On your mark. Get set. Go Prom! You’ve put in some serious work to get to this point. You should be proud of yourselves. Your parents are proud of you, though I’m sure some parents are thunderstruck (they’ve) you’ve survived high school. Almost, right? All jokes set aside. The most important night of your high school career is quickly approaching, so why not make it an unforgettable one, yes? Here are 7 tips to get you started on planning for the perfect prom.

1. Recruit Some Troops

Stress free is the way to be! Do yourself a favor and find enthusiastic and reliable people to help you throughout this planning operation. Choose a leader among you all who will oversee the entire process to make sure things run as smooth as possible. Who in the crew has the best leadership skills? This works best if the ego is checked in at the door. Create a contact list with the contact information of the planning crew. Make sure everyone gets a copy.

2. Create a Checklist

This one is a no brainer. Create a list of everything that needs to get done before the big night. Revisit this list as often as possible and find joy in crossing off the things that are done. This is important, for it will build confidence as well as momentum.

3. Create the “Budge”

Be sure to run through every detail when creating the budget for your special night. Where is the money coming from? How much can you spend? Most likely, you will have to come back and tweak things a little, but do your best to stick to the budget. Having a little wiggle room is important for the unexpected expenses. Remember that venue and entertainment are the most important aspects of the night. Be sure to budget around that.

4. Pick A Venue

Before actually picking the venue, it would be great idea to connect with nearby schools in your vicinity to make sure their dates for prom don’t conflict with yours. The last thing we want is to be limited on the venue and entertainment availability because of conflicting dates. You probably want to have a date in mind before

choosing the venue. After you have your date locked in, begin the search for a venue.

You want to find out some specific things during your search. For instance, can the venue accommodate the size of your class attendees? Does the price fit with your budget? Most importantly, does the date of your prom work with the venue? You will have an idea of this because you will have connected with other schools prior to picking the venue, but you want to be 100% sure. Some schools use their gyms for proms, so that is an option that might be available to you, and this of course would open up your budget for other important things like entertainment and photography.

5. Choose A Theme

Be creative! Don’t be afraid to travel outside of the box on this one. There are all types of ideas for prom themes out there like ballroom, casino, masquerade, Paris themes and so much more. After you and the team have gotten it narrowed down to a few themes, feel free to get the students involved by asking them to vote on a theme. This will take some stress off your plate, as well as make your class feel good about being a part of the decision process.

NEED A DJ FOR PROM?

Explore how we can best serve you.

LEARN MORE

6. Music, Music and Music

Proms can be a whole lot of fun. Make no mistake though, people want to “get down.” Dancing is what will make the night the most memorable. Be sure to set aside a hefty part of your budget for the band or the DJ. If you think about it, this is the last hoorah together as a class before people go their separate ways. Why not leave it all out there on the dance floor, right? Do not try to cut corners when choosing a band or DJ. Go professional all the way! DJ’s provide so many options to choose from other than music. For instance, many provide uplighting that will enhance your theme and decorations. Many actually provide photo booths and Selfie Photo Mirrors to add an extra splash of fun to your night as well.

7. Choose A Photographer

What is a prom without a professional photographer to capture the night? A boring one. You’ve likely dropped some serious dough on dresses and tuxedos. Not to mention, you have a superstar up-do that needs to be documented! Professional photography will only add to your golden era memories in such a way nothing else can. Photographers may also provide photo booths. Make sure they are available for the date of your prom. Again, like music, do your best to not cut any corners with this one.

Of course, there are many other things to take care of in planning for a prom like

drinks, snacks, chaperones, tickets, etc., but these tips are the most important and will get the ball rolling in the direction you desire most–forward.

Written by: Positively James