42 Things for a Prom Planning Checklist

Using a prom planning checklist helps to ensure that you don’t forget any important details and keeps you organized and on track as you work to bring your event together.

A prom planning checklist can also help to ensure that you allocate your time and resources efficiently and can serve as a reference point as you delegate tasks to others who may be helping with the planning process.

By using a checklist throughout the process of planning a high school prom, you can make sure that you have thought through all the necessary elements of your prom and can feel confident that everything will come together smoothly on the day of the event.

I first helped with my school’s prom by picking up some flowers from a local florist. Two years later, I found myself in charge of coordinating the entire high school prom.

From 1999 until 2020, I coordinated 21 different proms at 7 different off-site venues as well as on-site at my high school.

As a classroom teacher, there were few duties I enjoyed as much as coordinating my school’s prom. However, Prom Coordinator was a role that I grew into over time.

For the first few years, I found the responsibility that accompanies organizing such a huge and important high school school event to be utterly overwhelming and terrifying. However, as is the case with anything we do, time and experience enabled me to feel more comfortable in my role.

Early on, I started making prom planning checklists and notes about all of the details related to planning my high school’s prom. I found that continually refining and improving my prom planning checklists helped streamline the organizational process and ensured I did not forget any important prom-related details.

Prom sponsors must remember countless details as they prepare for prom night.

Read on to see the 42 most important things you should include on your prom planning timeline checklist!

Thinking about all the steps involved in prom planning can be overwhelming!

For this reason, sorting all the things you have to do into five steps can help you tame your feelings of prom planning overwhelm!

Here are five broad categories to include on your master prom planning checklist:

1. Making preliminary prom planning decisions

2. Filling in the details by taking specific action

3. Counting down to prom night

4. Implementing all of the plans on prom day

5. Looking ahead after prom night is over

You’ll want to include these preliminary planning items in the first stage of your prom planning checklist:

1. Understand financial procedures and funding sources
2. Evaluate your finances and make a preliminary budget
3. Form a core prom steering committee of students and faculty
4. Create a prom planning binder and organizational system
5. Select an event venue and set the prom date
6. Develop an inclusive dress code
7. Communicate dress code expectations
8. Develop a prom guest attendee policy

You’ll want to include these categories in the second stage of your prom planning checklist:

9. Form prom committees and subcommittees
10. Begin prom fundraising
11. Choose a theme and plan decorations
12. Develop prom branding and choose graphic designs
13. Order decorating supplies and materials
14. Select invitations and tickets
15. Select favors and souvenirs
16. Choose an entertainment provider and develop a playlist
17. Plan refreshments
18. Plan prom night photo and videography options
19. Select prom night chaperones and volunteer helpers

You’ll want to include these tasks in the third section of your prom planning checklist:

20. Promote prom using social media
21. Build interest using blogs, wikis, podcasts, and videos
22. Set ticket policies and sales dates
23. Determine a ticket pricing structure
24. Provide qualifying students with financial assistance
25. Determine where and how to sell tickets
26. Develop a policy for prom guest ticket sales
27. Review the prom music playlist
28. Plan grand march and/or lead out
29. Elect a prom king and prom queen
30. Select the members of the prom court
31. Set the prom night schedule of events
32. Plan proactively for common prom night problems
33. Develop a prom venue emergency plan
34. Develop a virtual prom back-up plan
35. Confirm with vendors and finalize details
36. Follow your prom sponsor self-care plan

Prom day should run smoothly if you’ve followed all of the previous steps on the prom planning checklists! There are two main things you need to do on prom day:

37. Develop prom day set up plans and share with committees
38. Implement prom day set up plans

We have all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words,” and visual references will keep everyone focused on the same goals and vision on prom day, which is busy as well as exciting!

A simple diagram that you draw on a sheet of paper, photocopy, and then share with everyone working on prom day set up will help everyone involved. The set up diagram does not have to be fancy; it just needs to be clear and easy to understand.

Here is an example of one of my prom day set up diagrams:

You’ll want to include these planning items in the final stage of your prom planning checklist:

39. Complete a SWOT analysis by identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
40. Clean, pack, and store reusable decorations and supplies
41. Complete a supply and decoration inventory form
42. Make initial plans for the upcoming year’s prom

And then take some time to rest and recuperate! You have earned it!

Need more help with your prom planning?

From prom night relationship drama to a natural disaster–one year an EF-3 tornado touched down in our town just one hour before prom began!–I have dealt with just about every prom-related scenario and problem.

I’m always glad to help you, so please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need help planning your high school prom and preparing for a great night!

Our other articles will give you additional help as you plan your prom. For example, 10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Prom Venue gives you all the help you need to find the perfect location for your high school's prom. 12 Prom Theme Decoration Ideas gives you a list of trending prom themes as well as decorating ideas for each theme.

Also, you'll want to develop a clear, inclusive, and well-articulated prom dress code. The article 10 Steps to Develop a Prom Dress Code shows you exactly how to develop a dress code in keeping with your students' and school's best interests. 8 Prom Night Entertainment Ideas offers new and innovative ideas for ways to make sure all attendees have fun and stay engaged throughouht prom night. Prom Night Party Fuel provides ideas for refreshments to fit any budget.

If you're looking for a start to finish, all inclusive prom planning handbook, I have one for you!

The Ultimate Prom Planning Handbook takes you through the prom planning process one step at a time and provides you with pro tips and prom checklists to use every step of the way! I wrote this eBook as a way of helping other teachers and making it easier for them to plan a wonderful prom for their students.