Retirement Party Ideas

The Guest of Honor Comes First

First up, you need to figure out what type of event the retiree wishes to have. If he or she is retiring not by choice, i.e. health issues, company downsizing, then the retiree may not want a big, lavish party. For this type of situation, you may want a low-key lunch get together with the colleagues who the retiree worked together with the most. Unless you’re throwing a surprise party, just ask the retiree what type of party he or she would like to have that way you know they will be satisfied with the event.

Once you know the retiree’s preference, you can book a venue. For a simple lunch, all you’ll need to do is make reservations at the restaurant of the retiree’s choice and possibly arrange for some simple balloons and a cake. For a larger celebration, you may need to rent out a small banquet room or large banquet hall. Once you have the venue secure, send out invitations to colleagues. Again, how and who you send the invitations to depends on the scale of the party. For a low-key event, a simple e-mail invite will usually do the trick and only to those colleagues who the retiree worked with the most plus any managerial staff. Just be sure to send a reminder e-mail the day before or morning of. For larger events, send out an RSVP invitation to all staff so you can get a head count.

Roast the Retiree!

Whether your party is low-key or over-the-top extravagant, you’ll probably want to book some entertainment. A low-key event could simply feature a barbershop quartet or singing telegram serenading the guest of honor for a song or two. For a more formal retirement party, you could have a pianist or string ensemble performing some pleasant background music. For an extravagant party, get some center stage entertainment! Book a magician, cover band, or possibly an interactive entertainer, like a hypnotist, to keep the party goers entertained.

One fun option for entertainment is to bring in a comedian to “roast" the guest of honor. Since the comedian doesn’t really know the retiree personally, you can give him some material to work with. Or you could have the comedian emcee the event while you and the rest of the retiree’s colleagues “roast" him or her. It’s a fun way to liven up the party while still thanking the retiree for all their hard work over the past years. If you wanted to get really clever, you could bring in a celebrity impersonator of someone who does roasts on a regular basis, like Joan Rivers, for example.

Cake Time!

You’ll want to make sure you have food taken care of at the party. If you are having the event at a restaurant, you could have the guests just order off menu. Going with this option relieves you from having to worry about getting people to chip in money to foot the food bill, unless of course it’s going on the company card. If you’re renting out a venue that doesn’t provide food, bring in a caterer to take care of the meal. On the same note, if the venue doesn’t provide a bar or bartender, you’ll probably need to bring in a mobile bartender. This depends on the retiree’s preference, of course. You’ll also need to make sure the tables are decorated properly. Balloons are usually a staple decor item; you could also have confetti or other centerpieces adorning the tables.

At your retirement party, you’ll definitely need a cake! Hire a professional cake decorator to whip up something unique for your guest of honor. Have them make a 3-D cake that is shaped to match one of the retirees favorite hobbies, etc. For example, say the retiree plans to spend all his free time, now that he’s not working, out on the links, have the cake decorators create a cake in the shape of a golf bag. If the retiree plans to do a lot of travelling, get the cake made in the shape of a airplane or RV. Cake decorators these days can usually make almost anything you want! Have a special cake table to show it off and to make it easier to serve. You’ll also want a gift table, in case guests choose to bring a token of appreciation for the guest of honor.

With all the planning and organizing, don’t forget that this party is all about the retiree! Leave room in the evening, for colleagues and managers to give a little toast or speech in honor of the retiree. Be sure the type of party you throw is what the retiree wants. Remember, GigSalad is here to help you book any vendors, services, or entertainment you need!