Ideas wanted please for HSM prom party

shelovestobuystuff

A bit strapped for cash this month what with christmas and we got married in November too so we are desperately trying to figure out how to afford my daughters birthday party this year.
We always do a big party and book a hall with staff as its easier and I dont have mess to clean up afterwards.So that bits booked already but I need help with ideas for the rest of it and money saving ideas for catering and party favours(if I am doing them this year).

DD will be 8 this month and we have booked a disco for her with a proper DJ,dance instructors etc.That bits all sorted.

Its a High School Musical 3 Prom theme.

The guest list has grown to about 65 kids as it was a flat rate price for the party for a max of 80 kids I just went a bit mad and thought who else we could add to the list so we have more than usual,about double.

I need ideas for making themed HSM invites,will they work out cheaper than buying pks of 6 HSM ones at £1.50 from tesco?

What about food?The party is late afternoon so they wont need much to eat but how should I organise it for such numbers?Should I do a buffet table and drinks station?Juice cocktails?

I had thought of doing individual tables set up like a proper prom but not sure what would work best.I have never done a party for so many before.

The entertainment is all done for us so theres no need for me to come up with themed game ideas or anything like that.All I have to do is invitations,decorations(although it will be dark with disco lights so probably just table decs or balloons),food and favours.
Favours or party bags I dont think I will be able to do for 65,infact I definately wont.I think it will just have to be a balloon and a piece of birthday cake to take away with them.I need to do cake bag or boxes though,themed.

Do people do party bags when they have big parties?I think a proper prom would just have the cake and maybe a favour box.

Ideas needed please.

shelovestobuystuff

Definately little favours rather than the usual party bag:cool:.
I think I could make them,I do have over a week to get things done.I have seen little kids cube favour boxes on confetti web site with mikey mouse toppers so I could make some in red card with a high school musical topper instead(using a HSM sticker),fill with jelly beans or a mix of sweets from those big multi bags in poundland.
Now all I need is a template to follow:rolleyes:.
HMmmm?Maybe a cello bag would be easier:o.

fernliebee

favour box templates to print here:

http://www.packagetech.com/printable-boxes-and-seals.html

Though I made lot's of boxes for tree decs and the cutting out takes ages. If I had to do 65 of them I would opt for cello bags instead, my fingers were raw and I only did about 10! ha ha! You can make a beautiful cone of sweets quite easily with florist wrap and ribbon (or you can buy cone bags for even less work!). Like this:
http://www.google.com/products?client=safari&rls=en&q=cone+shaped+cellophane+bags&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=5T9DS5WRHpq60gSE26ySBQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CB8QrQQwAA



TBH, I would probably go for minimal decoration, balloons in HSM colours rather than specific HSM stuff. Also the same for plates, cups, napkins etc.

Maybe Print some HSM pictures out and use these to make a kind of rosette type decoration, by sticking on a layer or two of card, then get colour co-ordinated streamers and just stick these along them iyswim. If you use pinking shears to cut out a big circle in gold, then a smaller circle in red, then cut out a circle of your pic and layer up. Sorry still not the best description Lol!!

As far as food goes, I would def do a buffet, much easier. Asda sell the silver buffet trays for really cheap so you can just do it all the night before and cling wrap it (although for sandwiches they do tend to go a bit hard if done like this, so you can make all the sandwiches up loaf at a time, save crusts, and put back in bread bag, so on the day you just have to cut them and put on tray.)

Just stuff like Sausage rolls, sandwiches, mini pizza/ pizza slices, crisps, cakes/ choc fingers etc, pepper/ cucumber/ carrot sticks and dip etc. Keep it simple.

Drinks wise I would prob go for cartons for less mess, and you don't have to stand there pouring loads of drinks, but if you aren't tidying up then don't worry

Good luck, sounds like she will have a fantastic time!

me-shelly

My dd had a HSM party last year and I did the invites myself just downloaded a HSM picture and put the details on and printed them. Another alternative is to do invites on A4 and roll them up so they look like graduation certificates (tied with red ribbon). I bought HSM diaries instead of party bags for 99p each but only had about 20 kids.

justcat

Wow! I LOVE High School Musical!

I think you can make the invitations cheap yourself as you have to make them for so many.
Iwould probably do a normal party invite with the wildcat logo in the background and invite written on top. I'd also have a couple of hsm logos in the background. At the top of the letter put the words "It's gonna be a night to remember" which is the main line in the song. Oooh this sounds like so much fun!
PM me if you want any more help!

jellytastic

As it is a prom I would ask your dj/entertainer to make a big effort with the entrance of each guest, you could have a red carpet (you can buy fake red carpet roll for about £5 from party suppliers) for a grand entrance and take a photo of each child as they make their entrance, (you can buy a cheap hsm backdrop which wuld make a good pic, have also seen a cutout of a face in a limo which is great for a pic too)if you have someone who could nip home and print them off these could be given out as favours with cake at the end of the party.

Similarly its good to have a grand finish, maybe present each guest with a scroll (maybe with their pic printed onto it) thanking them for coming and giving them the favour/cake.

If you have hired a good dj/entertainer all the games and music will be taken care of and that is what create the memories, the kids wont remember what food there was available or what the room was decorated like.

However, to go with the american theme and as it is an afternoon party I wouldnt do proper food, I would do an icecream factory, supply dishes of sweets and icecream and sauces and let the kids make their own icecreams. Oh and popcorn is a must for HSM party.

I used to be a pro entertainer and have lots of ideas for HSM games and activities and have hosted many many HSM parties so if you are stuck for more ideas just ask.

My top tip is dont fret, the kids will just love being together with music and lights and some games, everything else is irrelevant to them and you really are only doing other stuff for the adults x

shelovestobuystuff

Jellytastic,thanks for all of that.Although we are not doing the games etc ourselves it would be really good to have some HSM ideas to maybe suggest to the staff.Anything they do could I am sure be easy adapted to suit the HSM theme so your ideas would be appreciated.

Hubby is having a look now in tesco to check the pack sizes and prices of their plain white paper plates etc,red straws,red balloons.

He is buying one pack of HSM invites just for me to see.If I make them instead these ones can be returned.

Will decorate the entrance and will buy one HSM plastic party tablecover and use it as a giant wall poster as backdrop for photos.Will surround it with a frame of silver stars(tinfoil).

Thinking about bubbles.Could decorate with strip of paper and HSM sticker to match to theme.

*Definately doing prom King & Queen.Have ordered the plastic crowns from ebay and still have to do more research to see how to present them to the guests etc,never been to prom so dont know how these things usually work.

Food will be simple nibbles.Probably sandwiches and packets I can just open and chuck in bowls,crisps,mini sausages etc.Will also do a big fruit platter as daughter loves strawberries etc,might do these half dipped in chocolate.Popcorn is definately on the menu too.

I will have a drinks station also as there will be plenty of adult helpers to serve drinks.Maybe big fruit punch bowls served with a ladel.
will have bottles of plain water also to serve throughout the party as they get really warm when running about for 2 hours.

fernliebee

I love the ice cream factory idea! Can I come lol!

shelovestobuystuff

Just ordered personalised prom king and queen sashes from ebay too
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120417657976&_trksid=p2759.l1259

Have decided to make the invites in the form of prom tickets.Will play about with ideas tonight and tomorrow.Think we will use red card ,centre piece will be white paper printed with red text,adding a HSM rosette to one side.

nichart20

How about your daughter doing a dance from HSM with a few of her chosen friends for everyone

Bubby

I would go for red and white balloons if you don't want to get hsm ones. Other than that I haven't got any ideas but it sounds AMAZING and your daughter is very lucky that you have put so much effort in.