Planning a retirement party is an important milestone in life. It's also a great opportunity to celebrate with your friends and family members the accomplishments and achievements you have made in your career. Here are some ideas for throwing a fun retirement celebration that will leave you and your guests feeling happy and proud.
Start With A Theme
First and foremost, the most important piece to start with is a theme. A retirement party should be themed around the person you’re celebrating. Whether the party is for you, a friend or a loved one, it’s important to think about what they love most. You can either theme the party around the company they are retiring from or choose a favorite color of theirs and decorate the room with those colors and accents. It’s also a great idea to think of something they love such as a favorite movie, food or restaurant.
Once a retirement party theme has been chosen, you can easily serve food and drinks that are based on that theme!
If you're having trouble coming up with a theme, you can choose a simple and elegant balloon theme in any colors that speak retirement. Some of the most popular colors for a retirement party are Navy, Gold, Silver, Black and White.
Have fun with decorations
Once you have chosen a theme, the next and most important part is having fun with the decorations! Decorations are a big part of the party and a great way to make your party unique. Some simple ways to accent your retirement party is with:
1. Balloons
What’s a party without balloons? Balloons are one of the main and easiest decorations you can put up to accent the venue. Decorating the room with balloons adds a nice touch to the party. You can mix it up with a balloon garland and regular floating helium balloons. While choosing the types of balloons you want displayed, make sure to choose the main color of the party theme and plan some great accent colors such as gold, white or silver balloons for contrast.
2. Tablecloths
Every party has a little bit of eating and what better way to decorate than with some themed tablecloths? Adding tablecloths to the sitting tables and food tables helps to bring the theme of the party together. Most tablecloths are solid colors but there are themed ones as well. Whatever the theme, make sure to choose a tablecloth that matches well with the rest of the party decorations. It’s always best to go with the main color of the party and accent it with contrasting colors to add some flare to the decorations.
3. Colored Plates & Napkins
To go with the tablecloths, choose disposable plates and napkins that contrast well to the color of the tablecloth. Otherwise it will blend into the color of the tablecloth. Just as the tablecloth brings the decorations together, the plates and napkins are a big part of the decorations as well!
4. Party Banners
After selecting the balloons, tablecloths, plates and napkins, it’s time to start thinking about personalizing the party decorations a little bit and what better way to do that than with a personalized party banner! A retirement party banner is a great way to celebrate your loved one for their years of accomplishment. These retirement banners come in multiple color choices to match your theme and can be personalized with the retiree’s name. It’s the perfect way to celebrate them for all of their hard work
5. Items to match your theme
If you choose a theme such as the theme of the company they are retiring from, consider finding decorations that include the colors of the company as well as their logo. Or if the theme is of a favorite movie or restaurant, decorate the party area with elements from the movie or serve foods that the restaurant is best known for (for instance, burger and fries).
There are many great ways to bring retirement party themes together and whatever the theme may be, just make sure to have fun with it!
Choose a Date That Works Best For You
One of the most tedious parts of planning a party is choosing a date that works best in your schedule as well as in everyone else's. If you're having trouble deciding when to host your party, consider choosing a date closer to the retirement date. If the retirement falls on a weekday, consider having the party on the weekend so everyone can attend. However, if you plan to celebrate with your colleagues, having a party at the end of the work week works perfectly. It's not uncommon for people to choose dates that fall during the week so they can spend more time with friends and family. However, if you'd prefer to host your party on a weekend, you'll likely have more flexibility.
Decide Where You Want To Have The Party
After you have decided on a date, you’ll need to decide where you want to hold the party. There are many great places to hold a retirement party, such as at the office, at a restaurant or with friends and family at home.
Most retirement parties are held at the office but if you are planning a close family gathering, a party at home is the perfect way to celebrate. The place you choose will depend on how much space you have available and what kind of event you want to host. A small gathering at home might be easier than planning a large party at a restaurant or club. If however, you are planning a large gathering, be sure to book the restaurant or venue at least a month prior to secure your spot!
Whatever theme, place and date you choose for your retirement, make sure it is something you have fun with! Retiring is a big achievement and a once in a lifetime celebration. So make sure to celebrate exactly the way you envisioned it!
For more party decoration ideas, check out 10 Cool Ideas For A Birthday Celebration