Mr friend, Mimi, asked me a while ago to help her with her son’s graduation party. I kind of love planning parties and readily agreed, even though I would have a newborn while planning and decorating for the party. It was on Saturday and it went very well. I was happy. There are a few things I’d do differently, but overall, it was great. Now here are 20 pictures to detail all of it 
This was right at the entrance to the backyard. It was for people to leave a message or some advice for Gabe.
This was also right at the entrance (because it was also the exit). It is the favor/candy table. That thing in the middle of the table, holding the sign is a large clothespin. The lollipops are in boxes that say “lollipops” on them (I love signs and labels …. I’m crazy that way).
Sooo, the favor bags that you are supposed to fill with candy are in the glass jar next to the pictures of Gabriel. I made a custom sticker that said “Thanks for coming” on it.
I don’t know if you can really see it, but I made that box for cards and gifts to Gabe and it’s behind the clothespin sign. I love the glittery letters on the top that say “Congrats Grad”. I just love glitter.
The Gabe table. My favorite part? The white frames I picked out to display his senior pictures in.
That’s burlap under the centerpieces. And that picture frame is from IKEA (99 cents) and I hot glue gunned it to a coaster I found at Michaels for 50 cents. The lantern is IKEA also, but I spray painted it red.
OK, here is mistake number 1 and something I would do differently: the balloons. They totally look wimpy. I learned that with balloons, 50 is not a lot. I should’ve done like 200 balloons in the middle of the tent, to make a real statement. Next time, I will change that. Also, I need to remember that balloons pop in severe heat and sunlight. It’s a good thing they were in the shade of the tent, but even still, a balloon would pop every so often because of the heat. Scared the crap out of the people sitting at the tables under the tent. lol.
The drink table – another mistake and something I would do differently – the medal tree. See that thing in the middle of the table? It’s a “medal tree”. It is branches I spray painted red to match the decor with Gabriel’s medals from soccer and track hanging in it. The tree gets a little lost in the bushed behind it and it looks a little scary with the red branches. I think I’d do it bigger and with leaves on the branches next time.
This was on the deck and was the dessert/ice cream table. We hadn’t put the ice cream out yet, just a few toppings when I took the picture. But you can imagine … anyway, the display board behind the table took me forever and was a major undertaking, but I loved it in the end – because it was big. I made it from hardboard and 2×4’s, painted it white and hammered nails in it to hang some of the pictures from it and then I used painters tape to tape the rest of the pictures and certificates. Totally worked. In the center of the table is the cupcake tower. I made it from cardboard boxes, wrapping paper and crepe paper.
This was the hot dog bar and where the main food was. Again, we didn’t have everything out yet, so this is the only picture I got of this table, but it was mostly just food, not a lot of decor anyway.
And this is (thankfully) what Ray did the entire morning while I was setting up the party …
He’s such a good baby Ray