How To Organise A Successful Prom Night
10 January 2022
Year 11 and Sixth form leavers proms have become a yearly occurrence and intertwined itself into the memories of school life within the UK; students will remember their prom for the rest of their lives. Whilst it’s no easy feat to organise an event for 100+ students, it is essential to get it right. As a popular and experienced venue for school proms and events, we have decided to create a guide to making the best school prom.
Volunteers/Prom Committee
The first thing you need to do, ideally six months before, is set up a group of volunteers and establish a prom committee its ideal to make this full of students and get their input since they will be attending. This prom committee will help organise different aspects of the night, which we will discuss later in this blog.
Venues
The next thing you will need to think about is the venue. There are essential factors to consider when choosing the perfect venue these are:
- Cost
- Location
- Size
- Insurance
- Licences, e.g. alcohol (for the sixth-form proms)
- Packages
Venues will have different offerings; some will only offer room hire. However, other venues will offer packages including entertainment, food and drink. For example, our venue provides a prom package that includes event room hire, mojito mocktail arrival drinks, 6 item buffet or two-course meal, DJ & dancefloor and a private bar for £25 per person.
You may also want to make sure that the venue has a nice entrance for your students to arrive since parents will be taking pictures. At Mercure Hull, we have a private entrance and a rear car park having easy access for a variety of vehicles.
Entertainment
There is a wide range of options when it comes to entertainment. The most popular choice is a DJ who can offer a wide range of music, from the classics to the more recent hits. Other options like live bands are also available, but the price can vary. Some venues, like us, have a recommended DJ who can make the organisation a lot easier.
Theme & Decorations
The prom dress code is smart, so it is essential to make this known to anyone attending. Whilst the dress code is already chosen for you, you can have a little fun with the theme. Some of the best themes we have seen are:
- The Great Gatsby
- Winter Wonderland
- Under the Sea
- The Masquerade Ball
There are lots to choose from you can be as adventurous as you like. Here is a list of 50 different themes to choose from.
Food & Drink
With a prom, people usually expect food to be included in the ticket, whether this is a buffet or a sit-down 2-course meal. Both are acceptable.
It usually works that attendees pay for their drinks on the day when it comes to drinks. For sixth-form proms, where there will be 18 years olds, you have a choice of whether or not alcohol will be served. Our hotel has the licence to sell alcohol on the property, which you will need to check with your venue.
Photographer
Whilst not essential, it is nice to have a photographer who can capture the last moments of your student’s school life together before going their separate ways. We would suggest using google to research local photographers who will only charge your students a small amount.
If you want an alternative, maybe look at getting a photobooth which brings a bit of fun. Many companies rent photo booths for the day and could work out cheaper for your students.
Tickets
You will need to work out the price of the ticket based on the cost of all the decisions made above and the number of your students attending.
Rules
The rules are up to you, but you must make known to the students attending any rules you do have.
If you’re looking for a venue in Hull call us on 01482 272 763 or email us at events@mercurehull.co.uk
