The name PROM comes from traditions stemming back to the late nineteenth century, where a new tradition of promenade ball evolved from the tradition of the graduation ball.

Whether a young man wears a boutonniere on a nice suit or tuxedo or a young lady wears a corsage on her wrist setting off a nice dress or formal gown, the high school prom | junior – senior prom is a widely anticipated community event where young men and women experience their first semi-formal to formal evening of presentation, dinner and dancing near the end of the school year. It’s a magical time of transition when teens begin to embrace the unknown adult roles they are stepping into and where seniors high school students realize that this is the last big get-together with their friends and school mates.

Planning a successful prom requires some hard work, however, following a few simple steps can turn awful into awesome.

Step 1: START WITH A GREAT PROM ADVISOR.

This needs to be a person who’s willing to embrace change rather than stuck on tradition of “what’s always been done.” The prom advisor needs to be in touch with the students with the ability to motivate and guide the prom committee in the planning process. The prom advisor need to be responsible and follow-up with “time sensitive” deadlines to ensure that you DO NOT lose your room reservation, entertainment or prom related orders. The prom advisor need to understand what the students want and help them understand what the costs are and what fundraising needs to be done to make prom dreams become prom realities.
 
 

Step 2: ASSEMBLE A GREAT PROM COMMITTEE!

“Many hands make light work.” – John Heywood
It takes self starters and highly motivated people to make prom a success. Nothing takes care of itself! The more elaborate the prom becomes, the more funds need to be raised to cover costs. Meet regularly and often and insist that ideas, deadlines and checklists are adhered to, so that your prom is the one you want to attend. In some cases, smaller schools may choose to combine two or three PROMS into one larger Prom Cooperative to defray costs. It can be a great way to meet new people and build new friendships.

Step 3: DECIDE ON A PROM THEME AND LOCATION.

Without a prom location you may not have anywhere to place your prom theme decorations or prom attendees. If you’re planning on holding your prom event off school campus make sure you reserve your prom location early, put your money down and get your reservation in writing. You may want to consider bussing everyone to the prom location if parking is an issue.

Step 4: DON’T SABOTAGE YOUR PROM OVER STICKER SHOCK.

FOCUS on fundraising. As a courtesy make sure you leave enough “seed money” or “start up capital” for next years Prom Committee. It all comes down to price per head. Gather ideas and prices from reputable prom companies to figure out what your “all in” budget goal might be. Take that budget goal and divide it by the least number of students that you think may attend and raise the funds needed to meet your goal. 100 people at $25ea gives a budget of $2,500 to work with whereas 1,000 students at $25ea offers a budget of $25,000 to work with. When you break it down, it’s not much more than dinner, two movies tickets, popcorn and pops per person. If you still find that your budget is outpacing your ticket funds, there are several corporate sponsors that make good will donations. All it takes is a phone call…

Step 5: KEEP THINGS SUCCESSFUL AND IN PERSEPCTIVE.

Getting caught up in the excitement of prom planning can leave many students feeling alienated. Prom is everyone’s dance, not just the elite. If you plan a prom that is priced beyond the average student means, you may find yourself funding 100% of the cost with a handful of people. Prom needs 4 ingredients to be successful.

Prom needs to be:
FUN
AFFORDABLE
FILLED WITH STUDENTS
MEMORABLE

Step 6: FIND THE RIGHT ENTERTAINMENT.

Decide whether you want a DJ or a Band. Hiring a cheap DJ or Band will almost always clear the room making all your time and hard work a waste of time. Find a DJ or Band that is familiar with your schools music tastes and willing to work with requests. Ask for photos or view websites to get an idea of the DJ or Bands capabilities. Make sure you audition ALL LIVE BANDS before you hire them. Get playlists, performance guarantees and contracts in writing! Also check school administration rules concerning background checks and drug testing of performers. Only hire entertainment that is registered with the Secretary of State or State Tax Department to further ensure you are dealing with a reputable prom company.

Step 7: MAKE PROM THE ONLY PARTY!

Students that make alternate party plans to prom have a way of growing socially by viral marketing. No matter how alluring these alternate party plans may appear, they are competing directly with your PROM and are undoing all your hard work of planning, fundraising and decorating. There will always be another night for another party but PROM only happens once a year. Don’t let someone take your fun filled magical night away from you.

Here are some great prom ideas and traditions to get you started:

Prom Theme Ideas
Prom Theme Songs

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