If you’re part of this year’s prom-planning committee and need some ideas, we’ve put together the ultimate list of themes. Check out the 50 best prom themes—from chic and elegant to creative and funky.
50 Best Prom Themes
1. The Great Gatsby One of the most classic prom (and even wedding!) themes of all time, decorations should set the vibe of the roaring 20s and can even include the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg from the book. 2. Casino Night Think Katy Perry’s Waking Up in Vegas music video! Casino Night will forever be a popular prom theme, thanks to the super fun decorations—vibrant red, black, and gold and card games galore. 3. A Night in Paris Because what’s more romantic than a night on the streets of Paris? 4. Neon Nights For Neon Nights, you need neon lights! It’s all about bright, glowing colors with this party theme. 5. On Cloud 9 Head up in the clouds? That’s exactly how this prom theme should feel, like you’re walking through the sky. 6. Red Carpet Paparazzi, a long red carpet, cameras flashing. You should feel like the star of the premiere on your prom night and this prom theme ensures that. 7. A Night at the Disco Throw it back to the 70s by making the disco ball your inspiration for an unforgettable night of fun. 8. Through the Decades Why focus on one decade when you can pay homage to them all? 9. What Happens in Vegas Rolling dice, card games, dancers adorned in feathers. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, baby! 10. Under the Sea In this classic prom theme, you’re the mermaid princess and the water-themed decor around you is your personal grotto oasis. 11. Moulin Rouge What’s more fun than burlesque as a theme?! Embrace the power of love through Moulin Rouge’s red-and-gold color palette and bright lights. Not to mention, you’ve got a song of the same name that must be added to the playlist—no exceptions! 12. A Walk Through the Enchanted Forest Take a walk through the enchanted forest. Think: polka-dotted mushrooms, fairy-lit lanterns hanging from the trees, and row after row after flowers. 13. Winter Is Coming… Are your fellow HS classmates Game of Thrones obsessed? Better start practicing your braiding because with this GOT theme, the hair possibilities are endless. 14. Candy Land There’s no prom theme sweeter. 15. Fire and Ice Fire, ice, and everything nice—this hot-and-cold prom theme features one half of the venue that’s decked out in fiery red and orange and the other half that’s an icy, snowy blue. 16. Garden Party Flowers—all the flowers! 17. To the Moon and Back We love this prom theme idea to the moon and back thanks to all of the amazing photo opportunities. 18. Out of This Galaxy A prom backdrop featuring planets, stars, and galaxies is totally out of this world. 19. Ka-Pow! Comic Book Prom Superheroes, speech bubbles, and exclamation points galore. 20. An Island Paradise Prom is so much better if it transports you to the beach. 21. Winter Wonderland There’s something so inexplicably magical about wearing a gown amongst a wintry wonderland scene. 22. Masquerade Ball Another perfect go-to theme, your masquerade ball should have masks (the non-coronavirus kind for the eyes), chandeliers, feathers, and lanterns to bring that sleek, sophisticated vibe. 23. Grecian Paradise Make prom paradise… but against the bright-blue shores of Santorini, Greece. 24. Hogwarts’ Yule Ball As any Harry Potter fan will tell you, the Goblet of Fire’s Yule Ball is definitely an iconic moment. Channel the gloriousness (and sometimes awkwardness) of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine’s first ball with a frosty backdrop and white string lights. 25. Carnival Celebration At a carnival-themed prom, there are tons of games to play and tasty foods to eat. 26. Through the Looking Glass Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, fall down the rabbit hole with this magical garden party. Evoke Alice’s adventure with giant, singing flowers in the photobooth, black-and-white checked linens, and purple lighting that mimics the Cheshire Cat’s smile. 27. Black Tie Event Need to keep it simple but classy? Everyone can get down with a Black Tie Event. It’s crisp lines, classic silhouettes, and fancy to the nth degree. 28. Rustic Romance Go country on ’em with this laidback theme. Dance amongst the haystacks and if you can, rent out a rustic—but still elegant—barn for the venue. 29. Hawaiian Luau Bring the tropical vibes to prom by citing Hawaiian luaus as your prom’s inspiration. Beautiful, big flowers, tiki huts, and prom trees—ahem, palm trees—will transport your entire class to the beaches of Maui. At least for a few hours. 30. Butterfly Garden This is no regular old garden. Take a stroll through the Butterfly Garden, where these creatures symbolic of rebirth flutter above your head, reminding you that it’s never too late to start again. 31. Roaring 20s It’s still Gatsby, but a bit more on the general end of the spectrum. A Roaring 20s-themed prom should have bedazzled decorations, pearls, feathers, and that old-timey romantic vibe. 32. Old Hollywood Glamour If the 20s aren’t an option, but you still want to stir up the classic feel of Old Hollywood Glamour, pull out the red carpet and style those finger waves for this prom theme. 33. Arabian Nights Inspired by the architecture and color palette of southwest Asia, Arabian Nights as a prom theme should feel magical—like on prom night, anything can happen. 34. All Around the World For a well-traveled theme that pays respects to all cultures, go international. The classic All Around the World prom theme celebrates some of our globe’s most stunning architecture, most meaningful traditions, and most beautiful places. 35. Downton Abbey Tea Party No need to actually sip the tea for this prom theme, but if you and all your classmates agree that Downton Abbey vibes are the way to go, then break out the corseted dresses. 36. Be Our Guest Stay with us on this one because although it can feel the teensiest bit cheesy, there’s still a lot to be said for all the romance Disney can convey. The best part of Beauty and the Beast is undoubtedly the musical number “Be Our Guest,” so just think about all the fun you could have focusing the night on decorations like dancing and singing forks and high-quality food. Oh, and you can’t forget Beast’s glass-covered rose. 37. Country Fete It’s a hoedown! You won’t need authentic cowgirl (or cowboy) boots to meet this prom theme’s criteria, but we do recommend decorating with touches of the popular farmhouse aesthetic—rustic woods, galvanized metal, and eucalyptus. 38. A Starry Night 39. The Galaxy in Rebellion Take your prom theme to the next level by hosting a prom with a touch of science fiction. 40. Riverdale Murder Mystery Do Murder Mystery but do it better by incorporating every teen’s favorite drama. For backdrop, we’re thinking Pop’s, the iconic little diner where it all goes down in Riverdale and for decor, a snake or two to nod to the Southside Serpents. 41. Frozen Fairytale Let it go—as in, let go all of that prom-planning stress you’re holding onto. For this theme, prom takes place in Elsa’s crystallized ice castle and snowflakes and rainbow-throwing shards of ice hang from the ceilings. 42. Clair De Lune Translated to “moonlight” in French, the Clair De Lune prom theme is all about a night under the stars in France. Crescent moons, gold and silver accents, and perhaps even a glance at the Eiffel Tower. 43. Camp Remember when the Met Gala theme was Camp? OK, if not, then maybe you’re too young. Regardless, Camp as a theme is all about playing with shape and color and texture. Going over the top just for the sake of going over the top. 44. Night in Times Square There’s no backdrop like that of the Manhattan skyline. Channel the lit-up streets of NYC that never sleep with a Times Square backdrop and the vibrant signs of Broadway. 45. Shakespeare in Love Shakespeare’s most notorious couple didn’t exactly have a happy ending, so instead of making this prom theme about Romeo & Juliet, we’ll keep it ambiguous. As a prom theme, Shakespeare in Love is all about whimsical romance, garden views, red roses, and hand-written love notes. 46. Gold Rush There’s not much to this theme aesthetically because it’s all about a prom that’s dripping in gold. It’s luxe, it’s chic, it’s glitz and it’s glam. 47. Safari Celebration Want to party amongst the wildlife? Transform your prom venue into a jungle with greenery in every corner and animal eyes lurking in the shadows. 48. Welcome to Neverland Here, you never have to grow up! Channel Peter Pan’s favorite place, Neverland, with his ship, The Jolly Roger, in the background, the silhouettes of Wendy and Peter against the moon, and a little fairy dust a la Tinker Bell. 49. Party on the Beach Not every prom theme has to be all about the high heels and the glam… Go boho with a Party on the Beach aesthetic. After all, beaches are romantic, too! 50. 1950s Rock’n’ Roll It’s a regular old Sock Hop! Decorate with a Jukebox, tile the floor black and white, and make sure there’s a retro pink-and-teal diner as your photo opp backdrop. Next up, how to plan a virtual prom at home.
