Prom is the ultimate end to four long, exciting and fun years of high school. It marks the end of an era, leading up to one of the most important days of your life – high school graduation.
For many, prom is the first glamorous event they will attend, allowing them to get dressed up and take on a new and exciting persona, even if it’s just for one night. With all these things in mind, planning the perfect prom comes with a lot of pressure. However, with the right mix, you can put together a memorable event that will stay with all of you for many years to come.
Here are our top tips on planning the perfect prom!
Prom Committee
A prom committee is a group of at least ten people who will make the evening happen. They will have to be responsible and enthusiastic, willing to take on the extra work on top of their studies. Social people who understand what it will take to keep the party hopping, in hand with a good mix of highly organized students will make a well-balanced team of prom planners.
The committee’s job is to raise funds, take on all aspects of planning, whether it is working with the Vaughan prom venue, decorating, fundraising or booking entertainment. They will work together and, in many cases, have to put in long hours to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Make it Inclusive
Make sure your prom is inclusive, so everyone feels welcome. Don’t turn away people who wish to be included in the planning. The more, the merrier and diverse the ideas will become.
Don’t forget that not everyone can afford a prom, whether buying a ticket or fancy new clothes. Making formal dress optional can help those without funds attend, but you can also consider selling used prom dresses on a social media page as well. Use an eco-friendly angle, so people without funds aren’t centred out, but instead can also be buying under the guise of reusing.
Bringing a date should never be a requirement. Everyone has a right to attend their graduating class prom! And when it comes to dates, all couples should be welcome.
In the spirit of inclusivity, don’t just crown a queen and king. Instead, come up with a long list of awards that will include more people such as “Most Likely to” awards or awards that honour important personality traits such as kindness, humour and diplomacy.
Last but not least, ensure your venue is completely accessible for those with mobility issues.
Pick a Memorable Theme
Choosing a theme begins with some basic ideas to get the conversation started. You can then narrow the list down to three solid ideas that are going to entertain, provide inspiration for décor, and resonate with grads. You can then run a survey so everyone in the graduating class can vote on their favourite.
Some prom theme go-to ideas include:
-
Fire and ice
This is a great idea just based on the décor alone. It’s also something that allows people to get inspired for their gowns and tuxes — choosing silvers, blues, turquoise, and whites for ice; and reds, oranges, burgundies, yellows, golds and magenta for fire.
-
Around the world
Either choose a specific city for romance like Venice or Paris or use the entire globe for inspiration.
-
The best decades
Whether it is the glam of The Great Gatsby’s roaring ’20s, the dance fever of the 70’s disco years, the big hair and shoulder pads of the ’80s, or the groovy vibes of the ’60s, the decades with the most fun always work well.
-
Hollywood glam
The red carpet treatment is ideal for this highly glamorous night, with everyone rocking their Oscar-worthy gowns and tuxedos. From golden Oscar cut-outs to a place to pose on the red carpet, this idea is a no brainer to help everyone get in the mood.
With the right theme chosen, everything else will begin to fall into place.
Choose a Venue
Although the theme is your inspiration, the prom venue Vaughan students choose will set the tone for the entire evening. From the entranceway to the food, and the location to the service, you want a venue that will make the ideal backdrop for your prom.
You need a space that is welcoming, offers food everyone will love and, most of all that will make everyone feel special.
Prom venues need some dramatic features such as winding staircases, pretty gardens or fireplaces, where people can take excellent pictures. A party space that will not be interrupted with other events going on will also keep it more private.
Raise Funds
This begins with selling tickets to the event; however, you can’t charge too much, or no one will be able to afford to come! To cover all of your expenses, you will have to hold some other fund-raising events. You can ask for sponsors from local businesses, hold a bake sale, or throw an event or two such as pyjama day, funniest t-shirt day or bad hair day.
Food and Drinks
Your menu should reflect the elegance of the evening and introduce your guests to an enticing dinner they will feel was worth the money they spent. A prom venue students will appreciate will offer a sit-down meal.
Remember, everyone will be dressed up in their finest clothes, and let’s not forget those heels for the ladies. That means standing in line at a buffet and having to carry food to the table is not going to be fun.
Have a mocktail designed to make the party a little more elegant. Choose a clever look and name inspired by your theme. Of course, the budget will have to be considered, and most venues will charge per person.
Remember inclusivity and make sure there is a vegan option, and other potential diet issues such as allergies are managed carefully by the caterers.
Keep Things Safe
Have some students, parents and teachers involved to address any safety issues. From drug and alcohol use to getting everyone home safely, there should be some plans in place to ensure prom night is safe.
Communicate restrictions clearly, so students understand the consequences of unsafe behaviour. Consider having some “on-call” drivers — such as parent volunteers — who can assist should the need arise.
Send out a parent newsletter so parents are aware of what is happening for prom, where it will be, timing and safety precautions in place to keep them in the loop.
It just takes proper planning to ensure your prom night is a success. Chateau Le Jardin is the prom venue that Vaughan students have depended on for many years. Our team of event planners is ready to help.
For more tips on planning the perfect prom, call Chateau le Jarin at 1-888-517-0682 or contact us here.
