Top Ten Prom Themes

Christmas crackers on the table.

Prom is an event that students look forward to attending throughout the year, with the party giving everyone a chance to dress up and enjoy themselves after the stress of their exam season. When it comes to decorating for a prom event, then fun is the core principle; more elegant or formal décor can put a damper on a party planned for those still in school. Themes like disco, with the bright colours, glitter and upbeat soundtrack, or a masquerade ball, are iconic yet easy for students to prepare for. While some students will want new clothes for the event, such as a new dress that fits the theme, most people will be wearing outfits that they already own, or can borrow from a sibling, that will fit the theme.  

Holding prom events with a theme can give guests a steer on what to wear to the event, what the event will look like and can make planning a lot more streamlined once the students organising the event have an idea of what they want it to look like. Here at Salomons Estate we have been one of the venues of choice for school proms in Tunbridge Wells and are practiced at helping students plan a night to remember.

1. Disco

The psychedelic swirls, white suits and glitter of the disco scene translate fantastically into a prom party, with many enjoying the bright colours and sparkle that are often used as part of the décor for a disco theme. Disco is centred around dancing, and many of the songs that make up the classics of disco – such as the Bee Gees or Diana Ross – are instantly recognisable for most students.  

A disco theme will allow the students attending the prom to have fun with their costumes – the flares and other seventies fashion such as metallic fabric or lurid patterns can be great fun to play around with. 

2. Red Carpet Glamour

Creating a red carpet for students to pose on for photographs, as well as encouraging all the students to come in full glamour, can be great fun. A red carpet theme can be fantastic; asking students to come dressed as their favourite stars can be a great way to liven up the night, as rather than the prom king or queen, you can organise a best lookalike and best character costume competition.  

Other than the red carpet, some songs from popular Hollywood movies like the Star Wars track, or Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend can be a fantastic way to tie the dance to the theme of the night.  

3. Roaring Twenties

This is a fantastic decade to theme your prom around; the lavish parties thrown during the decade are infamous and may have made their way into the student’s history classes. The iconic fashions of the twenties such as the dropped waist silhouette of the dresses and feathered headdress create a wonderful prom look.  

Trying to emulate the glitz and glamour of the twenties is a difficult goal to accomplish, but golden streamers, feather decorations and gold and black balloons can go a long way towards making the theme come to life.  

4. Under The Sea

An Under the Sea theme is a very popular theme, as making the decorations needed to create the underwater look that you are attempting to achieve isn’t too difficult. Seashells, netting and driftwood make for great table centre pieces, and using blue lighting on the dance floor can create an eerie and beautiful underwater feel to the prom night.  

If you want to add some extra flair, projecting an ocean view (perhaps a series of films of a reef) on the wall can create a naturally stunning backdrop for your event. 

5. Black and White

A black and white themed prom is an elegant theme that is very simple to achieve. With black and white tablecloths, table centrepieces and décor quite simple to find. This theme also cuts down on the stress faced by the students attending, as most will own a black or white suit or dress that would be suitable for the event before the prom theme and date is set.  

If you want to emphasise the glamour of the night, then projecting old black and white films onto the wall while the prom is ongoing can create an interesting backdrop for the meal and dance.

8. Garden Party

Perfect for a summer celebration, using real or fake foliage to create an outdoors feel to your function room while indoors can help create a magical atmosphere for your event.  

Here at Salomons Estate we have extensive grounds and gardens that are open for guests to explore. With plenty of gorgeous foliage and secret corners, our incredible gardens are a great starting point for your Tunbridge Wells school prom event. 

9. Masquerade Ball

Originating during the Italian Renaissance, when elaborate parties were thrown by the Venice nobility in which all the guests would be masked in order to give attendants the freedom to act as they wished, the masquerade is a romantic and popular theme with masks making the event unusual. 

The tradition of wearing masks to a formal event is to allow those who are perhaps a little shy to dance and enjoy the prom without feeling self-conscious.   

9. 007 (James Bond)

James Bond is a pop culture icon, with incarnations of the spy appearing on our screens for decades. The smooth talking secret agent was originally a character in Ian Fleming’s book series of the same name. Played by a variety of actors from Roger Moore and Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, this is a theme which allows everyone to dress to the nines.  

Bringing in aspects of the films – or even having a showing of one of your favourite films – can ensure your prom goes off with a bang. 

10. Fire and Ice

A popular theme that can allow everyone to get creative, an ice and fire theme juxtaposes two elemental forces, with décor including blue and red that sharply contrast each other.  

Encouraging students to ‘pick a side’ and to arrive to the prom dressed in either red or blue can carry the theme into the fashion of the night as well. Those who best embody either fire or ice can be voted for at the end of the night.  

If you are arranging a school prom in Tunbridge Wells, then please contact us here. Salomons has a range of function rooms that are perfect for a Tunbridge Wells school prom event. If you contact our staff they will be delighted to let you know what Salomons Estate can offer for your school prom.  

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