Tips For Celebrating Prom Night At Home

As a parent to a teenager, we can bet that you’re so proud of your child for graduating high school…but also a little peeved about all of the missed memories—not to mention photo opps—that were put off due to this year’s interesting circumstances. But even though the year 2020 will go down as an anomaly, it’s not too late to throw your senior a backyard prom to remember! Our community at Stephens Valley hosted one this past month and we couldn’t be happier about how it turned out. If you need some ideas, take a look at some of our tips below!

Inform your neighbors first.

At Stephens Valley, we’re all about maintaining good, respectful communication between neighbors. Let your neighbors know of your plans for hosting a backyard prom party and if you can enlist their help, definitely give them tasks or ask about using their driveways for the overflow of vehicles. At the very least, you’re doing the neighborly thing of giving them advance notice to pack in the earplugs.

Take advantage of your outdoor space. 

On your outdoor table, use a neutral tablecloth, white place settings and simple centerpieces. Stringing bulbs over the table and from nearby trees will give a dreamy sophisticated look to your backyard. If you have the props already, you might also consider stringing an outdoor chandelier over the table.

Make tasty mocktails.

If you’re only hosting a few kids at the party, you can provide them with mocktails in fancy glasses. However, it may be easier to purchase cheap glasses at your local thrift or dollar store. We’d suggest using mason jars to add a bit of southern flare to your gathering! If you need mocktail ideas, consider:

  • Fake Champagne (optional: mix with pineapple juice)
  • Equal parts ginger ale and white grape juice
  • Shirley Temples

You may also want to rim your glasses with pop rocks candy and garnish your mocktails with cherries or frozen grapes!

“ZOOM in” those who can’t make it.

Every child deserves a prom night to remember, but some either have conditions or live with someone who has conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID-19. If that’s the case, make sure they feel included by ZOOMING them into the gathering. You can also use video chat to call-in out-of-town family members who 

Hire a photographer and/or videographer

Help your senior feel extra special by giving them Instagram-worthy memories to relive the evening for years and years to come. Take a look at the video we made for inspiration!