Not sure what happened to picture but here it is

High School. Why the cocktail tables? These are kids. Under 21.

You can go to Big Lots or the 99 cent store for lots of glittery gold and black stuff, but who is this party for? Adults? or Kids?

I'm assuming alcohol will not be served.

In that case, lose the cocktail tables. JMHO

When you say cocktail table, are you talking about 'tall stand around' tables? Or coffee tables with comfy seating around them?

We had a big reception here with a mixture of dining and 'tall stand around' tables.....
Having the guests moving around really does help keep the party lively. Once some people sit, sometimes they won't move out of their chairs.

ML

I really like those lanterns and you could spray inexpensive white candles with adhesive and roll them in gold glitter to add some gold to the tables. You could also add gold table confetti that is the graduation year all about on the tables. I also saw the centerpiece that I linked below that is kind of cute. You could even put it in a vase and surround it with flowers so that they little base part doesn't show.

I agree that the taller bar height tables are great for encouraging circulation. Will you have a DJ?

Here is a link that might be useful: Gold Centerpiece

For one party we bought gift bags and tissue paper and then helium balloons which we tied around a bar of soap and dropped it into the gift bag with tissue sticking out as the centerpiece...

desertdance: My daughter decided on guest list and will be mix of out-of-town family, close neighbors, and family-friends (basically my and my DH's long time friends who she has grown up with along with their children). It will include all ages and generations from the neighbor's toddler to her 89-year-old grandma. She's planning a grad trip to Disneyland with her friends the following week. The "cocktail" tables as they are termed on the party rental website lists them as 42" high and are meant to stand around and provide a place to put a beverage and/or plate while guests circulate. We do plan to serve a full meal as well, hence the buffet tables.

maddielee: The tall tables like you used. Glad to hear of someone else's experience with them. I've been to functions where they are used, but it was mostly one or the other, not a mix of both; but my DH and DD want them, at same time I can't see not having seating for the older folks.

Fun2BeHere: I like that centerpiece as well and would really pop against the black tablecloths. Would it look odd to do a mix of two centerpieces, one for tables and one for the "taller" tables?

We're not doing a DJ; these days we just do our own DJing, more informal and we get the music we like. My DH has pretty good speaker setup, inside and out and also got this unit (forget what it's called) that you just pop your iPod in and it blasts out music and has strobe lights. One of our friends is a recreational DJ so if he comes, he'll probably do our music or my DS will do it.

What I really need some feedback on is the linens since I need to place my order soon. Doing it all black seems too much but want to work it in somehow at same time don't want it to look mix-and-match. Thinking:

black: tall tables, napkins squares
white: buffet, dining tables
chairs: maybe black?

With black and white, whatever you choose will be fine.

My only concern is if the pub tables have a floor-length table cloth, will people be apt to step on the edge and cause accidents with drinks and such? When you're sitting at a table, it's one thing, but when you're standing and walking and leaning and talking, it's another.

I think the black and white will be nice but then again I am biased because my daughters wedding was all black and white.
I like your idea of pub tables with black cloths
Dining tables with white cloths and black napkins
then buffet table with white base cloth and perhaps in the middle of table lay a small square black cloth with the points coming down the front. If you understand what I mean...
Gold confetti and ribbons hanging somewhere.
Sounds like fun

Annie: Very nice setup! So did you give off the centerpieces then? As ours will be outside it does limit choices to something that won't blow away. Good point about the tablecloths though that is only way I've seen them used since the tables tend to be smaller in diameter with an ugly base. I know I should just go ahead and bite the bullet and place my order. I know renting gives me more flexibility to change my mind, but I just can't see renting something that I can purchase for same amount and can potentially use in future

Do you have a backup plan in case of rain?

Our twin sons graduated last year, and we planned a back yard party all along. Our house is much too small for 50 - 60 people (even if they aren't all there at the same time).

It was 40 F and raining the day of the party. The boys hauled their foosball table into the garage; we squeezed tables and chairs into the living room and family room. It was cozy, but worked out fine.

We didn't do much in terms of decorating, but we did get a root beer keg, which was a big hit!

I think black tablecloths and chairs are too much, especially outside. And when I gets dark it will be harder for those old folks to see their chairs. I would do everything white, then accent with black and gold.

Desertdance, when our children graduated from high school they all had different types of celebrations and they all had a glass of champagne, regardless of age, and we had a full bar. No kids drinking and driving. Most families we know had parties for their grads with alcohol with no problems.

I think you can have different centerpieces on the serving table vs. the other tables. In fact, the bar height tables are usually a small circumference, so you might forego a centerpiece altogether on those and just sprinkle them with metallic confetti or buy a larger metallic 2013 and stick it flat with double-stick tape.

I think any mix of black and white cloths will look good. Black is nice on serving tables because it doesn't show food stains so looks a little tidier throughout the food service. On the other hand, using white with black napkins on a 45-degree angle like Lyban suggested could have a similar effect. I linked the 2012 confetti below. The 2013 balloons on the site would be cute, too, inflated with helium.

Here is a link that might be useful: Confetti

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions!

Lyban, love the idea of using the black napkins with the points coming down!

Fun2BeHere: Good idea for the centerpieces. Just love those little suggestions to stick the centerpieces down with tape!

kswl: We are like you as far as serving alcohol at family parties. Touch wood, we've never had a problem with under age drinking (too excess or combining with driving) and also allow our own children a glass on special occasions, though understand desertdance's concern as there are many teen parties where parents are oblivious with sometimes tragic consequences. I appreciate her concern.

Annkh, we're in CA so the weather is pretty good. That said there was light rain at DS's party which was larger than this one as he was co-celebrating with DH's 50th. We had to put up an easy-up over the buffet tables, some ate inside, but then it cleared. DH had some problems with the patio heaters so he knows he'd better work it out this year! We can all fit inside between family room, formal living/dining and garage with ping-pong table though will be tight squeeze. Love the suggestion of a rootbeer keg too!

This time I'm going to make sure to take before pictures!

Just to be clear, the pic I posted was as an example, not our party, just to show how festive balloon centerpieces can be. That party I threw was long before digital cameras!

As I recall, we had no children at the party so we didn't give the balloons away, but if you have children there, I'm sure they'd enjoy taking them home.

To prevent tripping on linens...

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

I think since it will be an outside/garden party...I would stick with mostly white and just touches of black and gold--maybe black napkins and black and gold centerpieces. I think a lot of black will bring things down and look heavy...white will keep it cheery.

aunti_ellen: I've seen that look before with the ribbon on the tables! I think I will get 1-2 big spools of gold ribbon and can play around with it as will really pop against the black tablecloths and solve the potential tripping hazzard! And I can see how they are pairing the cocktail tables with the shorter dining tables with chairs. That is like what we are thinking! We have an L-shaped backyard so will put the cocktail tables on our patio area as you exit the house and then the dining tables on the adjacent lawn behind.

OK going to go for white chairs and leave the black just for the 3 cocktail tables (which will be placed on my flagstone patio) with a set of 12 black napkins to act as accents for the white tablecloths for the buffet and dining tables and then go to the party store for more gold glittery type grad decorations, confetti, etc. Will probably do black & metallic gold balloons inside where we plan to dance later in the evening.

Thanks everyone for helping me think it through!

anti_ellen: I found some chair sashes and table runners in satin gold that I think would work great to tie around the cocktail tables!

The chairs sashes come in pack of 10 and measure 6x104.

The table runners are sold individually and measure 14x108.

Also if I were to use the sashes to gather in the sides of the cocktail tablecloths should I order a larger sized tablecloth? The tables I am renting are 36" in diameter and 42" high so 120" round would go to floor. Next size up is 132" round or extra 6" all sides. Would that work better if sides are gathered in and tied with a gold sash similar to auntie_ellen's picture above?

Sounds lovely. You may need the extra yardage for the "cinching". Perhaps you could do some sort of mockup using a plastic tablecloth to get an idea?