Retirement is a momentous occasion that needs to be celebrated with a wonderful party. However, if you are planning your own retirement party or a party for a friend or colleague, you may quickly realize there are a lot of things you need to think about.
If you don’t carefully detail all the different components, you may easily end up throwing a party you wished you prepared better for. Fortunately, it’s straightforward to throw a party to remember if you break down all the different components and plan each one accordingly.
The essentials
We’ve listed out a list of all the essential elements that you absolutely need to take into account. See these essentials as the basic building blocks for a party. Then we included all the things you can add to this foundation to go the extra mile to truly make the party extra special.
So before you start planning your or your colleague’s retirement celebration, go through our article to compile your own checklist of the things you need to do and those extra things you can add on top of the party essentials.
However, before you start – if you are planning the party for someone else, it’s important to keep in mind what type of event they would like. You wouldn’t want to throw a big event with a lot of attention on the retiree if they would feel more comfortable with a more low-key event, such as a picnic in the park.
Guest list
Finalizing the guest list is the first step, as it will ultimately dictate the type of venues you can choose from. If you are planning your own party or if you are very close to the retiree, this should be a relatively simple step.
However, if you don’t know the retiree that well or you are sure about who the important people in their life is, then you definitely want to get their input on compiling the guest list.
Budget & raise money
Getting clear on what your budget is for the party is absolutely crucial. Knowing what you realistically have available to spend will immediately give you clarity in terms of what venue to pick. For example, If you have a very small budget that you want to spend on food and drinks, you know you need to start looking out for free venues.
Time & date
While people may hold a retirement party in the weeks leading up to the official date of retirement, it’s generally recommended to plan the party very soon after the person’s employment has formally ended. For example, the weekend after the person has retired.
Since the party serves as a final send-off, it makes the most sense to plan it as near to the actual moment of retirement as possible. The closer to the retirement date, the more likely it is that most guests will come.
Choose a venue
Choosing the venue should be one of the first things on your list. Especially if you are planning on hosting it at a country club or restaurant, you want to make sure the venue is available on that specific night and not booked out already.
Next to availability, you want to also consider the season, of course. There’s no point in considering the park for an event in winter if you live in an area with harsh weather. However, remember, if you are planning to host it at a public space like a park, you will have to bring more things to set up for the party than if it was being hosted at a venue like a hotel.
Having clarity on the guest list is an essential step in picking a venue. If it’s a small gathering, then your home could be an option, but if it’s bound to be a big group of people, then you definitely want to start planning this well in advance.
Plan food & drinks
Make sure you plan a menu and matching drinks well in advance, as caterers can be booked out for long periods. You also want to make sure you collect information on any specific dietary requirements well before the party so you can pass on that information to the caterers.
Send invitations
When sending the invitations, remember to include all the key information, such as clear directions and if guests need to RSVP. You want to send it out well in advance so people have adequate time to shift things around so that they can attend the party.
The extra mile
Now you have the basics down for a great retirement party, there are a handful of things you can do to make it extra special and feel more personalized. However, don’t leave this to the last minute either, as some of these items also need to be planned well in advance, and you might also want to include certain details on the party invitations.
Choose a theme
You can pick a theme like a specific decade, like the 80s, and plan the party around this theme. For example, the type of music you want to play or even the decorations you might want to use if you are using decorations. If you want guests to dress up, don’t forget to mention the theme on the invitations as well.
Prepare some music
Think about where you are going to be hosting the party. For example, if it will be held at an outside or public venue, you want to make sure you have a speaker you can use. However, you also want to ensure that there’s access to electricity so that the sound system actually works.
Know what type of music you will be playing up front. You can put together your own playlist or choose one of the playlists on Spotify.
Have some decorations
To really personalize the venue hang up some decorations. If you picked a theme, the decorations would be according to the theme, but you can also just use any festive decorations to lighten up the place.
Get party favors
Party favors are a great way to pay homage to the retiree and provide the attendees with a little gift to take home to remind them of the retired colleague.
Order a retirement cake
A retirement cake is a fantastic final touch to round out a retirement celebration. You can get cakes in all shapes and sizes that pay tribute to the retiree and their career. Don’t forget to specify that it’s a retirement cake when ordering so that the baker can add a special message on it.
Speeches
Most retirement parties have at least two people making some type of speech that pays tribute to the retiree. Reach out to the people you would like to ask to make a speech well in advance so you can be sure that they are available and that they have ample time to prepare what they would like to say.
Make it fun
Planning different kinds of games is a fantastic way to ensure that no guests will be bored at the party. However, planning games for the party isn’t only to serve as entertainment, but it’s a great way to pay homage to the retiree when you play games that puts them at the center.