MicheleinMN Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 I've never done this!!!! Do I just order the invitations (sort of generic) from the website linked through the college. Should I get personalized ones? (I would think so, but again...never done this.) How far in advance do we need to get them to people? Do we send to everyone or only people we think will actually come to the event? Can I say how much I hate events??? I am very proud of my daughter, but I do not enjoy these kind of things. She would also like the family and guests to go to dinner together. How far in advance do I need to book hotel and restaurant accommodations? Someone want to hold my hand and tell me step by step how to get this done? Please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen in VA Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Make a restaurant reservation EARLY! It all depends on how large the community is where the college is located, but if it's a small community people probably started making reservations at the desirable restaurants in January! Motel and hotel reservations -- EARLY! My kids went to a small college (~400 graduates each year) and the hotels were totally and completely filled over a year in advance. Some parents made reservations when they dropped their kid off at the beginning of freshman year! One thing to check -- some college restrict the number of guests each student can bring to graduation. You might want to confirm that you can bring as many as you want before you invite boatloads of relatives! (Again, at my kids' school only children were very popular at graduation -- other students with more siblings/relatives asked the only children for their extra tickets to use for their own families!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Some schools hotels and restaurants are booked 9-12 months before graduation, so if you are looking at May this year you should already be nailing this down. If it turns out the school limits the number of guests, maybe you could consider a celebration for family at home after graduation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Begin looking now. Check expedia because they may have a block of rooms already reserved. When my sister graduated from college, there were scores of people who found out that the hotels had been booked months in advance. My parents checked six months ahead for a restaurant (didn't need a room thankfully) and barely found one. We were a party of 12 and a little more easily accommodated than the larger groups. MTU parents book a year in advance. If our middle boy lands there, we'll have about 20 people headed there for his graduation, so not only will we need to get a block of rooms a year in advance, but dh and I are considering renting a nice vacation house and then hosting dinner at the vacation house because there are so few restaurant options in Houghton/Hancock. If he goes to Northern, I'm booking the Hudson Restaurant 13 or 14 months out just to make sure we get it because again, limited options even though Marquette is bigger and that one has really nice food and a fun atmosphere. If he goes to Cornell, it will be just us...maybe grandparents. That's a lot more manageable. Some schools only hand out 12 or less tickets due to space concerns so before you get a lot of extended family and friends excited about attending make sure there is a ticket for them. We'll probably have a party here for eldest when the time comes because commencement tickets are limited to 8 at U of MI. Dh, dd and hubby, myself, and two brothers makes 6, and I care not to think what kind of a duke out there will be with the three living grandparents over the remaining two tickets. Trying NOT to think about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 As for the actual invitations, check with the university. Sometimes...not always...custom invitations through the school are available for each person who gets a ticket to commencement. That said, I think when my sister graduated exactly ONE invitation came from the school to her home address. My parents made up quick ones to give to those that were getting a ticket to commencement and then graduation announcements for those that were being invited to the restaurant party back home the following week. When I graduated, I was given only a whomping 6 tickets. So, again mom and dad had to get their own invites and had a party at home. You can get nice invitation kits quite reasonably priced at Staples, and if you don't want to do the printing yourself, go to staples copy and print website. They have TONS of options...literally 100's, and usually the price is quite good. Their software is very easy to use, and you can upload photos too. Usually they arrive within two weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thank you! Dh and dd can't seem to understand why I am in panic-mode, but apparently it is a reasonable response to where we are in this process. (Did I mention how much I hate events. -- And the thought of having a party at my house makes me physically ill.) I just want dd to be happy and to have happy memories of the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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