Going Away Party Invitation Wording
Have a close friend who’s moving to a new town? Entering the military? Graduating and going off to college? Saying goodbye is always hard. In fact, it sucks.
Well, wipe away your tears and stiffen that upper lip – it’s time to give them a big sendoff. While there are lots of things involved in hosting a going away party, one of the most important is sending out invitations. This article will help you find the right words through general tips and specific examples.
Samples
The best way to come up with wording for your going away party invitation is to look at a few examples. With that in mind, here are some invitation wording samples for various scenarios. Note that most of these are abbreviated to avoid repetition, so make sure you add in any missing information on your actual invite.
- Please Join Us For A
Going Away Party
for
Donovan Parker
Saturday, September 10, 2015 at 7 pm
The Lopez Home
1234 Shady Lane, Bryantville
RSVP to Jana (304-4978 / [email protected]) by September 3
In lieu of gifts, bring your favorite picture of Donovan for a special scrapbook! - Bon Voyage
Please Join Us For A
Farewell Party in Honor Of
Diane McMillan
- Happy Trails
to
The Johnsons
Come Help Us Give Them the Send Off They Deserve!
Military
- ATTENTION!
Jack Hallows Has Joined the Army
Please Join Us For a Goodbye Party - Alice Hastings
Has Joined the Navy
Please Join Us For A
Bootcamp Going Away Party - Daniel Owens
Is Leaving to Serve Our Country in the Air Force
Let’s Give Him a Send Off to Remember!
College
- You’re Invited To
Betsy Allen’s Going Away Party
Say Goodbye Before She Leaves For FSU! - Craig Chung
Is Leaving For College
Please Join Us For A
Going Away Party
Surprise Party
- SHHHHH!
We’re Having A
Surprise Going Away Party
for
Nancy Wayne
And You’re Invited! - Please Join Us For A
Surprise Farewell Party
for
The Millers
Going Away Party Invite Tips
Farewell parties are a special breed. Here are some tips to keep in mind when coming up with the invitation wording.
1. Keep it upbeat. It’s okay to acknowledge how much you will miss the guest of honor. Just keep in mind that this is a party, not a funeral. Set a positive tone and let people know that the idea is to have fun.
2. Choose a theme that matches the guest of honor’s destination. If your guest of honor is going into the military, consider using images of dog tags, flags, or boots (as in, boot camp). If they’re going away to college, incorporate their new school colors. If they’re going overseas, a passport or airline theme is a good choice. You get the idea.
3. Discourage gifts. Because your guest(s) of honor already have so much to pack, this is one of the few times when they don’t necessarily need a big pile of presents. Your invitation wording should therefore discourage guests from bringing gifts. To satisfy people’s need to give something, you can ask them to contribute pictures for a scrapbook or money for one group gift.
4. Double-check your invite list. The ideal farewell party includes all the people who are close with the guest of honor, not just one circle of friends. Unless you’re aiming for a small, intimate gathering, try to identify and invite as many close acquaintances as possible.
Besides the above, make sure your invite includes all the essential event information (date, time, place, etc). For some basic tips, see our party invitation primer.
