Graduation Open House Calculator
Enter the expected guests, the food style - heavy appetizers, a sandwich spread or a full catered meal - and the flat costs. The calculator totals the home-hosted party, prices each guest, and shows the savings against a banquet venue.
The open-house format wins graduation season: guests flow through a two-hour window instead of sitting, the graduate actually talks to everyone, and hosting at home prices the party like a big barbecue. The photo table - baby pictures to senior pictures in a timeline - is the decoration that earns its table space.
How to use
- Count guests honestly - open houses draw about 70 percent of invites.
- Heavy appetizers feed a flowing crowd better than a seated meal.
- Check competing local graduation dates before picking the Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
How much food for a graduation open house?
Heavy appetizers at about 8 dollars a head cover a flowing crowd - people graze for an hour and leave. A sandwich spread runs 14, full catering 18-plus; open-house grazing needs less food per person than a seated dinner.
How many people should I invite to a graduation party?
Invite about 40 percent more than you can host - open houses draw roughly 70 percent of invitations, and the flow-through format absorbs the overlap. The calculator prices whatever number actually shows.
Should I mention gifts on the graduation party invitation?
Never. The etiquette line is to leave gifts unmentioned - guests know the convention, and the ones who ask can be told the graduate is saving for college. A card box by the photo table does the talking.
When should I schedule a graduation open house?
Check the other local high school and college dates first - June Saturdays book by town, not by venue. The Saturday or Sunday after the ceremony, mid-afternoon, catches out-of-town family on their way through.