one of planning your graduation party…build a guest list and send invitations. If this part feels a tad overwhelming, check out my checklist and printable for graduation party planning. This will help you decide who to invite, whether you want physical or digital invitations, and get all of your other party details organized and in one place.
If you decide to mail physical invitations, Etsy is the perfect place to find customized designs that will fit in with your Friends theme. I highly recommend designing your invitation with the recognizable Friends font, colors, and graphics to get your guests super excited for the theme.
You can order digital downloads from Etsy as well to design invites yourself and print them at home, which saves tons of money, or send to guests via email.
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FRIENDS DECOR IDEAS
Decor is the best part! Let’s start with a color palette for your Friends themed graduation party. A purple and yellow combo is pretty emblematic to the show, representing Monica’s apartment door and frame. You can also use black, red, yellow, and blue to pay homage to the theme song and logo.
These colors will build the foundation to your Friends graduation theme. Now onto some more specific decor elements that will be the cherry on top:
FRIENDS THEMED CONFETTI
I love using confetti to spice up empty surfaces and tables. Confetti is so easy to scatter and sprinkle around, but will instantly bring your theme and party to life. This Friends themed confetti is shaped as iconic images from the show, like lobsters and Central Perk coffee mugs.
WELCOME SIGN
Every party needs a welcome sign. Per usual, Etsy is your go-to spot for personalized welcome signs. You can use the same beloved Friends font and colors to match your invitations, and even make it look like an episode description card.
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BANNERS
Banners are an easy and affordable decor choice that will add tons of theming and color to your party. I’m in love with the idea of personalizing your banner to create your very own episode of Friends: The One Where [Name] Graduates!
Banners also make for a very Instagram-worthy photo backdrop.
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YELLOW FRAME CENTERPIECES
Framed photos are a common table centerpiece for graduation parties. You can add a Friends twist to this centerpiece idea by using frames that look exactly like the yellow frame from Monica’s apartment door. Boom–this decor piece puts a spotlight on the graduate and builds the party theme.
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FRIENDS THEMED FOOD AND DRINK IDEAS
Am I the only one who was always dying to try the Moist Maker sandwich or Chandler’s stolen cheesecake? Now, you and your graduation party guests literally can! You will have a blast recreating these dishes and drink ideas straight from the show.
CHANDLER’S STOLEN CHEESECAKE
You can’t host a Friends themed graduation party and not serve cheesecake. This dish is super easy because you don’t even have to make it yourself (unless you want to!) Store-bought cheesecake put out on a platter with a serving knife will do the trick.
RACHEL’S ENGLISH TRIFLE
One of my favorite Friends moments is when Rachel attempts to bake an English trifle for Thanksgiving dessert, but two cookbook pages get stuck together and she adds a layer of beef sauteed with peas and onions. Your graduation party guests will be cracking up if you recreate this iconic dish to serve (as long as you don’t use real beef, peas, and onions!)
This recipe shows you how to make Rachel’s trifle with a layer of Nutella and kiwi. This graduation party idea is hilarious and actually edible.
JOEY’S MEATBALL SUBS
We all know Joey doesn’t share food, but you can definitely share his love for Italian meatball subs. A platter of finger sandwiches is the best party food because it’s so easy for guests to grab and go. Just add a meatball, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese to a roll and you’re done!
ROSS’S TURKEY SANDWICHES
Another finger sandwich idea is Ross’s favorite Thanksgiving turkey sandwich a.k.a. The Moist Maker. You can recreate this recipe by putting turkey, cranberry sauce, and gravy on mini brioche buns.
PHOEBE’S FAMOUS COOKIES
You can never have enough desserts at a graduation party, and this Friends themed treat is literally so easy to put together. Since Phoebe’s grandmother’s beloved cookie recipe is just Nestle Tollhouse, all you have to do is run to the store, grab some cookie dough, and pop it in the oven. Chocolate chip cookies are so simple, but always a favorite.
MONICA’S MOCKOLATE BROWNIES
Remember when Monica got a job making food products from Mockolate, a really gross chocolate substitute? Okay, you don’t need actual Mockolate for this food idea (thank goodness) but you can reference this hilarious episode by labeling classic chocolate brownies as Monica’s Mockolate. Such a quick and easy Friends themed graduation party idea.
CENTRAL PERK COFFEE STATION
The Central Perk coffee shop was a major part of the Friends series, so why not recreate a miniature one at your graduation party? All you have to do is set out a coffee maker, mugs or to-go coffee cups, cream, sugar, and any other flavors your guests may enjoy. This is such an adorable Friends themed graduation party idea and super Instagrammable.
ROSS’S MARGARITA BAR
If you’re a college graduate or want to serve alcohol for the adults at your party, a margarita pitcher or bar is a go-to. This is a nod to the episode where Ross drinks tons of margaritas and gives his iconic line “I’m fine!”
Your guests will definitely be way more fine than Ross with this easy and fun party drink idea.
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FRIENDS THEMED GAMES AND ACTIVITIES
You should definitely have a few games and activities at your graduation party so your guests don’t get bored or feel awkward. This is also a really fun way to get everyone more immersed in your graduation party theme. Here are some Friends themed activities for inspo:
CHARACTER NAME TAGS
There are so many incredible and hilarious characters from the Friends shows. To make your graduation party more interesting, you can make name tags of all your favorite characters for your guests to put on when they arrive.
You can also turn this into a game where everyone has to roleplay and guess who they are!
DIY PHOTO BOOTH
A graduation party doesn’t come around often, so you want to make sure you get tons of photos with your friends and family. A DIY photo booth is the best way to create memorable photos to cherish forever, and have an interactive activity for your guests to enjoy during the party.
There are so many ways to make a Friends themed photo backdrop. I highly recommend getting props, like Friends themed photo booth sticks, or reusing your colorful umbrella decor. If you’re willing to spend a little extra money, you can get this blow-up orange Central Perk couch.
TRIVIA GAME
Everyone loves the episode where the friends compete in a trivia game against each other with Monica’s apartment as the winning prize. For your graduation party, pay homage to this beloved episode by hosting a trivia game about the graduate for your guests to play. You can easily remake the trivia board they used in the show, which is just a simple posterboard with sticky notes.
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FRIENDS PARTY FAVORS
Party favors are a cute way to send your guests off and give them something to hold onto forever. Here are a couple adorable party favor ideas for your Friends themed graduation party.
SUCCULENTS
You don’t have to go all out for your party favors if you don’t want to. A simple, small gift like a succulent is the perfect send-off. These are too cute when potted in a Friends themed holder, like a Central Perk mug.
PERSONALIZED TOTE BAGS
A tote bag full of goodies is another go-to party favor. You can find personalized tote bags on Etsy for each individual guest, or go for a more generic Friends themed bag. When it comes to the goodies, there are so many cool knick-knacks to find online. My personal favorites are Friends themed keychains, shot glasses, and socks.
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A huge part of your college and high school graduation is the friends who got you there. That’s why I’m so in love with this graduation party theme–it not only pays homage to pretty much everyone’s favorite TV show, but it celebrates the friends graduating with you!
This ultimate guide to a Friends themed graduation party is all you need to host a celebration that your guests will be utterly obsessed with.
THIS POST SHOWED YOU THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO A FRIENDS THEMED GRADUATION PARTY.
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