Choosing your prom venue

Choosing your prom venue

With prom season coming soon, schools and PTAs everywhere are looking for the perfect venue to hold their proms. Different people have different budgets, and it’s a given that the bigger schools are able to get the better venues. Hotel ballrooms are the venue of choice, but there are alternative places in which you can set up a well-attended party worthy of being called the Prom Of The Year.

High school or municipal gymnasiums
These places have their drawbacks. First, they tend to be cramped, and the bleachers tend to get in the way. There’s also the danger of scuffing the floor. I went to my high school prom a few years ago, and for a week afterward, basketball players kept on slipping during games. The following year, the prom committee covered the place with carpets and tarpaulins. The tactic worked until it was time to dance. The organizers forgot to leave space for dancing and some partygoers ended up with carpet burns.
The advantage of holding your prom in the local gymnasium is that it’s either free or very cheap. You just have to pay the maintenance crew and electricians a bit extra since they’re working overtime. You also have the opportunity to decorate the place using the theme of your choice.

Private houses
For this option, you need to have a classmate who has a house big enough to accommodate your class. A swimming pool should be all right, though it’s not cool to dump in people in the middle of the party. You may use the pool as a centerpiece – you can use balloons and floodlights of different colors. You can decorate the place as you want as well, as long as the owners of the place agree to it.

Of course, you should be sure that you’ve gotten permission from the owners of the house where you plan to hold your prom. Nothing gets parents more angry than arriving from a tiring workday and seeing a lot of unruly young people horsing around. Make sure, then, that your classmates are well-behaved. Leaving the place totally trashed after the party does not speak well of how your school and parents brought you up. There is also the issue of dealing with neighbors – if you plan to hire a band, the neighbors should be notified well in advance so that they can put up sound-reducing barriers at their windows.

Village or country clubhouses
If you know someone who happens to have a membership at one of these clubs, you’re in luck. Clubhouses are the next best thing after hotels. For one, you have the option of having the prom catered by the clubhouse’s in-house chefs. Security is also tight as these places are usually frequented by VIPs. They are also well-maintained and facilities are excellent. The only catch, though, is that you usually need to be a member to use the facilities. If you do not know any member, you may have to shell out a hefty amount for venue rental. However, it’s all worth it as you will have the place all to yourselves.