Plan a Meaningful Going Away Party With These Ideas & Invitations

Pardon us while we get a little sentimental here, but there is no greater emotional conflict than sending — or receiving — a going away party invitation.

Whether it’s a family member, former roommate, or best friend moving away, it’s hard not to feel a bittersweet mix of sadness and love. You’re sad to see them go, but at the end of the day, you want what’s best for them as they start their next chapter. 

Goodbyes are hard — there’s no getting around that. But saying farewell can also be a time for a meaningful (and fun) celebration. A going away party can honor wonderful memories, express your love, and send off your loved one with well wishes. 

This guide will help you plan the perfect going away party. Whether it’s a send-off for college, a new job, a big move, or a fresh start in a new home, we’ll provide ideas for types of parties, thoughtful gifts, and perfect invitation designs.

4 Going Away Party Ideas to Send Them Off in Style 

The key to a great send-off? Choosing the perfect kind of party that suits the guest of honor’s personality, preferences, and style. 

Are they the casual, “I don’t want a party” type of person? Or are they a dinner and speeches type of person? Do they like surprises, or do they like to know all the details? 

Here are a few going away party ideas that will match different personalities and inspire your planning. 

1. Casual Backyard BBQ 

A relaxed BBQ going away party is a great way to bring people together and keep things casual. It’s perfect for a close circle of best friends and family, and depending on the space, it can also accommodate a larger group more comfortably than a typical reserved venue. 

Keep things simple by firing up the grill for hot dogs, brats, and burgers. Then, go potluck-style for the rest of the food, asking guests to bring a side dish or dessert. Set up picnic tables or blankets, and put up party decorations like string lights or DIY paper lanterns. 

Include fun and personal touches like putting out a jar or guest book where guests can drop in notes with favorite memories or well wishes. Party games and a photo booth to document your last hurrah together are a great way to tie the fiesta together. 

2. Formal Dinner Party

If you’re looking to plan something a bit more upscale and elegant, a formal dinner party is a wonderful way to celebrate. Perfect for coworkers, extended family, or close friends, this setting allows for a more intimate and warm gathering, allowing guests a chance to really talk and connect. 

Whether you choose to host at someone’s home or a private room at a restaurant or brewery, add a personalized touch, like a customized printed menu or a toast schedule, to really make the guest of honor feel special. 

3. Surprise Party 

A well-executed surprise party is a fun and often emotional way to show someone just how much they mean to you. Start by coming up with a perfect cover story — something casual and low-key to avoid them catching on.

When you send invites to the guest list, ensure they know to arrive early and that it’s a surprise. For an extra special touch, ask guests to send images and video clips of them with the guest of honor, and create a slideshow to share at the celebration. Have those who can’t attend in person record a special video message to include.

4. Packing Party

If your guest of honor is moving away, gather their closest friends to help them pack. This is a great party idea for someone who prefers smaller groups and more casual gatherings. It’s kind of like a housewarming party in reverse.

A packing party is a simple one to plan. You don’t need party supplies or decoration ideas. Instead, bring along boxes, bubble wrap, and newspapers. Order pizza, open a few bottles of wine, and enjoy chatting and reminiscing with each other while you pack up the guest of honor’s belongings. If you end up with a donation pile, offer to drop it off at Goodwill for them so they have one less thing on their to-do list.

Farewell Gift Ideas  

Giving a meaningful and considerate gift is a great way to say goodbye to someone and let them know how much they mean to you. It doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant — just something personal that captures your connection as they move onto their next chapter. Here are a few great farewell party gift ideas to consider: 

• Memory book, photo album, or framed photo 
• A framed map of the places you’ve been together 
• Travel essentials, such as luggage tags, a cozy travel pillow, or personalized passport holder
• A local-themed gift to remember where you met and shared memories
• Video montage of well wishes and memories
• Friendship bracelets 
• Personalized doormat or kitchen towel
• Custom mug or tumbler
• Gift card

6 Going Away Party Invitations

If you’re planning on saying goodbye to a family member, friend, or loved one, sending your going away party invitations is the next step to ensure everyone who should be there can save the date. Whether your get-together is casual, upscale, or somewhere in between, the right goodbye party invitation helps set the tone and gives guests a preview of what to expect. 

Check out these five online invitation designs that will be sure to help you gather family and friends for a final goodbye. 

1. Friendly Send Off Invitation

Design: Shari Margolin Design

Whether your guest of honor is crossing state lines or just moving into a new neighborhood, this cute and customizable invitation offers a fun, hopefully-not-final, farewell to friends and neighbors. With playful typography and space to highlight where they’re moving from and to, it’s the perfect way to turn goodbyes into good memories.

2. Final Farewell Invitation

Design: Shari Margolin Design

This beautiful farewell party invitation is a simple, yet elegant card for a going away party. A gold foil envelope, lined with a chevron gold design, encloses a dark teal invitation with coordinating gold font. 

The word “farewell” is written in cursive across the front of the invite with the party invitation wording written in white. Feel free to add any details about the party, including the date, time, and location on the bottom or back of the invitation.

3. Chic Luggage Invitation

Design: Kamala Nahas

Here’s what no one tells you about being an adult: It’s unrealistic to expect all of your friends to stay in one place forever. Eventually, your friends will move back to their hometowns, move on to bigger cities, or pursue their careers in different markets. 

And while social media and Google flights are great tools for keeping in touch, saying goodbye is always tough. To cherish your last few weeks together, send out this bon voyage invite for one last bash and to really capture the going away party theme.

4. All Aboard Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

There’s a number of reasons to say goodbye, not all of which have to do with moving cities. Sometimes, you say goodbye because a colleague retires or takes a job at a different firm. Other times, you may wish a friend good luck as they leave to attend grad school.

No matter why you’re wishing a friend farewell, this goodbye party invite is sure to wish them well on their next excursion. An illustrated, watercolor ship takes up the bulk of the design, so add fun copy to the invitation saying, “Bon voyage!” or “Wish (name) luck on her next voyage!” to friends and loved ones. Check out the next section for even more wording ideas!

5. Fly Away Invitation

Design: Shari Margolin Design

Is a loved one taking a hop across the pond? Or are they completely switching hemispheres? Whether your friend or loved one is moving to another state or another country, this going away party invitation will ensure you’ll see them one last time before they leave. Send it out to the entire gang for one last night of reflecting before the grand departure.

6. Bonne Journée Invitation

Design: Claudia Owen

There are a number of reasons to throw a going away party. This send-off invitation has a patriotic feel, allowing it to double as a military going away party invitation. On the front of the invitation card, write the details of the party, including the date and time, as well as when the guest of honor will be deployed.

Wording Ideas & Thoughtful Phrases for Customizing Your Invitation   

Once you have your design picked out, it’s time to craft the text that makes the event special and heartfelt. Whether your going away party is for a friend, a coworker, or a family member, the wording you use within your invitation should reflect both the tone of the celebration as well as the personality of the guest of honor. 

Whether you’re aiming for a lighthearted and fun or a heartfelt and sentimental send-off party, the right words can make your invitation feel personal and memorable. Not sure where to start? Here are a few wording ideas to help you capture the spirit of the farewell party: 

• Let’s toast to new beginnings! Join us as we send [Name] off in style! 
• Shhh! It’s a surprise! You’re invited to [Name]’s going away party! 
• Pack your suitcase 
 for one last hurrah with [Name] before they embark on their next adventure.
• Saying goodbye is hard — doing it together makes it a little easier. Come celebrate [Name]’s next chapter. 
• Let’s turn goodbyes into great memories at [Name]’s going away party.
• You’re invited! Let’s make [Name]’s last night with us one to remember!

If you’re looking for a thoughtful or catchy phrase to add to the invitation itself, try one of these: 

• One last hurrah
• A new journey begins
• Thanks for the memories
• It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later
• A new chapter opens 
• Off to new adventures  

Say “See You Later” Instead of Just “Goodbye”

We understand that throwing a going away party can stir up a lot of emotions — and that’s exactly why it’s worth doing. Gathering loved ones, reflecting on past memories, and sending someone off with love and laughter is the best way to say goodbye.

We want all of your attention and focus to be on sharing memories — not on playing host or hostess. So when it comes to your invitations, we take as much off your plate as possible by tracking RSVPs for you, making it easy to message your guests, and ensuring your invitations don’t get lost in the (snail) mail.

Choose from our wide variety of going away party invitations to find the template that matches your desired vibe.