When I was coming up with fun graduation party ideas for a college student, donuts and coffee immediately came to mind. It’s such a classic combo, and I got wayyy too excited about brainstorming donut puns. I landed on “Donut Stop Believing,” and the rest just snowballed (in a good way) from there. Keep reading for a handful of donut theme party ideas! You can also click play on the Reel below to see how I set everything up.

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Donut Graduation Party Ideas

In addition to the taste and pun potential, you can’t beat donuts when it comes to price. They’re such an affordable dessert option! I know that donut walls are extremely popular, too, so I decided to go a different route.

On that note, here are a few of my favorite donut theme party ideas–

1. Donut Party Sign

Nothing completes a party space quite like a cute party sign. I custom ordered this circle sign from Etsy, and the shipping was SUPER fast. She sent me a proof within a few hours, too. I really can’t recommend this seller highly enough!

If Journey isn’t your jam, though, here are a few other donut theme party sign ideas (let me know if you think of any others)–

• Donut Grow Up– A classic for kiddos!
• Donut You Forget about Me– This one’s great for high school and college graduations. It’d also be a good theme for medical school grads or Match Day!
• Donut Stop Me Now– This is another pun that’s perfect for high school or college grads!

Also, to give the donut party sign a little something extra, I ordered wet foam garland and added in some peach roses, pink carnations, snapdragons, and seeded eucalyptus. Once the flowers were in place, I used lots of floral wire to attach it to the sign. It’s pretty heavy once it’s thoroughly soaked and full of flowers, so keep that in mind if you want to do something similar!

2. Sprinkle-Inspired Florals

I did some digging on Pinterest and found an “elevated” sprinkle-inspired color scheme that I thought would be perfect. Then, I sent the photos to Hy-Vee’s floral department, told them what I was looking for, and set my budget. They seriously did such an amazing job, and I love the way everything turned out! Guests were able to take flowers home with them after the party, too, which was nice.

Just a note– This donut party was created for a college student, so bear that in mind. If you’re creating a party for a child or teenager, you probably want to go with a much brighter and more playful color scheme (or just nix the flowers altogether).

3. Balloon Arches and Columns

If you don’t have the budget for florals, balloons are a great budget-friendly alternative. Also, if you’re creating a party for a child, balloons are probably the way to go regardless. I only used a few to even out the space, but my original plan was to create two large balloon columns using pastel-colored balloons. The florals ended up getting the job done by themselves, but if I had space for more balloons, I would’ve used it!

Just a note— If you have an oddly-shaped party space (like mine), balloon columns may be a better option than an arch. I tried creating an arch for this Galentine’s Day brunch spread, and it didn’t go as planned. Long story short, I ended up with 100+ loose balloons on the floor. Thanks, slanted walls. Anyway, if you’re new to them, I highly recommend this balloon column kit. It’s under $25 on Amazon and has everything you need, balloons included, to make some gorgeous balloon columns. Highly recommend!

4. Custom Donuts

Donuts are a given at a donut party. I mean, it’s in the name. Still, you can take it a step further and contact your local bakery (I used Hy-Vee) to color coordinate sprinkled and iced donuts. I sent the bakery manager the same photos I sent the florist, and he custom made these pink donuts for the party. For variety sake, I ordered a few dozen powdered and glazed donuts, as well. Pink donuts included, I think the total was under $60. How crazy is that?!

As far as display goes, donut walls are fun and super popular! You can either make your own with a peg board or order one online. I knew early on that I wanted to have a large party sign, though, so I decided to go with a color-coordinated donut tray instead. It ended up looking really clean, and there was no confusion about which donuts were decorative and which ones weren’t.

Another option is to create a single or multiple donut towers. I don’t recommend piling them too high, though. The donuts will just start sticking to each other, and your guests will be begging you for Wet Wipes. 

Another cute donut theme party idea is to order personalized treat bags. Not only do they make cute party favors, but they also encourage guests to take actually donuts home with them. Less treats at home means less temptation after the party’s over!

5. DIY Coffee Bar Station

Similarly to donuts, coffee is a delicious and budget-friendly drink option. Plus, I mean… what goes better with donuts?! You can be as thorough or simple as you like when it comes to setting up a coffee bar for a party, too, which is nice. 

I’m a K-Cup and sugar cube kind of hostess, so I personally went the simple-to-medium-thorough route. Here’s everything I included in my DIY coffee bar station–

• Keurig coffee machine– I debated whether or not to rent fancy urns for regular and decaf coffee, but ultimately I decided to spend the money on florals instead. Surprise, surprise (ha)! My Keurig K-Select machine ended up working perfectly, though, because everyone got to choose their own coffee flavor and intensity. Also, aside from routine water level checks, I didn’t have to worry about refilling it either. 
• Pink disposable coffee cups– I found these pink disposable coffee cups on Amazon and love them so much! They’re hardly ever in stock, but if you catch the seller on a good day, they’re available in other pastel colors, too. Also, if you have room in the budget, custom coffee sleeves and stirrers are super cute add-ons!
• Different-flavored K-Cups– I ordered a few K-Cup variety packs from Grounds and Hounds and then displayed them on these little coffee pod holders. I kept extras in the drawer directly underneath, too, in case I needed to replenish quickly. 
• Regular and dairy-free creamer– Instead of creamer singles, I poured regular vanilla and dairy-free vanilla creamer into glass carafes. You can’t see in the photos, but there are labels on the back to decipher which one is which. 
• Sugar cubes– I didn’t want to clutter the table with 5-6 different types of sugar packets, so I put out basic sugar cubes then hid packets of sugar alternatives in the drawer underneath. 
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice– In case guests wanted to try some spice in their coffee, I set out little jars of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice. Something about a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin spice just feels gourmet and takes coffee to the next level!

If you want to go the extra mile, you could also put out a few yummy coffee syrups, too. These glass dispensers would be perfect for storing them!

More Graduation Party Ideas

If you enjoyed this post, I think you’ll love these other graduation party ideas, as well–

• DIY Flower Bar– Set out a variety of pretty spring flowers and let your guests create their own bouquets! This is a fun activity for bridal showers and weddings, as well. 
• Halo Top Ice Cream Sundae Bar– Assuming it’s not too hot outside, a refreshing ice cream sundae bar is another budget-friendly snack option. I put one together for a girls’ night and served Halo Top ice cream in pints. It was a huge hit!
• Afternoon Tea Party Ideas– If you’re hosting a more intimate graduation party, an afternoon tea theme is perfect! Just set the table, put out a variety of teas, and whip up some tea sandwiches and hors d’oeuvres. Classy and simple!

 
Well, that’s all I have for y’all today! As always, please let me know if you have any questions about this donut graduation party or any of my other spreads. I love hearing from you guys, and I’m happy to help. Thanks so much for reading!

Just so you know, I was reimbursed for the cost of these products as part of a sponsored social campaign with Hy-Vee. I loved this creating this donut graduation party so much that I decided to feature it on my blog, as well, although I had no obligation to do so. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.