Looking for how to plan and throw a retirement party? We’ve got the perfect guide for you!
Hard work deserves to be celebrated! One of the best ways to celebrate retirement is with a party. But if party planning feels overwhelming, you’ve come to the right place. Sometimes all it takes is a quick guide and some inspiration to throw that perfect celebration. Honor your retiree with a bit of hoopla and fun by following these top tips on planning a retirement party.
How To Plan The Retirement Party: The Essentials
Here are the first, and main things you’ll need to throw a retirement party. After these, we’ll get into the details of the party, like games and more details!
1. Start With Your Budget
Every party starts with a budget. Determining how much you can (and should) spend on a retirement party helps make every other decision that much easier. Here are just a few things to consider when putting your budget in place:
- Where the party will take place (venue) and associated costs
- Food (formal or informal catering vs. potluck style)
- Decorations
- Invitations (digital, printed, mailing costs)
- Games and activities
- Entertainment
- Equipment rental costs
- Number of guests
Before diving into the finer details of your event, take a moment to decide who will help cover the event’s costs and how much everyone is willing to chip in. Once your final budget is in place, choosing that perfect venue and retirement cake will be a breeze.
2. Formal or Surprise?
Who you’re celebrating, as well as the company and role they are retiring from, play an important role in the type of party you plan. The two main types of retirement parties are formal and surprise parties.
Surprise parties are great for those who simply love a good celebration (and a good surprise). If you aren’t sure what your guest of honor would like, check in with their loved ones and closest friends. Consider your company’s established traditions when throwing a retirement party for your colleague. Perhaps a formal luncheon at a local restaurant, a fancy dinner with close colleagues, or a midday office party are the favored methods of celebration.
3. Create a Guest List & Decide on The Mode of Invitation
Now you’re in the fun part of planning and throwing a retirement party! It’s time to create that guest list! The big decisions are made, and you can focus on the finer details.
Guests lists are influenced by the size and type of retirement party you are planning, but here are a few important people to consider, including:
- Direct colleagues, employers, and work friends
- Past colleagues and employers who have remained close friends
- Spouse, family, and friends from outside of work
Retirement is a huge milestone; your guest of honor’s loved ones will undoubtedly want to be involved! For smaller, formal luncheons, it’s okay to simply include the retiree’s spouse and closest colleagues. Larger parties are an excellent opportunity to expand the guest list to include children, past bosses, and friends from outside of work or from past jobs.
Tip: When you send out invites, it’s the perfect time to invite guests to contribute to a collaborative retirement memory book with Newlywords! Each person can design their own pages with photos, notes and stories to help create a gift they’ll never forget!
4. Decide on Date & Venue
The time and venue of your retirement party set the tone for the celebration. Spend time considering the retiree’s likes and dislikes and discussing timing with their spouse and family.
Tip: It is considered good practice to host a retirement party on or just after the date of retirement. Too early, and the retiree’s final days at work can feel anticlimactic. Too late, and they will already be on to their next adventure (that long-awaited European vacation, perhaps?).
Choose a venue that matches the essence of your theme (if you have one) or simply the vibe of your party. Going for a casual summer retirement party? Consider an outdoor venue that allows your guests to enjoy summer games and sun. Aiming for a formal and intimate surprise party? Do some sleuthing with friends and family to find the guest of honor’s favorite fancy restaurant.
Be flexible when determining the date, and make sure it’s at a time and place when all guests and colleagues can attend. If your guests might appreciate an unconventional setting for the retirement part, just make sure it’s something the retiree will enjoy. How about an art gallery space if they love art, or rent out an entire movie theater room for the evening, for your guests, or–if you can pull it off–an airport hangar if they are avid travelers!
5. Retirement Party Menu &/or Catering
Let the venue, theme, and type of retirement party help direct your menu. If you’re throwing a travel-themed party, try matching the cuisine to some of the retiree’s favorite destinations.
Some venues (such as country clubs and restaurants) will cater the event to your specifications.
For other venues, such as a private home or public park, consider either catering or cooking some of the retiree’s favorite foods. There is no right or wrong answer regarding a retirement party menu. Just be sure to end your menu with a slice of cake or a retirement-themed dessert!
6. Retirement Party Theme & Decorations
Part of the fun of planning a retirement party is picking a theme that fits the retiree. While not every party needs a theme, having one helps you decide on party decor.
Here are some retirement theme party ideas to get you started:
- Movie Night Extravaganza: Roll out the red carpet for the retiree and create a cinematic atmosphere, complete with popcorn, movie posters, and a highlight reel of their career.
- Cruise Ship Bon Voyage: Transform the venue into a cruise ship setting, with nautical decorations, tropical drinks, and a farewell to the retiree’s professional voyage.
- Milestone Memories: Celebrate the retiree’s life journey by highlighting significant milestones with a timeline display, capturing memorable moments from each stage of their career and personal life.
- Musical Melodies: Create a playlist of the retiree’s favorite tunes and decorate with musical notes and instruments for a melodious celebration of their years of hard work and dedication.
- Artistic Expression: Celebrate the retiree’s creative side with an artsy theme, incorporating paintings, sculptures, or even an art class to allow guests to explore their artistic talents.
- Sports Spectacle: Tailor the party around the retiree’s favorite sport or team, with themed decorations, jerseys, and perhaps even a friendly game or sports trivia to keep the energy high.
- Techie Time: If the retiree is tech-savvy, celebrate their journey in the digital age with a tech-themed party, featuring gadgets, virtual reality experiences, and a nostalgic look back at technological advancements.
- Wine and Dine Delight: Host an elegant wine tasting event, complete with a selection of the retiree’s favorite wines and gourmet pairings, celebrating the finer things in life after retirement.
- Superhero Send-Off: Embrace the retiree’s heroic qualities with a superhero-themed party, where guests can dress up as their favorite characters and celebrate the retiree’s super accomplishments.
- Nature Retreat: Bring the outdoors in with a nature-inspired theme, incorporating elements like plants, trees, and rustic decor to create a serene environment for the retiree to relax and enjoy the beauty of retirement.
Remember to tailor the theme to the retiree’s personality and interests for a truly memorable retirement celebration!
The theme will also influence whether you’re throwing a formal soiree or an informal shindig. Hawaiian BBQ probably won’t jive with your private dinner party, so keep that in mind.
Ultimately, have fun with it! Focus on decor that also works well with your theme and venue.
Wine bottles labeled with “Party like there’s no work tomorrow!” add some humor to any retirement party theme. For the lighthearted retiree, funny banners, buttons, and decor with a fun tagline go a long way in making your retirement party a success.
Ideas For Retirement Party Games & Activities
You’re off to a great start planning the ultimate retirement party! Here are just a few ideas to incorporate during the big event.
7. Toasts & Speeches
Take some time during the retirement party to give speeches honoring the retiree. For larger parties, assign this task to a few significant people in advance, such as a boss, spouse, or close colleagues.
To honor the retiree, you can ask a few people to share memories and heartfelt thanks through a short, genuine speech. You could also play a PowerPoint video to showcase milestones and events throughout the years. Anyone from former bosses to family members would be suitable for giving a speech at the retirement party. Just remember to give the guests adequate time to plan their speeches prior to the event.
Tip: For ideas, check out this site, Retirement Quotes, for sample speech templates you can use for creating your own speeches!
8. Walk Down Memory Lane
Nothing says retirement quite like a walk down memory lane. Take time to share the significant moments and memories from the retiree’s career. This can be done with a photo slideshow, a video, or a collaborative memory book. Memory books are a great way to include the entire office and family members, giving everyone a chance to share their favorite memories!
9. A Creative Cake
Don’t forget the dessert! Every party needs a cake (or at least something sweet to celebrate). Consider getting a cake that matches your theme or the retiree’s career. Some ideas include a gavel for the retiring judge, a map of the retiree’s first travel destination, or even a simple cake with your favorite quote or office joke.
10. Have Games & Other Fun Activities
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Games are a great way to keep your guests entertained while emphasizing your party theme. For the backyard BBQ, include some cornhole, bocce, or volleyball. For a more formal affair, icebreaker games that can be played around a dinner table are a great option. For larger events, consider music and dancing to keep your guests energized and having fun.
Some retirement party game ideas include:
- Retirement BINGO
- Who knows them best Trivia
- Caption that photo
- Bird Call
- Cornhole
- Retirement “Would They Rather”
- Mini Golf
11. Build The Party Around the Hobbies of the Retiree
Hobbies are a great source of inspiration when planning a retirement party. If you aren’t familiar with your retiree’s hobbies, consider asking their spouse or family for some ideas. Hobbies such as golf, gardening, boating, and travel make great foundations for a retirement party.
12. Commemorate The Retiree
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Be sure to schedule some time at the party to honor and commemorate the retiree. This can take the form of speeches or can be a separate time where a specific person takes a moment to share some of the retiree’s accomplishments. This is also a great time to give the retiree a group gift, like a Newlywords collaborative memory book!
13. Give a Retirement Gift
Gifts are always a great idea! Common retirement gifts include engraved items (like pens, clocks, or frames), hobby-specific goods, gift cards, and books.
Need ideas? We have guides on the best retirement gifts for:
- Retiring Men
- Retiring Women
- Retiring Parents
- Your retiring boss
- Retiring Coworkers
- Retiring Teachers
- Retirees who Love Travel
Plan this one in advance: Ask everyone to contribute a retirement wish or share a story about the retiree. This retirement memory book is like a huge group scrapbook to be treasured forever. Set up the online collection page, give your guests the link so they can share their pictures and messages, and have it printed and mailed to you to gift at the retirement party as the ultimate group gift.
14. A Fun, Lighthearted Playlist
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Did we mention music? There are plenty of options for adding some good sounds to your retirement party. Hire a DJ, hire a band, or simply put together a fun and memorable playlist to play in the background.
Quite a few songs will work for the “retirement” and “relaxation” theme of your event. If your guests are game for ad-lib performances, you could even make karaoke a lively part of the entertainment. Some of the songs you might choose are:
- “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen
- “Hit the Road, Jack” by Ray Charles
- “When I am 64” by the Beatles
- “Young at Heart” by Doris Day and Frank Sinatra
- “Vacation” by the GoGos
- “V A C A T I O N” by Connie Francis
- “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by Peter, Paul and Mary
Of course, you could also prepare a playlist of your celebrant’s favorite songs. To make things easier, here are a couple of retirement song playlists from Spotify and 8tracks.
15. Set Up a Photo Booth
One way to capture all the fun memories from the day is to set up a photo booth. You can either rent a booth or make a DIY version. Whichever way you go, when you plan your retirement party, be sure to include plenty of themed props!
16. Fun Dress-Up Party
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Another twist on fun parties is asking guests to come dressed in something that reminds them of the retiree or celebrant. Maybe people will come as the celebrant’s favorite actor, or what they wanted to be when they grew up (airplane pilot), or themes based on their favorite travels (think summer in Italy!). The options here are endless. Pinterest has plenty of visuals for costume ideas, if your guests need help with originality and creativity.
There are many ways to send off that special colleague into retirement. With a little advance planning and creativity, you can make it a retirement party that he/she will never forget!
17. Consider Doing Some Charity
For the conscientious retiree, make their party unique with an element of charity. If your retiree volunteers time or money to a specific charity, consider including charity work in the party. This can take the form of hands-on volunteer time before the festivities. It can also take the form of an auction, game, or competition at the party that raises funds for that charity.
FAQs About Planning & Throwing Retirement Parties
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Who typically plans a retirement party?
The responsibility for planning a retirement party often falls on colleagues, close friends, family members, or the retiree’s supervisor or team. It can be a collaborative effort, and sometimes the planning is delegated to a specific individual or committee.
How do you plan a simple retirement party?
- Set a Date and Venue: Choose a date that works for the retiree and secure a suitable venue.
- Create a Guest List: Compile a list of colleagues, friends, and family members to invite.
- Choose a Theme: Consider the retiree’s interests and select a theme accordingly.
- Send Invitations: Use invitations or digital platforms to inform guests about the event.
- Decorations: Decorate the venue based on the chosen theme to create a festive atmosphere.
- Plan the Program: Outline any speeches, presentations, or activities to keep the event organized.
- Food and Beverages: Arrange catering or potluck options to ensure there’s enough for everyone.
- Gifts and Recognition: Plan how you will acknowledge the retiree’s contributions and present any gifts.
What is the proper etiquette for a retirement party?
- RSVP: Respond to invitations promptly, indicating whether you will attend or not.
- Arrival Time: Arrive on time and stay until the end of the party unless there’s a valid reason to leave early.
- Express Gratitude: Thank the retiree for their service and wish them well in their retirement.
- Be Mindful of Speeches: If giving a speech, keep it positive and focused on the retiree’s achievements and contributions.
- Gift-Giving Etiquette: While gifts are not mandatory, if you choose to bring one, make it thoughtful and appropriate for the occasion.
Who usually pays for a retirement party?
The cost of a retirement party is typically covered by the organizers, which may include colleagues, friends, or family members pooling resources. In some cases, employers may contribute to the cost as a gesture of appreciation.
How many hours should a retirement party be?
A retirement party duration can vary, but it often lasts between two to four hours. Consider the retiree’s preferences and schedule when planning the timing of the event.
What do you talk about at a retirement party?
Conversations at a retirement party can cover a range of topics, including the retiree’s achievements, memories from their career, future plans, and well-wishes. Keep the tone positive and celebratory.
Do you give favors at a retirement party?
While not mandatory, giving small party favors can be a nice gesture. Consider items related to the retiree’s interests, the party theme, or something personalized to commemorate the occasion.
What food to bring to a retirement party?
The choice of food depends on the preferences of the retiree and the guests. Consider a mix of appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, taking into account dietary restrictions. You can opt for catering, a potluck, or a combination of both.
Can I plan my own retirement party?
While it’s not common for the retiree to plan their own party, they can certainly provide input on preferences, guest list, and other details, and you can absolutely plan your own retirement party!
Who gives a speech at a retirement party?
Commonly, a supervisor, colleague, or close friend may give a speech at a retirement party. The speaker should focus on highlighting the retiree’s accomplishments, sharing anecdotes, and expressing gratitude.
Are gifts expected at a retirement party?
Gifts are not obligatory, but guests may choose to bring a gift as a token of appreciation. If gifts are given, they can range from sentimental items to practical gifts related to the retiree’s future plans or hobbies.
How much should I give for a retirement party?
The amount spent on a gift for a retirement party can vary widely based on personal relationships and financial considerations. It’s more about the thought and effort put into the gift rather than its monetary value. Choose something meaningful and consider the retiree’s preferences.
Celebrate Your Retiring Colleague and Loved One The Right Way!
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It’s party time! Now that you’re a pro at party planning, it’s time to plan the perfect retirement party. Every retiree deserves a celebration, and your party will surely be a big hit. Your colleague is sure to feel honored and celebrated when you send them into their next season of life with a personal, well-thought-out event.