Planning your Prom Committees

To set your Prom up for success, make sure you have the right Prom committees set up. One big committee works for some schools, but dividing your Prom committee into these smaller committees may make it easier to get all the work done. Here is a list of Prom committees you may want to consider. Keep in mind that you don’t need them all, just choose the ones that are right for you. You may also be able to combine some of them.

Budget Committee
Responsible for: managing and monitoring the budget. This team should work closely with the rest of your committees to make sure you have enough funding for the event. They should work especially close with the Fundraising committee.

Fundraising Committee
Responsible for: creating and managing fundraisers throughout the school year to fund your Prom.

Venue Committee
Responsible for: finding possible venues and locations for your Prom. They should bring the final selections to the large group for the vote.

Volunteer/Staffing Committee
Responsible for: making sure there are volunteers, staff and chaperons for your entire Prom. They’ll need to organize shifts and get contact info for all volunteers.

Decorating Committee
Responsible for: coming up with possible Prom themes, which may include surveying students to get ideas, and then bringing the theme ideas to the large group for a vote. Once the theme is selected they’ll need to order the theme and decorations and they will be responsible for setting it up and taking it down. They’ll also need to choose decorations for the entire Prom including decorations for the grand march, tables, photography area, entrances, ceilings and walls.

Food Committee
Responsible for: choosing the food and beverages for the event including and ordering and organizing, they’ll need to work closely with the ticket committee to make sure they have a final RSVP count before placing the order. They should also create a plan with what to do with the leftover food and beverages at the end of the night.

Entertainment Committee
Responsible for: finding a DJ, band or other entertainment. Making sure there is a master of ceremonies and giving them a script of announcements to make, including announcing the royalty court. They’ll be responsible for the overall flow of the event and making sure the evening’s program is followed.

Publicity Committee
Responsible for: promoting the Prom, royalty voting and fundraising events. This could include creating posters or banners, running ads in the school paper, sending emails out or making announcements over the PA.

Favor/Prize Committee
Responsible for: getting favors for attendees, chaperones and volunteers. This may include soliciting big prize donations, choosing and ordering favors and writing thank you notes to volunteers.

Invitations/Tickets Committee
Responsible for: ordering invitations and tickets, setting up ticket sales booths, selling tickets and collecting RSVPs.

Royalty Committee
Responsible for: determining how and when voting will occurring, setting up voting booths, tallying votes, announcing the nominees, choosing the winners from the final tally and ordering royalty items like sashes, tiaras and crowns.

There are several resources on the web where you can find free Prom planning materials.