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Graduation invitation wording 101

A graduation party invitation with stars and confetti.

Crank up the “Pomp and Circumstance”—graduation season is upon us! The best part about a landmark occasion like this one is celebrating with your loved ones, and that starts with the invitation. No matter your degree (PhD, bachelor’s, high school or even preschool) we’ve figured out the fitting words for your invitation, so the only thing you have to worry about is your grad crossing that stage.

What to include on a graduation invitation

For any graduation invitation, there are a few key details you’ll definitely want to include to make sure guests have all the information they need to make it to your grad’s celebration. Evite’s event details section can help you figure out what info to share with your guests, but in general, these are the details you’ll need to share when sending a graduation invitation:

The what: Tell your guests what they’re being invited to! For instance, let them know if this is the official graduation ceremony, an open house grad party or a lowkey backyard party.

The who: Include the grad’s full name, their school name and graduation year. You should also note who the host is.

The where: Provide the name and address of the event’s location.

The when: Note when the ceremony or party begins (and ends, if applicable).

If you have more info you want to share, no worries! You can always add more details in the “Note from host” box, from info about the grad’s degree to deets about the dress code for the event.

After you send out your invitation, put together a “What to Bring” list to let your guests know what essential items you’re hoping to have at your event. This is super helpful for planning the ultimate potluck grad party or for ensuring you’ve got all the necessities for an outdoor ceremony (*cough cough* sunscreen and signs!).

Another way to make planning a breeze? Printing out our graduation party planning checklist! Stay on top of the planning process with this comprehensive to-do list.

How to format a graduation invitation

When editing your graduation invitation, you’ll want to make sure your formatting is clear and your info is easy to read.

In terms of invitation text, we suggest keeping it simple and including the following on your invitation design:

  • The grad’s full name, school name and grad year
  • The date and time of the event
  • The location of the event

Make sure to choose a font style and text color that suits your invitation and keeps your information legible.

Remember: There’s no need to try to cram everything onto your invitation! With Evite’s event details section, you’ll be able to share all the event specifics with your guests separately from the info included on the invitation design. For example, you might choose to just include the name of your event’s location on the invitation design and save the full address for the event details section.

Preschool or kindergarten graduation

If you’re celebrating a little smarty pants, choose one of Evite’s adorable graduation invitations designed with kiddos in mind. 

Left: Grad Duck Pool Party Right: Big Year

High school graduation

First, choose a design that fits your grad’s vibe. Then, add all the key details! Depending on the invitation you choose, there might even be room to get fun and creative with your wording.

Left: 2024 Pink Curled Streamer Right: End of an Era

Undergraduate college graduation

After four long years, they’re finally getting ready to cross that stage. Plan the perfect celebration for this momentous occasion with one of Evite’s professionally designed invitations.

Left: Golden Balloons Right: Graduate 2024

Graduate program graduation

The uber-academic among us deserve all the recognition in the world! If your grad is about to receive their master’s, a doctorate or some other graduate-level degree, prepare for a stellar celebration with a beautiful invitation.

Left: Grad Party UYO Right: Top of the Class

A+ bonus tip: Find grad party supplies & decor to match your invitation

After you've sent your perfectly worded graduation party invitations, it's time to get party supplies for the celebration of the year! Check out these top-of-the-class graduation party supplies and decorations our editors curated just for you, all available on Amazon.

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All of the products we feature are hand-selected by our editors! You see only what we love and what we think you'll love too. If you buy something through links on our site, Evite may earn a commission. Prices are subject to change.

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What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from SignUpGenius?

Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than SignUpGenius:

  • 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
  • Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
  • No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
  • Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
  • Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
  • User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
  • Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.

Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!

What is a signup sheet?

Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.

Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer! 

Long story short, signup sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.

How do I create a signup sheet?

Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:

  1. Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:some text
    • Signup sheets for standalone events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
    • Signup sheets for recurring or multi-day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
    • Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers and parent-teacher conferences.
  1. After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
  1. Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
  1. After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
  1. Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!

What information should be included on a signup sheet?

When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:

  1. A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
  1. When and where the event is taking place. 
  1. The organizer’s name and phone number.
  1. Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete. 

When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!

Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!

What are the benefits of using a signup sheet template?

Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:

  • A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
  • Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
  • No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
  • The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
  • Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
  • An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
  • Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.

With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.

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