Mardi Gras Decorating Ideas for Prom
Mardi Gras is just around the corner, so I thought now would be a great time to share all the crazy decorating from my daughter’s school dance last spring. We completely transformed her school into the French Quarter, all on a $1200 budget with the help of a few moms who really stepped up. I had never decorated an entire school before, so this was a new challenge for me. You may remember that I also helped with my son’s senior prom before he graduated, so we borrowed quite a few items from prom committee. Throughout this post I’ll share affiliate links if you’re a “lucky” mom who is in charge of such an event this year.
Mardi Gras in the French Quarter School Dance
This post is partially sponsored by Stump’s Party Supply who also provided several decor items for my son’s senior prom.
A few little “hacks” that I discovered as we tried to work within our budget:
- Our DIY street light tutorial with our free template
- Black landscape fabric (many surprising uses, much cheaper than black paper rolls!)
- Shipping tubes from an office supply – cheaper to order from a local supply and local pick up.
- This projector (also many uses)
- This balloon arch tape — low cost, BIG impact!
Some tips for survival:
- Google Docs: Setting up a decorating plan online helps to communicate the vision.
- Zone Decorating: my friend Tamara who is an interior decorator suggested that we set up smaller zones for people to decorate. We placed all the decor needed for that zone, then handed any volunteers the sheet with the vision so they knew what to do.
- Food tables: I had those committees decorate separately and use their budget for their own decor. I provided table covers.
- Enlisted the help of the high school students to create art after school
- Big Impact Decor: The DIY street light. Our craft made a huge impact and helped us stay within budget.
- Find Local Businesses to Sponsor: Have a sponsor (like a garden center) to help with flowers.
Best of luck and happy decorating!
Hi! You did an awesome job! Where did you get the large masquerade drama happy/sad masks? Or you possibly made them?
Thank you,
Jill