The prom planning committee meticulously crafted a night to remember inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.”This year’s prom captured Van Gogh’s famous painting with vibrant color schemes and swirling stars, bringing his artistic vision to life at the Mission San Juan Capistrano.
On prom night, students arrived at the mission dressed in elegant dresses and suits. The mission transformed into a magical setting filled with loud music, food and dancing.
Junior class president Matthew Chang, junior class vice president Jocelyn Gov and the junior class council planned this year’s prom by finding a venue, planning various activities, buying food and incorporating this year’s theme into the decorations.
To cover financial expenses, money from fundraisers and the Associated Student Body were used to create a budget for
booking the venue. The rest of the money in the prom budget was utilized for food, decorations, buying sashes and crowns for prom court and hiring a party planner.
Chang shared how they found the most fitting venue for prom within their budget.
“(We) work with a vendor, All-Star Venues, that rents out the mission area to us,” Chang said. “A large part of the money…for prom is going to the venue.”
Outside of the budget, the junior class council also used money they fundraised throughout the year, including the spring carnival and restaurant fundraisers like Mooyah Burgers to pay for additional prom expenses
Gov expands on what they have bought for prom.
“With our junior funds that we created through fundraisers, we’ll be using that money to…purchase other stuff for the vendors,” Gov said. “Also, purchasing crowns and sashes for prom court.”
With these funds, the committee also considered featuring live student or professional visual artists to add to the Van Gogh theme or having an art activity that students can participate in at prom.
Junior class council member Aarushi Ghildyal elaborates on the artistic vision for prom and what was discussed.
“(We decided to have) live painting sessions (and) lanterns that people could paint because it’s a Van Gogh ‘Starry Night,'” said Ghildyal. “(We) wanted to really go for the artistic view and also show off fine arts that are…underrepresented at Woodbridge (High).”
Having live artists or an art activity was one of the many ideas discussed while planning prom.
Besides decorating according to the theme, the junior class council also wanted to have something unique to complement the party.
The table decor included vibrant flowers and meticulously arranged table settings.
Delicate fairy lights were strung from one wall to another, casting an enchanting glow that complemented the quaint, artistic vibe the prom committee worked to create.
In addition to decoration preparations, the committee planned the various selections of food for this year’s prom. The dessert offerings included Crumbl Cookies, where each cookie had a slightly crisp outer shell and an interior that was soft and chewy.
Aside from planning the event, the junior class council thoroughly discussed ticket prices until finalizing a price that would both address cost constraints and ensure affordability for students.
Ticket prices began at $120 for the first week and by the last week, were priced at $140.
The months of planning and anticipation unveiled a beautiful “Starry Night” themed prom. The planning committee was overcome with excitement when their vision came together on the night of prom.
