It's been since NEVER that we have had paid CASH for a big party. It was always put on plastic pre Total Money Makeover/FPU/Dave Ramsey.

And, it's been 3 years since we have even hosted a big event. 

CLUELESS as to what a big party REALLY costs!  

I've got budget anxiety HUGE. 

We have $500 saved/budgeted for dd's Graduation Open House. No details but it has been a long, hard, uphill battle for her these past 4 years and this Open House party is a celebration of ALL that she has accomplished, not JUST high school graduation.

We are expecting approx. 125, give or take a few. We have rented the pavilion at a local park, just $25 for the day, so seating is taken care of.

Menu is mini subs, baked beans, tossed salad, chip assortment, pop, water, pb cake and frosted brownies.

I also have to purchase the plates, cups, etc, table covers, balloons.

I have some extra $ we can tap in the event we have underfunded the event.

What do you think?

Just freaking out when looking at the calendar--graduation is May 22 and the Open House is June 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have you priced out the food and plates etc.  or are you shopping the sales and stocking up as you go along.  what about if it rains?

making lots of list and getting someone else to double check to make sure nothing is missed.  even extra garbage bags?   I used to do events and I always found doing stuff bit by bit helps a lot.  even with events at home.  I put everything in one spot, plates etc.

I am going today to purchase plates, cups, etc. in bulk.

If it rains we have the pavilion overhead.  Can't control the weather.  The house we rent is only 800 sq. ft., hence the pavilion at the park.

The list making is covered, just anxious about if $500 is enough to cover the costs.  

Good idea to stockpile the nonperishables in one spot. Thanks.  

organizing parties is stressful!  Our house isn't big either.   I did event planning for a living so I just found that doing as much as you can early helps the stress plus if everything is in one place, no one can raid it!

Start here: 

125 people divided by $500 - $25 for the place = $3.80 per person including paper products

Before leaving home call around and see what you can find for costs on paper products, trash bags, food items, etc., even Walmart, Big Lots, Patry Stores, etc. 

For tablecloths(or picnic table cloths)you can take local newspapers(better if she is interested in sports or music)and lay them out on the tables, then cover with a roll of clear plastic from Lowe's.  You can save the plastic for uses at home later.

Look at sectional styrofoam plates for eating, with water(unless you are serving it out of a punch bowl)and pop they come in their own containers.  If you are buying the large liters of pop to serve, make sure you have someone doing the serving.  And serve in 6 ounce cups, ice provided if preferred.

Buy your balloons but call around and ask what stores, like Dollar Tree, would charge to inflate 1/4 of the with helium, then attach 5 or 6 to 1 of them to keep them "afloat" in a group.

Once all that is done, you can work on the food, the least expensive part of your budget.

You can make the subs ahead of time, so buy your deli meat in single roast form.  Have them shave it(if you cant do this part at home), you can assemble and freeze till party time(take out to thaw the night before). Just lightly butter both sides of the bun lay the meat(and cheese) into them, wrap and freeze.  Probably 2 per person.

Make your buns yourself or again call the local bakeries and stores and price out the sub buns.  Dont forget to contact the bread stores in your area also.

Any vegetables you want to add, you can slice and shred at home.  Tomato, lettuce, onion, etc.

Cheese is expensive also, so use one flavor or type and have it sliced from a bulk piece. 

Make the salad the day of, preferably at the park immediately before serving and keep the disposable pan in another pan of ice.  Tossed salads can be very tricky healthwise at picnic events.  And you will also have to serve dressing, big cost over say a pasta salad.  I would combine the salad and the condiments for sandwiches together to let them choose which(or both) they would rather have.

Buy all your pickles in the largest jars you can(gallon), if using one type place into a bowl with a fork to serve.

Make your baked beans at home one large disposable roaster should be plenty.

If you can buy the mini bags individual bags of chips(or rebag the large ones in nice cellophane or paper treat bags with the school colors), serve in paper or plastic cups.  Easier to handle, better portion control, and easier on the budget. 

Pop and water, serve in seperate iced containers, make sure the water is served at the front of the food line and the pop at the end of the food line, even after the desserts.  Cheaper, healthier and more convenient for parents of little ones.  : )

Make the cakes yourself, even if you make 5 or 6 different styles and set them out in a nice display, cake is cake.  Make one decorated nicely for her or order it, but the rest of them you can make ahead.  Same with the frosted brownies, depending on the school logo, you can bake them in sheet pans and cut them out with cookie cutters, serve them individually on paper coffee filters(large cupcake holders really).

If you need a time line and any recipes let me know would be glad to help.  : ) 

Brianschef Michelle 

 Also, don't forget that Memorial Day is May 26th, so grocery stores are going to start running specials soon on soda, chips, buns, canned baked beans, etc. to entice people to buy for cookouts.  So you can buy a good amount of the things you need for the graduation party during that period.

Try www.orientaltradingcompany.com for graduation decorations if you need them. 

Oh...this makes me long for the good old, BAD old days of picking up the phone, making one call to the caterer, charging it and it's done!!!!    

 rolo, my dd had a tea party for her graduation- lots of tea bags, a 40 cup hot water thing from church to borrow, egg salad finger sandwiches, those rye, cucumber circle sandwiches, mousse with berries, lots of cookies and homemade mints.  It looked very cute. 

The one thing I did NOT do, that everyone else did, is a poster board with photos, etc, kind of a scrapbooked display.  Everyone, and I mean, everyone had these, if not videos rolling, and photos on candy bars, and personalized M and M's.  I would call another mom or two and ask if the boards are being done in your area.  

I went with dd to lots of the open houses- 27 in her class, we went to almost everyone's house.  Your food sounds delicious, some other ideas- taco bar, homemade rootbeer, a big sign for everyone to sign. One I wish I had thought of-a relative, not you, to be in charge of refiling plates, keeping the buffet looking tidy and the salad chilled and the pop and water coolers filled.    

It sounds like it will be fun!   I think you'll make it with $500 or close to.  Wish I lived closer, I'd lend you my tent for the food area!

Getting lots of good ideas here for a tea party I have to throw at church - latenight, what's your mousse recipe look like and how did/do you make root beer?  Liz 

rolo:

No details but it has been a long, hard, uphill battle for her these past 4 years and this Open House party is a celebration of ALL that she has accomplished, not JUST high school graduation.

I know the feeling when dd#1 was graduating she recieved an award and told me that she wasn't going to the cermony cause it started at the end of her shift. I told her she had two choices 1 tell her boss about the cermony and leave a few minuets early or 2 I'd walk across the stage and accept it on her behalf considering that I'd just spent 14 yrs of both working with and standing up to the school I felt it was 1/2 mine. She told her boss and was allowed to leave work 1/2 hr early with pay.

 The main thing to do is watch sales in the area and check out party warehouse stores for the decorations grabbing them when they're on sale.

 And on the day of the party relax and have some fun!!!