Prom. The night of all nights. Your Cinderella moment. The fairy tale come true.
Time for a reality check, girlfriend! Prom is a blast -- you get to dress up, take pictures, eat food, and dance the night away with your friends. However, prom is not your wedding and it's important to remember that. Promgirl.com recently posted an article about the expenses of prom and they calculated the total cost of prom being anywhere from $175-$2,100...that's a bit extreme for a high school dance, don't you think? Let's take a moment and bring ourselves back to reality when it comes to prom.
Promposals.
Promposals have become expected when a guy is asking a girl to a dance. They are more elaborate than most of our parents' proposals were and they've become very expensive! From red carpets to puppies and everything in between, promposals have touched on it all. However, in 20 years you're not going to talk about how your high school boyfriend asked you to prom; you're going to talk about how your husband asked you to marry him. Girls expect so much from boys asking them to prom and this expectation of a perfect promposal is unrealistic. The promposal is not intimate between the couple but rather something extremely elaborate for the purpose of posting it on social media so everyone can gush about what "goals" it is. The promposal is not the biggest or most important part of prom.
It is also important to remember that not having a date to prom is OK! Everyone thinks prom is a dance strictly for couples but this is the 21st century and that's not the reality of prom anymore. Plenty of people go with their friends or in a group because they don't have a significant other. This can make prom even more fun because you don't have to dance with just one person, you have a bunch of people you can have fun with and you don't have the promposal stress!
Dress.
Ladies, if you're spending more money on your prom dress than your mom spent on her wedding dress, you need to take a moment and think about that. Dresses can be absolutely outrageously priced and it's important to remember that you can look beautiful on a budget. If you're still searching for the perfect prom dress, try looking at a resale or consignment store, on a resale page online, or at a department store such as Macy's or Carson's where they have very cute dresses at a fraction of the price of a boutique! Just remember, in 30 years when you pull out your prom pictures to show your kids your dress is going to be hideous no matter how much it cost. They're going to laugh at you and say "Mom I can't believe you wore that!" because fashion trends change and what's in style now won't be in style then.
Hair. Nails. Makeup.
Getting all glammed up is a ton of fun! It's important to feel beautiful and like a princess on your special prom night. However, it's okay to have your mom do your nails, your best friend do your makeup, and your cousin do your hair. Nails cost around $60, hair around $60, and professional makeup is around $45. That's $165 which could end up being the cost of two of your college textbooks. In a few months when you get to college what will matter more, a book for your statistics class that is required for your major or the fact you had your hair, nails, and makeup professionally done for prom?
Flowers. Dinner. Limo. Photographer.
The extras of prom that add up oh-so quickly. Boutonniere and corsage tend to be a formality of prom that most couples choose to do, this can cost about $30 each.
You have to eat before prom, that's a given, but it's important to look at the cost of a meal if it's not included in the price of your prom ticket. A fancy dinner could be nice but if your date is already paying for your ticket and his, maybe you should consider something cheaper. It can actually be a really fun experience to go to a restaurant like McDonald's all dressed to the nines ready for prom! Maybe even consider eating at home before you get all dressed up!
Limos have become something that many high schoolers consider essential to prom. However, these are very expensive and you're paying the driver to sit outside and wait for you while you're inside at the dance! Instead you could have an older sibling or cousin chauffeur you and your date, maybe borrow a parent's prized car for this special occasion, or find another cheaper ride alternative.
Professional photographer sounds great and all but are these your engagement photos, wedding photos, or senior pictures? No, no, and no. So do you really need to spend $200 on a professional photographer to document this day? iPhones take great photos and in a big group it's almost guaranteed at least one parent still has a digital camera, maybe even a professional DSLR camera to take some higher quality photos for prom!
Expectations.
It's finally here! Your fairy tale night! Prom! Girls dream about this, create Pinterest boards, imagine how their perfect prom night will go...in reality, it probably won't be as magical as you imagine. It's important not to let your expectations defer from the reality of prom and having fun with your friends.
Prom seems like the biggest deal in the world when you're a senior and it's right here. It's a fantastic night and if you choose to spend tons of money that's completely your choice. However, a month after prom happens, it won't matter anymore and all that money will be gone. So go out, enjoy your senior prom, but remember -- it's OK to enjoy it on a budget because at the end of the day all that matters is the memories you created at one of your final high school events.
