Hosting a graduation party doesn't have to break the bank, nor does it have to run you ragged during the days leading up to the date of the event. Here, you'll find a few tips that can help you save some money as well as spread the workload over the course of several weeks so you don't have to stress quite as much about getting everything done.
Equipment Rental
Heat lamps, chafing dishes, and chilling tables are all quite costly to go out and buy just to use for a single event. Rather than purchasing these items and having to find a place to store them around your home, you can rent everything you need to serve the food that you prepare. The days leading up to the event, all of the equipment can be delivered directly to your home so it's ready for use the day of the party without causing you any further work.
Other items that you may need but don't have on hand are chairs and tables for all of your guests. Fortunately, these items can also be rented and delivered to your home just before the party. Some rental services do offer set-up services for an additional fee which would take even more work off of your long list of things to do.
Exciting add-ons can also be rented — snow cone machines and cotton candy machines are just two items that the kids attending the party would enjoy and can typically be found through a catering equipment rental service, providing you with the rest of the items you need for a successful party. You'll just need to look for a catering equipment rental service near you.
Food Planning and Preparations
Cooking enough food to feed a large number of guests is time-consuming, expensive, and stressful. Rather than waiting for the week before the party to begin getting it all done, consider purchasing and prepping things that you can store in your freezer until the day before the party.
If you're planning on cooking hamburgers, pick up the meat when it's on sale, patty it up, and wrap them individually in wax paper. Pull them out of the freezer the day before the party and they'll be ready to throw on the grill when you're ready for them.
If you're going with foods that take a while to cook, like turkey and ham, you can precook them, slice them, store them in vacuum-sealed freezer bags, and then, heat them in the oven and place them all in the chafing dishes the day of the party.
You can get a lot done well in advance. Hopefully, the above tips will help alleviate some of the stress and save you some money so that you can truly enjoy the celebration with the rest of your guests.
