A graduation party is a chance to celebrate years of work with family, friends and classmates, and a few well-chosen pieces make a home gathering or a rented hall feel like an event. This guide to graduation party rentals covers the photo booth, a backdrop and lighting in school colors, a personalized monogram and the dance floor, plus how ordering works for schools and groups.
Key takeaways
- A self-serve photo booth with a backdrop gives guests something to do and leaves you a gallery of photos.
- Uplights can be set to any color, so they can match the school colors exactly.
- Backdrops come 8 or 10 feet tall in any width and are designed for indoor use.
- Qualified schools and non-profit organizations can pay with a purchase order.
Start with the setting and the school colors
A graduation marks the completion of a course of study, and the party often follows the ceremony. Decide early whether the party will be at home, in a hall or at the school, because that sets how much you need. Then pick the school colors, or the graduate’s favorites, and carry them through the lighting, the backdrop and the photo strips.
Graduation party rentals for each part of the party
A photo booth
A DIY photo booth is the easiest way to keep guests busy. It needs no attendant, as a touchscreen prompts guests to take their photos. It comes with a camera and stand, unlimited digital photos, sharing by email, text or social media, and an online gallery that can be private or shared with guests.
Add-ons include a custom design or logo on the digital photo strips, so you can add the graduate’s name and year, an 8 by 12 foot backdrop, an inflatable booth with lights and a linen canopy booth. Our guide to setting up a photo booth walks through the steps.
A backdrop in school colors
A backdrop behind the photo booth, the cake or a welcome table gives every photo a clean, colorful background. The backdrops come 8 or 10 feet tall in any width. The swatches on the backdrops page show drapes in white, black, royal blue, navy, burgundy and red, and sequin fabric in gold, silver and rose gold, so check the current colors when you order. Add a valance or swag, a second layer across the top, in a different color, such as navy drapes with a gold sequin swag. The tripod backdrops are designed for indoor use only.
Uplighting
Uplights sit on the floor against the wall and wash the room in color. You choose any color with the push of a button, so you can light the room in the school colors and switch to party colors later. Each light takes less than a minute to set up. The cheat sheet suggests 10 uplights for up to 75 guests and 16 for 76 to 150.
A monogram with the graduate’s name or year
A monogram light projects names, initials or a pattern onto a wall, floor or backdrop. Choose a design from the catalog or ask for a custom one, such as the graduate’s name with the class year, and Rent My Wedding emails a preview before shipping.
The dance floor
If there will be music, moving spotlights add energy. They can be synced to your music and offer 8 color options, 7 patterns and a preprogrammed light show, or you can use the included remote to create your own. For a glow party, one black light covers a room of up to 60 by 60 feet. Our black light party setup guide has more ideas.
The cake and dessert table
A pin spot is a small focused light that makes the cake or dessert table stand out. It sits on the table and is aimed in under a minute. Pin spots also work on the guest book, a memory table or a favor table.
Ordering for a school or group
Rent My Wedding works with schools and non-profit organizations, and qualified schools and non-profits can pay with a purchase order. If several families are sharing one party, there is no minimum order, so you can rent exactly what the group needs. You can also rent items for multiple events, as long as there is enough time between them for shipping and returns.
Timing and returns
Place your order as soon as you know the date. Rentals are scheduled to arrive at least two days before the party, and every rental includes setup instructions. There is no professional setup service, but 24/7 phone support is available.
The rental lasts 5 days. After the party, repack everything in the same box, attach the prepaid return label and take it to a physical FedEx location within two days. Never leave it in a FedEx drop box.
Pick the colors, choose a photo spot and add light where guests gather, and graduation party rentals do the rest. For ideas on putting the order together, see how online ordering works.
Planning a grad party?
Tell us the school colors, the venue and the guest count, and the team can suggest what to rent.
FAQ
Can a school pay with a purchase order?
Yes. Rent My Wedding works with schools and non-profit organizations and accepts purchase orders from qualified schools and non-profits.
Can I put the graduate’s name on the photo strips?
Yes. A custom design or logo on the digital photo strips is available as a photo booth add-on.
Does the photo booth need an attendant?
No. The DIY photo booth is self-serve, so guests take their own photos without an attendant.
People Also Ask
What are good graduation party ideas on a budget?
Focus on a few pieces that guests will notice, such as a photo booth with a backdrop and uplighting in the school colors. There is no minimum order, so you only rent what the party needs.
What are good graduation party backdrop ideas?
Try drapes in the school colors with a contrasting swag, a gold or silver sequin backdrop, or a photo booth backdrop. Place it where guests will gather for photos with the graduate.
