While teens all over the Capital District are preparing for their high school proms, women of all ages have found a reason to relive their own prom memories and squeeze into their old satin and sequin-covered dresses for charity. “It’s an idea that is taking off,” said Gait Veitch, one of the seven women who are planning the April 26 event called the Saratoga Mom Prom. “You can relive or rewrite your prom.” The idea, which was created eight years ago by a woman in Michigan as an excuse to wear her puffy pink prom dress one more time, is taking off across the country as a way to fund raise for charity. “A couple of the ladies in my group went to a mom prom two years ago in Schenectady and had so much fun that we decided to have one Saratoga,” Veitch said. Last year’s Saratoga event, which took place at the McGregor Country Club in Wilton, was such a success that the group has planned a second prom this year on Saturday, April 26, at the Saratoga Hilton.?? No men are allowed besides the male cardboard cutouts scattered throughout the room. The event is described as a ladies night out for charity. Women deck themselves out in their old prom gowns, bridesmaids dresses or wedding gowns and dance the night away.?? Veitch said she found her dress for this year’s event at a local consignment shop.??
“It cost me $8.55. I had to do some alterations on it. My friend and I bought matching dresses. We wanted to relive the horrifying event that someone shows up at the prom in your dress,” Veitch laughed. “They must have been bridesmaid dresses because there were a lot of them.”?? Veitch said for some it’s an excuse to use the dress they’ve been saving in their closet all those years.?? “It’s a time to put those crazy dresses on and go out with your girlfriends have a great time,” Veitch said. “Some folks have a dress in their closet they’ve always wanted to wear again. We had one woman last year who wore her wedding gown. Some women didn’t go to their prom and would like to go to some prom and have fun. We had a few that came from different countries last year and didn’t have the tradition of a prom there.”?? Veitch said some women get creative with the alterations in order to make them fit.??
“There has been some incidences where people have altered their dresses in quite a funny way. Some have just slit the side down and put a matching piece of fabric,” she said. “We had one woman who had a very beautiful princess dress, white and lovely except when she turned around it was not zipped all the way up and she had on a fabulous looking bra … it’s all women.”?? Veitch said going to the consignment shop to find a dress is one of the highlights of the event for some people.?? “You and your girlfriend just die laughing at the dresses you pick up. Then say to yourself, ‘It’s perfect for the mom prom. Crazy for anything else, but perfect for the mom prom.’”?? Though Veitch said the majority of the dresses are pretty tacky, she doesn’t want that to discourage people who wouldn’t dress that way.?? “There are some folks that wear very nice dresses,” she said.??
It’s not only the dresses that yell “prom.” From the decorations to the contests, it’s truly all prom.?? “We try to make it as ‘prommy’ as can be. We have a photo area to have your picture taken with a gaudy flower arrangement,” she laughed. “It’s all dancing, and it’s all women. We do crown a queen and we also have the tackiest dress contest. We have a dance contest and all the prom traditions.”?? Veitch said the DJ will play music from all eras — from the 1960s on — in order to satisfy the large age range that attend.?? “We see all ages,” she said. “We had women from 21 to 90 at last year’s prom. We had a table of 80-year-olds.”?? Prom-goers will also have the opportunity to take a picture with a cardboard man.??
“We purchased Elvis in a tux, Johnny Depp or Larry the Cable Guy. It’s just fun, crazy, silly stuff we are doing, and all for a good cause,” Veitch said.?? Proceeds for this year’s event will benefit the Saratoga County Children’s Committee and their programs that support Saratoga County EOC, Early Intervention, Domestic Violence Services, Saratoga Mentoring, Center for the Family as well as the Empty Stocking Project.?? “Each year, we decided we would pick either a women’s or children’s charity. Last year was the Saratoga Breast Health Venture. They wanted a medical massage chair for women nervous about getting tests for breast cancer. We raised $7,500 to cover the chair and some other things they wanted for the center,“ Veitch said. “It was a very successful event, but we had to limit the number because of the space. This year we are having it at the Saratoga Hilton and can double our numbers.” Veitch expects tickets to go fast. The Saratoga Mom Prom will take place on Saturday, April 26, from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Saratoga Hilton, 534 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Must be 21 to attend. Tickets are $55. For more information and to buy tickets, visit saratogamomprom.com.