Grad announcements 101

Your graduate has finally made it to their big day! After years of studying, homework, extracurriculars and extra credit, your grad is ready to walk across the stage and accept their diploma. This time in their life is filled with celebrations, and it speaks volumes about them if they know how to handle it all in the proper style. So if you have any questions about proper graduation etiquette, check out the list below for a little grad-guidance:

How to decide between invites and announcements
A graduation announcement is a great way to let everyone know your child just achieved a major accomplishment. The graduation invitation is the stationery you use to invite friends and family to the actual ceremony. So how do you decide who gets what?

Because grads often only receive a few tickets to the ceremony, try and reserve them for immediate family. You and your graduate can let everyone else know you want to celebrate with them too with an announcement card. So, send the invite to close family before the event, and send out the announcement directly afterward. An announcement is appropriate to send to everyone, regardless of whether you have been in touch recently. It shows you're proud of your grad's major achievement. While it would be easy and a little tempting to shoot out a mass email to friends and family, a formal announcement is a sophisticated and thoughtful way to include everyone, even your less tech-savvy relatives.

How to host a graduation party
If you decide to invite friends and family to a party celebrating your grad, be sure to keep a few things in mind: Invites should be sent to out-of-town guests at least six weeks in advance (so they can make travel arrangements). It's a good idea to see if you can reserve a block of rooms at a convenient hotel to save your traveling guests time and money, and including a map of the area is another nice touch. Local guests can receive their invitations three to four weeks ahead of time. 

Expressing gratitude for graduation gifts
Most people feel that if you receive a graduation announcement it is appropriate, but not required, to bring a gift for the new grad. But what is the best way for the grad to say thank you? One thing they can do to make an impact on their grad party guests is to send them graduation thank you notes. Get your graduate gift of personalized stationery to start them in their grown-up life, and they can begin by penning thoughtful thank you's to everyone who attended their party.