You’re on your way to enjoying a fantastic Prom.
Prom: A Night to Remember
Oh, Prom. This event marks the conclusion of a chapter of a teen’s life. For most, it’s the
highlight of their high school career, so it is important that you make the night special for them
as well. Here are some tips from us here at Gig Salad for throwing a perfect Prom.
Make It Memorable
Every prom has a theme; this theme is usually voted on by the students well in advance
before the Prom date. It is essential to base the decorations and music around the theme. This sets the tone for
the remainder of the evening. Use balloon decor to have color coordinated columns and archways. If the theme
is 60’s Disco, have a disco ball hanging from the ceiling; for a Hollywood theme, have stars
adorning the walls and hanging from the ceiling. You get the idea. To give the decor a personal
touch, put the couples’ names on some sort of wall item. For example, going back to the
Hollywood theme, you could put each couple on a star that they can take home with them as a
souvenir for the evening.
The venue you choose to have Prom depends on the number of people who will be
in attendance. Usually, Prom is held somewhere else besides the school gym. Viable
options include convention centers, banquet halls, or hotel ballrooms. It wouldn’t be
prom without pictures. Have a photographer set up at the entrance to the event. The backdrop for the photos should revolve
around the theme of the Prom. These pictures will serve as great keepsakes. You could also
set up a Photo Booth
at the Prom. This will let everyone take some fun pictures while there without having to worry
about carrying a camera around with them.
Stayin’ Alive! Stayin’ Alive!
It’s up to you whether you want to serve a meal at your Prom or not. For larger schools,
it may be out of budget to provide a meal for all the attendees. If you are having the event at
a hotel banquet hall, they might have a reasonable in-house catering deal. If not, you could
always bring in your own caterer.
Also, the food won’t serve itself! Hire a waitstaff to take care of everyone for the evening. The waitstaff can also help
clean up after the meal and help tear down the decorations afterwards.
One of the most important and vital aspects of the evening is the music! You need to first
decide whether you want a band or a DJ. If budget is an issue, one isn’t always necessarily
cheaper than the other. You need to decide what type of music you want in advance and
then shop around for the best deal. DJs tend to offer more of a variety and often come with lighting systems. They can
also add any song that you want - for example one the goes along with your theme - with
the click of a mouse. Bands are fun and
can interact with the crowd. A benefit of a band is that it can be tailored to fit your theme.
For a 60’s or 80’s theme, you could hire a disco band or classic rock band, respectively. If you just want a fun mix of music, a party band or Top 40 band are always solid choices. If the DJ or band
doesn’t provides lights, you can hire a lighting company to do that aspect of the evening.
After Prom Party
One event that almost every school holds is an After Prom. This event encourages students not to drink or
participate in other inappropriate activities post-Prom. This event can be held at the school gym
or in the venue where you held prom, and it always has some sort of entertainment. These
performers can range from caricaturists
and face painters to hypnotists and comedians. These entertainers will need to be interactive and intriguing
enough to keep the groups’ attention. Entertainment alone may not be enough to encourage
students to attend After Prom.
Nothing speaks better to teens than winning stuff! Get some local businesses to sponsor
After Prom and donate items that are to be raffled off or given away as prizes. You could come
up with some fun interactive games where the winner gets one of the prizes or you can raffle
away some of the top prizes. Having a game or competition keeps the students involved, and if
you get nice enough prizes, it will encourage more students to participate in After Prom.
Prom is a memorable event so make sure you do everything you can to make it one! If this
all seems like too much or if you have a lot of students to accommodate, hire an event planner to help you with the
details. If you need any help booking entertainment or vendors, look no further than Gig Salad
for all your Prom and After Prom needs!
