Ideas for a Teen Prom Themed Birthday Party

For teens who can't get enough of formal dances, a prom-themed birthday party can be a fun way to dress up. A prom theme can work with any size of party, with girl guests or a combination of girls and boys. As you plan the party, keep in mind the elements that work together to create a memorable prom: dresses, party favors, music, dancing, entrances and photos.
Dress Code
To make your teenager's prom-themed party a fun and formal event, send out invitations that include a line about a dress code. You can simply say, "Dress: black tie," or include a more specific wording that follows a decade theme, such as "Guests are requested to come in '80s prom costumes." By ensuring that each girl wears a prom dress, the party will immediately feel more like a prom. In addition, the opportunity to get dressed up will be welcomed by teenage girls.
Party Favors
As each guest arrives at the party, hand out corsages or boutonnieres to complete the outfit. You can also look into traditional prom favors such as commemorative glasses, candles or picture frames. For an inexpensive, do-it-yourself project, buy a set of champagne glasses and use glass paint to inscribe the name of the birthday girl and date of the evening on each glass.
Entrances
At the start of the evening, create a mock "grand march." Lower the lights and have guests enter individually, in pairs or in groups to a song that represents the theme of the evening. To make the entrance more dramatic, you can line a door with Christmas lights, hang trailing ribbons to create a curtain, or make a balloon arch. Create an aisle for the march using Christmas lights or luminaries, and have each guest parade down the aisle for photos.
Music
One of the most important part of a prom-themed birthday party is the music. Before the party, work with your child to pick a mix of songs that will be appropriate for the guests. Choose modern dance songs, traditional oldies, and throw a few slow songs in if there will be boy-girl couples. Alternately, you can request that each guest bring a personal music player with a set of five dance songs to ensure a good mix of music during the evening.
Photos
To ensure that your teenager's birthday is memorable, play paparazzi and take photos throughout the evening. Set up a special area for individual, couple and group photos, and include props like crowns, inflatable pool toys and other elements to go along with the evening's theme. Put your camera on a tripod and take photos; afterward, put all of the photos on CDs for guests to take home.

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