NWR: Level of High School Graduation Formality?

I have my baby sister's high school graduation next weekend! She is graduating from the same high school I did, and ours was pretty formal in a theatre setting. I was assuming it would be the same, but that was a long time ago, so maybe things have changed?? Calling her tomorrow to confirm, based on your post!

That's weird. My high school graduation was held in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Mine was in an arena

That's strange. Ours was in the gym when my little brother and I both graduated, although I think they moved it outside to the football stadium after my brother graduated. Everyone had seats either in the gym or in the overflow room, and everyone dressed semi-formally.

My graduation was inside our school's indoor track. Definitely weird to have you bring your own chairs.

But yahoo!!! On the baby sis graduating!!! I would have sat on the ground for her too

Never heard of this. Could the school not afford chair rentals?

It was probably someone's idea they saw on Pinterest and ran with it.

I am the head of my sons decorating committee for grad next weekend. Basically I am supposed to tell the kids if their ideas will work or not. What it's come down to is "we want a photobooth". I'm sorry we could make one as there's not enough money in budget to hire a company"

Girl calls mom crying because they want one

Mom pays for it.

Ceilings draped, double archways. Anything the girls(I mean grads) want they get. So chances are someone thought picnic style would be awesome so your sitting on a blanket

@Susan M. It's not a poor school! The town isn't huge, but the people who live here are well off. They have professional lighting, audio/visual, and decorations. Everything close to the students looks formal except for the seating for guests.

@Robyn K.- we're definitely making the most of it! I kicked off my shoes and grabbed a Coke from the cooler

@Helena Handbasket- apparently this is how they've always done it. My fiance and his family graduated from here, too, and the past 6 years have been.like this

Ours was in a coliseum and everyone had to dress nice. No jeans or tees.

Ours was held in our gym where the basketball/volleyball games are. The parents/family sat in the bleachers, and there were rows of chairs in the middle with a stage for the graduates.

Did they at least warn people ahead of time to bring their own chairs?

I graduated in a cathedral (private school) and my brother is graduating hs at my colleges arena (which actually is the same place that I graduated from). Sitting in the grass seems so strange to me.

@AwkwardToBe- apparently everyone except me knew about it! The other familys showed up at 8am and staked out their seating preferences (with ACTUAL stakes) and at least one family set up a table and basically held a potluck. I'm having a good time and it's kind of fun definitely not stuffy!)

I'm just a little confused because it doesn't fit the vibe if the town! Haha

Yay baby!!!!

My graduation was held on our football field, but parents sat on bleachers. My brothers graduation this year was in the gym and parents sat on bleachers as well. In both situations everyone dressed up.

That does sound super informal. I'm from the north Chicago suburbs and my high-school graduation was at Northwestern in their basketball stadium. My college graduation was in our school's gymnasium, but I graduated from a small private college and my graduating class was less than 300, whereas my high school graduation was closer to 800.

She did it! Look at those fireworks!

(I think I found where the seating budget went! Haha)

Our high school graduation was pretty formal. Escorted in by the honor juniors in white gowns and tuxes, and bagpipe players wearing their kilts.

Seats for everyone. We do all hang out on the school front lawn after graduation for photos, and almost everyone is wearing business casual or better (depending on the heat level since we hang outside for a while usually).

This would seem really out of place to me

I went to Catholic Secondary school so our graduation ceremonies were held at the largest church in the city, and you could only have 3 members of your family attend. Our actual graduation dinner/dance was held at a banquet hall that is well known for weddings and other formal events. I graduated in 1995 and our grad tickets were $80.