If you’re in high school or your child is, then you’ve probably been surrounded by a lot of talk about prom and all of the expenses that come with it. Although, the dance is generally the highlight of the evening, a lot of students love to extend the party a little longer by hosting their own post-prom party or attending someone else’s. This can be pretty pricey, but only if you let it be! There’s lots of great tips to help you plan the perfect post-prom party that won’t just allow you to save a whole lot of money, but will also keep your child safe on one of the biggest nights of their high school experience. So, get ready to put in some elbow grease, as your post-prom party is sure to be all the rage without the high price.
1. Split the Cost
Keeping up with party expenses can be a huge burden, especially if you plan on going all out on the party. Although keeping your budget frugal is important, you still may feel the urge to splurge a bit to ensure your student has the best party ever. One way to help make the cost bearable is to ask other people to pitch in. Perhaps, you can send an email to all of the parents of your child’s friends. After explaining your plans for the part, you should ask if anyone would like to jump on board with your party. This will allow you to work with a greater budget and it will make the memory more special to your child, as they will also have a chance to experience such a celebration with their friends. Of course, you will have to lay down some ground rules so there will be no fighting over the party or the finances.
2. Host a Movie Night
After a night of dancing, a lot of students are probably going to be ready to kick back and relax. So, a movie night might be the perfect solution to your post-prom party dilemma. Creating a movie night for your child and their friends can be easier than you think. You may want to rent a few of the classic high school films to help the students feel nostalgic about their high school experience. Movie snacks are fairly inexpensive too and will eliminate the pricey after dance dinner that a lot of students plan for the evening. If the party is a hit, you can even have kids stop by with their pajamas, so it can easily turn into a slumber party. This will help save damage to rentals, while also preserving the girls’ beautiful dresses for a later date.
3. Bring Out the Games
When it comes down to it, teenagers are an easy group to entertain, so you shouldn’t have to spend a small fortune on your party budget. The easiest way to make a party great is to pull out the games. Board games are an easy option and may become more of a hit than you think. Some of the classics like Monopoly are too much to resist, even for teens who are trying to feel cool. You may also want to look into more action packed games like Pictionary, charades, humor games or even the creepy classic, Ouija. Video games are another major option that most teens will gravitate towards. Games involving singing, dancing or playing an instrument tend to draw in the crowd and can allow multiple guests to play at once. You may even organize a gaming competition, especially if you have sports games lying around the house.
4. DIY Snacks
Food is probably going to be on the mind of most of the guests who walk through the door. Let’s face it, often proms just don’t organize well enough in the food department, especially when it comes to growing teens. So, after an evening of dancing you may want to be prepared for the students to chow down on just about anything you have in the home. Thus, it may be wise to come up with a few ideas to help keep them full and satisfied. Making your own snacks is always one of the best available options. You may want come up with items that are filling, but are still finger food. Meatballs, for instance, are a cheap item you can make that should be a hit. You may also want to consider nachos, vegetables with dips and fruit. Of course, cookies, cupcakes and other homemade sweets are usually a plus when it comes to these parties too. Another option is to set up supplies for personal pizzas, tacos, burritos or sandwiches. The guests will love making their own food and you won’t have any complaints about diet restrictions.
5. Host a Fashion Show
Although everyone will probably have a brief chance to admire one another’s attire, most of prom is designed for dancing and mingling. So, rather than let everyone’s great attire go to waste, invite everyone over for a fashion show after the dance. You can set up simple snacks and drinks as well as a cat walk and free streaming music to help make the party feel authentic. The students can create cards for their announcement and you can even have someone taking photos to make everyone feel like the super star they are. This will allow students to feel confident about the clothing they chose, while keeping them entertained for the rest of the night. This party will especially strike the interest of the girls in the group as many spend weeks, if not months, trying to figure out which dress they will wear on their special night.
6. Utilize a Bowling Alley
If you’re looking for a cheap venue that’s going to allow you to stay late, then a bowling alley is actually one of your few options. Of course, it is a great place to allow your child and their friends to enjoy the rest of their special night. Bowling alleys will usually strike up a deal with you for larger parties, so make sure to look around to see if one of your local bowling alleys will offer you an unforgettable deal. Bowling alleys are easy places to host too, because it will reassure parents their children will be safe while they are in your care. Generally, bowling alleys will also offer a small arcade for students who may want to skip out on the bowling portion of the celebration. The food there is generally inexpensive too, so students could purchase their own snacks or you can see if you can make a party deal with the food court.
7. Host a Bonfire
One way to really make an impression for a post prom party is to host a bonfire. This can be one of the trickiest parties to host, because you will need to find a safe place to have it. You will also need to brush up on fire rules, so you can prevent an accident. Make sure, before you begin to put this plan into action that you figure out if you need a permit to host such an event, and if so how you should go about getting it. After you have all of the legal aspects squared away, then call around and ask friends and family if they have any spare winter wood they wouldn’t mind donating to the celebration. At the party, you can set up cheap snacks like ingredients for s’mores or hot dogs. Students who play instruments should be encouraged to bring their instruments along. You should also spark conversations among the students. For instance, you may start a round of topics like future plans, favorite high school memories and what they thought of their prom.
8. Pajama Party
After the big night is over with your student’s date, invite the girls over for a slumber party. This will allow them to get out of their fancy clothes, which will ensure they won’t be damaged throughout the night. You can easily host games likes pillow fights and the guests can share their prom experience. Snacks for this occasion can be quite simple too, especially as your party will take place when the energy of the night begins to wind down. You may want to consider sliced fruits, simple cookies or even just a bag of chips and a special dip. If the guest list is looking low, then it may be wise to call in a pizza or two. Of course, since the night will be all about glamour and beauty, you may want to consider adding sliced cucumbers for the girls’ eyes or whipping up a homemade facial mask. In the morning, you can easily create a waffle bar for next to nothing.
9. Follow Classmates
Of course, hosting your own party doesn’t have to be the only option here. You may want to see what other students have planned for the big night. If there’s other parties on the horizon then check out how the parents plan on handling the party, to ensure your child will be safe and sound on such a dangerous night. If a close friend is hosting the party then you may want to ask if you can help chaperon, so you can put your mind to rest and help keep your student’s night become a dream come true. You may also want to serve as a chauffeur to help your student get from the party to a nice restaurant, rather than worrying about party hopping or your student running around town late at night. With other students around, your child should be able to have a blast for next to nothing.
10. Stay at School
A lot of schools offer an after party at the school now, to help prevent accidents from happening on prom night. Generally, tickets to this event don’t cost an arm and a leg, so your student can still socialize on your budget. The parties sometimes last overnight, which can be a fun experience for the prom attendees. You also won’t have to worry about what your student is doing while they’re at the party as many teacher and parents will be there to chaperon. You can even do this yourself, if the party is weighing heavy on your mind. The after prom party usually takes care of food, beverages and games too so you won’t have to stress any further than the normal prom expenses. This can be one of the best parties to help with school spirit while allowing your student to hang out with friends before the stress of finals and moving away to college arrives.
Spending money on a post-prom party can be worrisome if you’re on a tight budget, but these ten tips should help you plan a bash that your student will remember for years to come. Even if you don’t end up choosing to throw your own party, the tips should help lead you in the right direction when it comes to ensuring your student is in good hands on their big night.
