A Come-and-Go UCLA Graduation Party on the Beach

Graduation parties rarely run on a single schedule, so when parents planning a celebration for their daughter's UCLA graduation in June 2024 asked for a setup where family and friends could come and go, we designed it that way.

The layout mixed two seating styles: 15 floor pillows around four low tables for lounging, and ten chairs at two high tables for guests who preferred a seat. A canopy shaded two buffet tables, and the family arranged the food themselves, which stayed covered in the shade as guests drifted in and out through the afternoon.

It's a format that suits a graduation weekend well. Relatives who fly in, friends coming from other parties and the graduate herself can all drop in on their own timeline, and there's always a seat and a plate waiting.