Prom Planning Advice!

Photo Credits: Lily Xie

The media below contains the opinion of an individual student and therefore does not represent or speak to the values of Vestavia Hills High School and Vestavia Hills City Schools.

Even though we’ve experienced of Vestavia’s coldest weather recently, many juniors and seniors at VHHS are already looking forward to a classic spring tradition: prom! From setting up groups to finding the dress, booking restaurant reservations to planning afterparties, a lot goes into making this a night to remember.

As a current junior, I was curious about what I should know for planning this special event. Hence, I asked some Vestavia seniors about what they think, and I’m here to share their suggestions with you! Keep reading for info on picture-taking spots, best places for prom dinners, and more!

Photos

Did you know that there’s a tradition for where to take photos based on your grade? I personally didn’t, which made me glad that I asked about this topic.

One senior writes, “It is tradition for juniors to take pictures at the Vestavia Country Club and seniors to go to Botanical Gardens”. Both are absolutely beautiful spots in April, and because it’s the unofficial norm to go to these places, it sounds like you can get pictures with friends from different groups!

However, there are plenty of other places for photos, so don’t feel confined to what others may be doing! Angela Zhang also adds, “But if you want to skip the crowds, Aldridge Gardens is a good alternative."

Sybil Temple, other country clubs, nice hotel lobbies, and Samford were listed as other great options. Carson Jane Schornack suggests, “The nursing building in Samford! It’s on a makeshift lake [and] has beautiful greenery and a bridge!”

Restaurants

After photos, people usually head to dinner.

As one senior wittily remarks, “who doesn’t like Italian?” A crowd-favorite cuisine, there are a lot of great Italian restaurants for prom night. North Italia, Gianmarco's, Bottega, and Luca Lagotto are some examples I received.

Another popular cuisine for special occasions is Asian, often Japanese. Stix, Nori Sushi, and Otoro Hibachi were all submitted. If you want to try something new, Lindsey Bube suggests, “Hot pot is really fun, and there are a lot of new restaurants! The tables are already set up to accommodate large groups”. This homecoming, my group ate at Abhi; the sushi boats were really fun to pick and share!

Final note for this topic: one senior wisely advises, “Just be sure to get a reservation a few weeks in advance so you aren’t eating at 4:30 or 9 PM.” You heard them: plan ahead!

After Parties

One thing that makes prom special is that many groups go all out after the actual dance.

For example, most people go to the lake for the weekend either by renting a lake house and splitting the price or going to a friend's lake house.

It’s also nice to just hangout at someone’s house! Other after party ideas could be going to someone’s house and doing duo costumes with your date. If you want an idea for a party theme, Angela says, “For Sadie’s, my group did a rave after party theme and I really liked it. I think it was a broad theme and easy for both guys and girls!”

In the end, there are countless creative ways to party after prom. Take your pick or get creative! Breakout rooms were also mentioned as a fun option!

Prom Dress Shopping

Some girls have inherited a prom dress passed down after three generations (if you’re reading this, you know who you are), while some choose to acquire a new one… a few days before the event.

If you’re in search of the dress, we have a lot of ideas for where to look!

I personally recommend taking a look at Macy’s and Von Maur from the Galleria. One senior also says Clothestree and Glitz and Gowns are other common in-store options, though she notes that they may be on the expensive side and mostly include standard dress styles.

So, she additionally lists some solid online options such as Lulu’s, Lucy in the Sky, Revolve, Meshki and David Bridal, which are on a range of prices. I love Lulu’s: it’s where I got my sophomore homecoming dress, and it has a huge range in both style and price!

The price is understandably a large factor in considering dress options. Carson Jane has one possible solution for that: “Facebook marketplace is where I got my dress last year!” She hemmed it and “only paid $50 in total."

On the other hand, if you’re considering investing in a dress, Lindsey highly recommends House of CB; “They’re on the pricier side ($200-300), but the quality is so nice, and they’re all dresses you could rewear to other formal events. I’ve gotten two dresses from them, and I’m in love with both of them."

You could also rent or borrow from a friend! Ultimately, do what works for you; you will look great no matter what!

Final Words

In the end, even though there is a ton to think about when planning this night (or weekend), keep in mind that what you’re going to remember the most are the memories you made with your friends.

Afterall, prom, short for “promenade”, is both a celebration of what you’ve achieved so far and a rite of passage for your upcoming chapters. For seniors, this is one of the last major milestones before graduation! So, have fun and make the most out of it! Another piece of advice: take LOTS of photos to capture your moments!

I’m personally so excited to partake in this huge high school tradition. See you there, and I hope this gave you some ideas!