Formals can be challenging to organise, but they’re definitely possible. This 8-step plan will help you get started on planning a fantastic formal.

1. Find a Responsible Adult

A “responsible adult” is someone like a teacher, year advisor, principal, deputy principal, or parent. Ideally, this person should have some prior organisational experience.

This person will review and sign official documents such as terms and conditions, booking forms, contracts, and event orders. They’ll also be our main contact person, helping us ensure the formal is organised correctly.

A “responsible adult” should not be a friend, older sibling, or someone who has recently turned 18. Choose someone with life experience you can trust.

2. Form a Committee

Many decisions need to be made, so it’s best to have a small group of reliable friends to work as a team.

Aim for 3, 5, or 7 people. An odd number is ideal to avoid tie votes. This way, decisions can be made quickly, saving valuable time.

Make sure your “responsible adult” is on the committee or available to advise during meetings. If your committee has an even number of people, the responsible adult can be the tie-breaker.

3. Elect a Committee Leader

Every team needs a leader. Choose one in a fair way. The committee leader will be responsible for tracking all paperwork and details. They will also delegate tasks and keep the committee updated on progress. Ideally, your “responsible adult” would be a good choice, but the decision is yours.

4. Involve Your School

Your school has resources that you might be able to use. First, talk to your year advisor and ask them to approach school officials for help. If you don’t have an advisor, speak directly to the principal or deputy principal. Some schools are happy to help if you demonstrate a responsible approach to planning the formal.

They can provide access to computer hardware and printers, offer guidance, act as a collection point for important data, and sometimes even provide the initial deposit if you need one. The school newsletter or publications could also be used to advertise the formal and boost ticket sales.

HOWEVER…

Some schools are hesitant to get involved with formals, which is understandable. In these cases, you can direct them to our website, where they can find information addressing their concerns. Remember, if the school doesn’t want to support the formal, you don’t need their help or even their permission to hold it. Their support is helpful, but not essential.

5. Brainstorm Your Formal Dreams

There’s an old saying: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” It’s important to have a clear vision of how you want your formal to look and feel. This will also help you create a realistic budget for the ticket price. Consider students who may have limited financial resources and try to keep the event affordable and fun.

Important! This discussion should ideally be between committee members only, not the entire year group. Too many opinions will make it impossible to reach a decision.

6. Talk to Your Year Group

It’s important to keep your year group informed about the major decisions the committee is making on their behalf, as they will be the ones buying tickets.

Getting them excited early on is the best way to ensure they buy tickets promptly and avoid last-minute chasing.

7. Raise Your Deposit (If Needed)

Sometimes, you’ll need a deposit to secure your bookings.  Prom Night Events formals are deposit-free, but others require a deposit, usually over $1000 or 1/3 of the total cost, whichever is higher.

Many schools are willing to provide the deposit, but if not, you may need to organise a fundraising event.

There are many fundraising ideas, but you’ll need to act quickly. Formal venues usually only hold tentative bookings for about a week before requiring a deposit.

8. Contact Us

Now that you have everything in place, you’re ready for us to help you find the best venue and package for your dream formal. This extra preparation will make the rest of the process go smoothly.

Getting an accurate estimate is easy. Contact us by phone or fill out the form on our website to get started.

Once you get in touch, we’ll immediately assign an Event Manager to discuss the details with you.

We’ll show you how your formal could look in various venues. Our Event Managers can provide an estimate and send proposals the same day.

Remember!

You only get one shot to get this right, so good planning from the start will help ensure success.