I'm new to this site. Hello all 80s enthusiasts!

Each year my friends and I throw a huge party--it's our version of a family reunion. For 2009, we've decided to do an 80s prom.  This isn't just a themed party--we're really having our own prom. We've rented a ballroom, we have a dj, photographer, prom favors, a court and a committee.  Though I was old enough to soak in much of the 80s, I was not old enough to attend prom until the 90s. So, I defintely have some questions and I hope that there are some of you who would be willing to share with me some of your 80s prom memories.


1. Did your 80s prom have a punch and snack table? And if yes, what foods were served?
2. What prom favors/keepsakes did you receive? 
3.  What was your coronation ceremony like? Especially, what song did your king and queen dance to?

I will appreciate any, and all, responses.

Well I'm a lifelong '80s lover but I was born in 1981 so I wouldn't be able to comment firsthand on the first two things, but if I were recommending a song I'd go with something like "Can't Fight this Feeling" by REO Speedwagon. It's a little cheesy but sounds innocent and fun, and seems to really go well with the atmosphere of it back then. I could totally see high schoolers dancing to it (although I recall it from Chuck E Cheese, lol).

I can remember snack and junk food being then. Maybe have some Tab and classic sodas for drinks. Sorry, wish I could help more. ;)

Tab is a definite!

Our theme is "Enchantment Under The Sea," btw

I'm new to this site. Hello all 80s enthusiasts!



Welcome and hello!



1. Did your 80s prom have a punch and snack table? And if yes, what foods were served?
Nope no food at mine.  Everyone just went out to eat at various restaurants in the area in the prom finery.  I feel bad for the girls that chose to wear a hoop skirt.  lol

2. What prom favors/keepsakes did you receive? 
We had an etched wine glass with out prom theme and the year with the school name.  It's still sitting in my mother's china closet with about 20 years of dust covering it.

3.  What was your coronation ceremony like? Especially, what song did your king and queen dance to?
I don't recall having a king and queen, but I'm sure there was (probably.)

Tab is a definite!

Our theme is "Enchantment Under The Sea," btw


I attended prom '89 and '90 - but I can tell you a few of others since I still was in high school.  Our prom theme was - "Stairway to Heaven" some others were "Queen of Hearts"  we did this on a paddle boat....  Our favors - brandy snifters and champaign flutes , printed with our theme/year. ....  Decorations - I remember balloon boquets being huge (the arches and walls of helium inflated balloons) We had big hair, big dresses (the southern belle look  8-P), and I guess we needed inflated decorations as well..... REO or Chicago had the typical "slow" songs of the day....

Hope this helps,

I have no ideas about proms or anything like that..

But..

'About Last Night' is possibly the best handle I've ever seen.

Tab is a definite!

Our theme is "Enchantment Under The Sea," btw


so you're gonna time travel back to the 50s?  ;)


I don't recall food at our although there was an alcohol free bar... we were at a hotel My date was over 21 so he got to drink booze.


They gave us wine glasses etched with the theme and year....come to think of it. That's weird since we couldn't drink.

They gave us wine glasses etched with the theme and year....come to think of it. That's weird since we couldn't drink.


That's what I thought too.... Why give us memorable brandy snifters, champaign flutes, and wine glasses?????  The school I teach at now would not even hear of such a thing

so you're gonna time travel back to the 50s?  ;)




The movie was released in 85 (I believe).  There was some minor debate about whether we could use it since a big portion of the move took place in the 50s...however, it is an iconic 80s movie. No contest. Just like Blade Runner. It takes place in 2019, but was release in '82...and I'm fairly positive that no one is gonna argue it's an 80s movie.  The same with Platoon, The Princess Bride and Conan The Barbarian.

Hey, that gives me an idea for a new thread!

That's what I thought too.... Why give us memorable brandy snifters, champaign flutes, and wine glasses?????  The school I teach at now would not even hear of such a thing


We discussed that!  When we were talking about favors almost everyone mentioned they received some kind of glassware.  Why give a bunch of teenagers wine glasses and shot glasses?

We were thinking of doing buttons, hairband glasses and rubik's cube keychains.  Nothing cemented yet, though.

  Never went to my proms.  GPA wasn't high enough... :-[

   Never went to my proms.  GPA wasn't high enough... :-[


I'm lucky my school didn't use GPAs to exclude participation in the prom.

I'm lucky my school didn't use GPAs to exclude participation in the prom.


  You're lucky, eh?  I wonder if you'd be standing outside in the rain with me...

  They used GPAs for most everything.  Old Turner would stand at the entrance to the dances with his sh*t list so I'd have to wait until he made his rounds or went to the bathroom to sneak in.  Prom, however, was a tough nut to crack...

   You're lucky, eh?  I wonder if you'd be standing outside in the rain with me...

   They used GPAs for most everything.  Old Turner would stand at the entrance to the dances with his sh*t list so I'd have to wait until he made his rounds or went to the bathroom to sneak in.  Prom, however, was a tough nut to crack...


I probably would've been. My mom and I suffer from the same affliction. Give us a little money and we will spend it (no matter what responsibilities we have) so Sophomore year- my mom bought a brand new living room and dinette set and I thought. She will never have the money to pay for me to go to college so why bother working hard.

I graduated high school with a 1.8.  ;D 

In some ways I would like to go back and do it over because I am way smarter than 1.8 but whatever, education isn't the first nor the last thing I will squander in my lifetime.

I probably would've been. My mom and I suffer from the same affliction. Give us a little money and we will spend it (no matter what responsibilities we have) so Sophomore year- my mom bought a brand new living room and dinette set and I thought. She will never have the money to pay for me to go to college so why bother working hard.

I graduated high school with a 1.8.   ;D 

In some ways I would like to go back and do it over because I am way smarter than 1.8 but whatever, education isn't the first nor the last thing I will squander in my lifetime.


  Likewise, my parents were in deep doo-doo with the IRS and the IRS hounded them throughout the decade.  To this day I don't know what it was all about and I'm not sure if I want to.  Of course, this meant no college.  I'd have to wait a few years and do that myself...

  Yeah, by the 8th grade I thought I'd learned all I was going to learn.  High school was just an exercise in frustration, narcissism and sociopathic behavior...

  I don't recall prom being a big deal among my crowd.  I wouldn't have associated with anoyne obsessed with school spirit... 8-P

For all you guys who didn't go to prom, don't feel bad 'cause I didn't attend mine either (it wouldve been in 1999/2000 though). I was too shy to ask any of the girls I liked (who didn't already have boyfriends lol) to go with me. Even though I had quite a few casual friends, I was never a part of the "in crowd" who was really involved in school functions like dances and stuff.

For all you guys who didn't go to prom, don't feel bad 'cause I didn't attend mine either (it wouldve been in 1999/2000 though). I was too shy to ask any of the girls I liked (who didn't already have boyfriends lol) to go with me. Even though I had quite a few casual friends, I was never a part of the "in crowd" who was really involved in school functions like dances and stuff.


  The only reason I had for going to prom was that my gf wanted to go.  We had big plans for my junior prom (she was a freshman) - the tux, the dress, the corsage, the limo, &etc.  Never made it past the planning stages due to lack of funds...

  That and my GPA...

   Never went to my proms.  GPA wasn't high enough... :-[


Well, if you're in West Virginia on February 7th....  8)

one of the reasons we decided to do a prom for our 2009 party is that most of us didn't go in highschool, and if we did, it wasn't that much fun or memorable.  (There are a few exceptions, of course. Some did go, and had a blast, a few were even on court) 

This way we can do prom our way.  And actually have a chance to enjoy being all dressed up with 200 other people. No teen-age awkwardness or competition, no pressure to get laid afterwards (I hope by now we've all done it!), and an open bar!

one of the reasons we decided to do a prom for our 2009 party is that most of us didn't go in highschool, and if we did, it wasn't that much fun or memorable.  (There are a few exceptions, of course. Some did go, and had a blast, a few were even on court)  

This way we can do prom our way.  And actually have a chance to enjoy being all dressed up with 200 other people. No teen-age awkwardness or competition, no pressure to get laid afterwards (I hope by now we've all done it!), and an open bar!

Yeah I can relate to what you're saying about it feeling more easygoing if you do something the way you want, as opposed to the school picking everything out, lol. Yeah there's usually teen peer pressure for sex and everything else too (people should do only do anything if they want or it feels right, and not because they're "expected" to).

My teen years kinda sucked to be honest. I think that's one reason I've always liked the '80s and early '90s over like 1999 (well the music is just so catchy too, so I'm sure I'd like that no matter what). :) Being a kid was worry free and tends to remind me of my happiest times with family and stuff, whereas high school was hit and miss. Don't get me wrong I had some fun times and casual friends but never felt that popular or good about myself.

People who have nostalgia for being 17 seem to be ones who were really popular in HS, so it reminds them of partying and having the time of their life. I'm not saying everyone who goes to prom is super popular (or vice versa for people who don't), but I think it kinda goes hand in hand.

without giving to much away, my prom theme was, Knights in White Satin!  lol! ;D