Announcing your graduation is a momentous occasion, marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. What better way to share this milestone with friends and family than with a custom graduation announcement? We’ll explore how you can easily create graduation announcements online, tailored to your unique style and preferences. From choosing the perfect design to adding your own photos and messages, we’ll guide you through the process of creating a one-of-a-kind announcement that captures the essence of your achievement and celebrates this special moment in your academic journey.
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What Are Graduation Announcements?
Graduation announcements are a traditional way to share the exciting news of your academic achievement with family, friends, and loved ones. These announcements serve as formal notifications, informing recipients that you have successfully completed your educational journey and will be graduating. They typically include important details such as your name, the name of your educational institution, the degree or diploma you have earned, and the date and location of the graduation ceremony.
Don’t shy away from sending grad announcements to your acquaintances. Graduation announcement cards can signal that you’re open for job opportunities and internships, and sometimes, you might make a connection from a family friend who’s hiring for your skillset.
Grad Announcements vs. Graduation Invitations
Graduation announcements are not to be confused with graduation party invitations, as they are meant to share the news rather than extend an invitation to attend the actual ceremony. They are a wonderful way to celebrate your accomplishments and allow others to join in the joyous occasion, even if they cannot physically be present.
How To Address Graduation Announcements
When sending out your graduation announcements, it’s essential to address them correctly to ensure they reach your intended recipients in style. Here’s a simple guide to help you address your graduation announcements with ease:
- Recipient’s Name: Begin by addressing the envelope to the intended recipient. Use their full name, including any titles or suffixes, such as “Mr. John Smith” or “Dr. Emily Jones.”
- Family and Friends: If you’re sending announcements to family members or close friends, you can address them using a more informal tone. For example, you might write “Dear Grandma and Grandpa” or “Dear Aunt Sarah.”
- Include Titles if Appropriate: If the recipient holds a professional title or honorific, such as “Dr.” or “Honorable,” be sure to include it in the address. For example, “Dr. and Mrs. Michael Johnson” or “The Honorable James Smith.”
- Use Proper Salutations: Begin the announcement with a formal salutation, such as “Dear” or “To,” followed by the recipient’s name. If you’re addressing a group, you can use “Dear Friends and Family” or “To Our Loved Ones.”
- Double-Check Addresses: Before sending out your announcements, double-check the addresses to ensure accuracy. Make sure you have the correct spelling of the recipient’s name and their current mailing address to avoid any delays or errors.
By following these simple guidelines, you can address your graduation announcements with confidence and ensure that they make a memorable impression on your recipients. Celebrate your achievement in style and share the joy of your graduation with your loved ones!
When To Send Graduation Announcements
Experts have different takes on when announcements should be sent. Etiquette points to two weeks prior to the ceremony if you’re including an invitation, and up two weeks following for standard college grad announcements.
The end of a school year can be packed with graduation parties, finals, and overall stress, so try to spread out the tasks that go along with creating these announcements.
- Four Months: Take senior portraits.
- Three Months: Design the layout and order your announcements.
- Two Months: Gather recipients’ names and addresses.
- One Month: Address and assemble the announcements.
- Three Weeks: Send your grad announcement cards.
- Post Ceremony: Send out graduation thank you cards.
Graduation Announcement Ideas
Your graduation cards should embody your personality. The recipients want to see you at your best, and a great way to show them is through a unique grad announcement. Get creative, or keep it traditional. Either way, make sure you’re sharing your favorite parts of your academic journey.
Tassel
Nothing says accomplishment like the tassel on a grad cap. Signal your celebration with a detailed grad cap front and center and build with the textual details of a tassel. Take it a step further by using your alma mater colors as the palette.
Full Photo
Acquaintances and maybe even some relatives haven’t seen you in years. What better way to show your achievements than with a photo update?
Graduation Party
Send your announcements out after celebrating with your inner circle of family and friends. Don’t forget to take informal pictures at the event. You’ll save a bundle on professional photography, and everyone loves a candid shot.
Photo Cards
To keep things formal, you can include a text-only graduation invitation and add some photo prints inside. If you’re sending high school graduation announcements, be sure to include your senior portraits. You’ll get the best of both worlds with extra space for personalization on the announcement, plus the fun grad photos.
My Favorites
Your tastes have most likely changed since you’ve seen a lot of the people you plan to send your invites to. Your interests are a great representation of what you’ve been up to, and often shed some light on where you might go in the future. Customize your graduation announcements with photos of you and your favorite things, like a sports ball if you’re an athlete or even photos of you with your pets.
Graduation Quotes
Whether inspirational or humorous, sharing a graduation quote is a great way to add some personality to your announcement. You can even create a themed string of quotes that embodies where you started school and how far you’ve come.
Multi Photo Grad Announcements
Add some depth to your grad announcements with a fun fold-out design that has a collection of your favorite photos. If you had a professional photographer, multi-photo grad announcements are a great option to showcase all your favorite shots without having to limit your choices. Multi-photo cards can be an excellent choice if you’re sending out college graduation announcements. Get creative by including photos of you in different places around your campus.
Graduation Thank You Cards
Graduation thank you cards are almost just as important as the announcements themselves. Imagine your loved ones spent ample time creating personalized graduation gifts like canvas wall art for your dorm or a photo blanket featuring your most cherished memories. Keep it short and sweet, but make sure to send a handwritten note to everyone who sent a gift to you. Write your thank you cards as soon as you can and send them out a few weeks after the graduation ceremony or grad party.
Wrapping Up on Creating Grad Announcements
When designing your grad party invites, think about how you want to present yourself with the trim and paper type. Your trim can be classic square for a traditional look while a bracket, ticket, or scallop trim can create a modern invite. If you want a sleek, shinier finish, go for photo paper. For an elegant print, use a pearl shimmer cardstock.
With a little bit of thought, creating a custom graduation announcement is a simple and effective way for your family and friends to be a part of your accomplishments. Still stuck on what to say? Follow our guide to graduation announcement wording for even more inspiration.
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