Formal Marlborough: Behind the Scenes of “A Very Special Evening”

The biggest night of the high school calendar kicked off Saturday at 8pm for Marlborough Girls’ College year 13 student Te Ao Mārama Nepia.

The 17-year-old principal girl was one of 22 students on the Marlborough Combined College Formal Committee who organized the school formal this year.

“We literally had to organize everything that happened from the road closure, the decoration, who we want to do the food, the entertainment, and we have subcommittees working on their designated area.”

Scheduled since February and held at the Marlborough Convention Centre, this year’s formal was Great Gatsby themed with gold, black and white decoration.

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“We are excited to see the reactions of the students when they see all the beautiful decorations tonight.

“We have different things in different spaces. So in our dining room we have big long tables with centerpieces with big feathers and gold vases.

“We have a nice old bench with big concrete blocks for our photobooth, and we also have a balloon garland for an informal photobooth.”

After her 9:30 am makeup appointments, Te Ao Mārama returned to the Marlborough Convention Center “to make sure everything went smoothly,” before rushing to the hairdresser and heading back to the venue.

“It’s definitely a big deal, especially when we have all the guys inside, acting like a gentleman… It’s very exciting!

“It represents the best social night before school, and it’s a time where we can all get together and celebrate, it’s a very special night.

“After formal, almost everyone is reconnected and ready to break our goals before the end of our school years, which is really exciting.”

Te Ao Mārama gathered at her home with seven of her friends to take pictures and share dishes for the big night.

It’s also been very busy for Anna Makeup & Beauty owner Anna Thompson, who was fully booked from 8am to 5:45pm.

“Some bookings have been made a year in advance.

“It’s so important for girls to get their makeup, their nails and their hair done”

“The most important thing for me is that they send me what makeup they want and what dress they want to match,” Thompson said.

Marlborough Girls’ College year 13 students Morghan Summerscales, 17, and Greta Marshall, 18, got together to get their makeup done.

“I dyed my hair a beautiful blonde on Wednesday afternoon, and Thursday morning I did my eyelashes, Thursday afternoon my eyebrows and nails, and then brown last night.

“In addition, I’m also on the formal committee, as part of the catering team, so I’ve been at the Convention Center all day yesterday and this morning,” Summerscales said.

The 17-year-old student didn’t sleep much the night before.

“I was quite excited.

“I’m looking forward to the dress up party and to see what the boys all look like dressed up because we never see that as often as we should.”

Mary-Jeanne Lynch, principal of Marlborough Girls College, said it is very important to have traditions and rites of passage in our lives, especially in schools.

“I remember everyone in my school learned ballroom dancing for a semester, over lunch, before our ceremony.

“And we learned a series of dances, the Waltz, the Scotsman, the military two-step… and it was quite fun.

“An older woman came in and played the piano for all those dances. So it was like a pretty old traditional formal, and we had a band for the rest of the night.”

Lynch said formally was also a big community event.

“I would like to thank the parents and the wider community for their support of the Marlborough Combined Formal College.

“And I wish the students a very nice evening with their friends, celebrating.”