The key to a great Prom….
The key to a great Prom (besides having the right date) is to plan ahead. Dresses or tuxes. Flowers. Dinner reservations. After-prom events. There are a lot of details to take care of. And since most seniors attend prom events with other couples – there’s a lot of people to coordinate with.

Starting early is your key to loads of stress-free fun. Start your planning with these helpful hints:

• Where to start: Not sure what prom involves? How do you make prom a fun and memorable night? Start your research at www.promspot.com. PromSpot is the one-stop prom and party site for today’s teens. It contains hundreds of savvy articles & fun quizzes on all things prom-related, from style to dating to last-minute emergencies It also includes great tools that help you find the perfect dress, plan the ultimate prom party and make sure you’re prepared for any prom situation. Though the site is geared more toward teen girls, senior boys will also find the site a helpful starting point.
• Tanning and salon appointment: Don’t wait until the last minute to make appointments.
• Prom dresses: Save money by borrowing a dress from a friend, or check out the consignment shops.
• Flowers: Don’t forget flowers – a corsage for girls and boutonniere for boys – for your date. Flowers should match the girls dress. Order your flowers right away – don’t wait until the last minute. Boys, remember wrist corsages are a great option with most strapless dresses.
• Celebrating with friends: There’s usually quite a bit of activities surrounding a prom. Start finalizing what couples you will be going with – going with a group is a great way to increase the fun quotient. Make plans early so that everyone – including parents – knows what’s happening and when on the big day.
• Recording the big day: Parents, have plenty of film on hand – you’ll want to capture this moment for your senior in video and photos. Send a disposable camera along with your senior to catch some “action” shots of the prom activities. Seniors will love the memorabilia of their last high school celebration.

Before and After Prom Parties
To avoid drinking and driving, many families plan and host before and after parties for their seniors. To make the event even more fun, parents can co-host a party with the parents of your senior’s friends. Here are some suggestions:

• Fun and safe events: Jostens is proud to support Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in their effort to provide fun, safe, alcohol-free prom events. Check out www.buzzfreeprom.com to see how you and your high school can get involved.
• Start your planning at www.party411.com – a great one-stop resource for anyone who is planning a party. It's a fast, easy and convenient way to plan something memorable right down to the very last detail.
• If your plans are for an outdoor party, be sure to have a back up in case of bad weather.
• Before parties might include hors d’oeuvres and fancy non-alcoholic drinks served in your best glassware.
• Be sure to have plenty of film on hand (both still and video) and think about a good spot to take photos.
• In addition to photographing the couple, take photos of just the girls and just the guys. Often they are more valuable later when people would rather forget their date, but love their friends.
• Parents: Give the kids enough privacy to enjoy themselves, but don’t go out for the evening. Going over to the neighbors is a great way to give the kids privacy, but they know parents may be home at any minute.
• Be sure to have a guest list; no one wants the entire class showing up thinking it’s an open party.
• Seniors: Drop off the cars and take a limo or bus to the dance. It’s a great way to keep everyone together and safe.
• Rent videos, or for something more exciting, a hot tub, or air trampoline.
• Have lots of snacks on hand. Order a late night pizza to be delivered before the pizza place closes, or make your own when seniors return.
• If guests plan to spend the night, have them drop off an overnight bag before the prom.
• Establish an ending time to the party.
• Serve breakfast.
• Take the car keys away from the guests, if they are spending the night.
• Have all of the guests sign waivers that state “I will not drink alcohol before, during or after the prom.” Make the parents sign it too.
• Consider searching the yard to make sure no one has hidden any alcohol. This may seem extreme, but we have heard of kids hiding alcohol.