Guests in princess dresses and sharp suits were greeted with a long red carpet and a classy photo backdrop as they entered elegant castle doors into the Spring Field Banquet Center on April 15th. Inspired by the 2009 Disney film “The Princess and the Frog”, Oxford’s Junior Class Committee (JCC) executed their 2023 Prom into a magical night for upperclassmen.
“We started by thinking of different themes with relevant decor and color palettes and narrowed them down by discussing the pros and cons. As we moved towards a finalized theme, we collaborated to figure out what would look best with the venue we had, as well as the resources that were available to us,” JCC co-president Grishma Jain said.
As a deviation from Oxford’s usual dance venue, the Spring Field Banquet Center in Fullerton was a new yet exciting experience for attendees. The staircase up from the waiting area led to the Rose Ballroom, where a diamond chandelier with gold drapes sparkled on the vast dance floor. White walls were illuminated with bright purple, green, and yellow lights. Lines for the 360 revolving photo booth, as well as the “under the wishing tree” photo backdrop, grew longer as the dance progressed.
“I think the decorations and overall venue was really nice. The fact that it was a two story venue with a lot of rooms for different purposes like sitting down, watching a movie, and getting fresh air was something I really enjoyed,” junior Victoria Tran said.
Next to the Rose Ballroom was a separate room where guests could take a break from the dance floor. Complete with a foosball table, Pop-A-Shot basketball hoop, and four-way table tennis, this corner was a perfect addition to enhance the guests’ excitement.
“The game room was an especially fun addition since I don’t think it was included in previous Proms and it meant that I never ran out of things to do. Dancing was a little awkward at first, but once more people started coming into the dance floor it was much more lively and fun,” senior Anjali Suva said.
Climbing another staircase adorned with floral vines would bring guests to the large balcony, where an arrangement of snacks, desserts, and refreshments awaited alongside the green and white tables. For a breath of fresh air, guests sat outside in the sunset and watched “The Princess and the Frog” through a projection screen. If indulging in the sweet cookies, brownies, and lemonade at the balcony sparked a savory tooth, guests could go back down to the Rose Ballroom, where chefs served meatballs, rice, and chow mein for dinner.
While some guests relaxed with food and a fun card game, most were jamming out to the DJ in a large crowd of dancing students. With a good balance between slow and fast songs, the music brought flair and energy to the crowd, making it a memorable night for students.
Before the dance came to an end, the 2023 Prom Queen and King were announced to be Devanshi Kothari and Jackson Goulding, the senior couple who also won Senior Homecoming Court in January. After being coronated with satin sashes and jeweled crowns, they joined the rest of the student crowd in a romantic slow dance to close out the night.
“Going into the process, I was definitely nervous about whether the student body would appreciate the time and effort we put in. However, as time went on, I became more excited about how the event would turn out,” Jain said. “Afterwards, we heard great things from people that attended, and I’m overall really grateful that everyone had a great time at the 2023 Prom!”
