The prom discussions

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
The prom discussions
32
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 3:37pm

made me wonder about the differences in prices around the country.

Pam

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 4:07pm

How much are tickets where you are and does that include dinner?


the tickets were $50 a piece and did NOT include dinner!


What area do you live in?


we live in south Santa Clara County, CA...a bedroom community with too many affluent people.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2006
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 4:08pm
I live in southwestern PA and our high school has a little over 500 students for enrollment. The prom tickets are $150 a couple, this includes dinner, and prizes. They usually have entertainment besides a DJ, in past years this has included a hypnotist and maybe magician. They have to arrive at the prom location by 9 PM and are "locked" in until 5 the next morning. Under 18 are not allowed to drive between 11 PM and 5 AM, which I think is why they do this. I still find that really pricy for most kids. They say they are $75/person, but they must be purchased as a pair, so it really is implied that students cannot go stag, which I disagree with. It creates a scramble for prom dates starting in January, so that by the time prom rolls around the end of May, some of the people aren't even really talking to their date anymore. I think the costs of prom have really got out of hand. I know last year my DD's one friend was so set on a limo, which I felt was a waste of money, since they arrive at prom and don't leave again until morning.

That is too bad your son couldn't find a date. I am surprised since like I said here there is a scramble for dates. I know my DD last year was worried she wouldn't have a date but ended up going with a good friend and had a great time. I kept telling her if she didn't go, it wasn't that big a deal, and once she started college she wouldn't care whether she had gone or not. In September she agreed with me....although she said it still would have seemed like a big deal in May if she hadn't gone.
Avatar for suzyk2118
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Registered: 07-30-1997
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 4:27pm

In our little St. Louis suburb, the HS website says $67.50 per ticket; I understand only juniors and seniors go so I really don't know more yet (like what it all includes)!

Sue

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 5:39pm

Hi Pam--it's funny that you posted this because as I'm reading some of these posts about prom my jaw is hitting the ground on the cost of things. Either I don't have a clue or because we live in Central IL the costs are just not nearly as high. I can't imagine my DD spending $200 on a prom dress!! (of course she's only turning 13 in July!).

I'm not sure I've EVER spent $100 on a dress (or any article of clothing) for myself!

Karin

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Registered: 02-14-2000
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 5:51pm
Hey Karin!
Pam
Avatar for sharo63
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-10-2006
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 5:55pm
Well this topic is near to my heart this year having both DS & DD go the prom. We live in NY (not city...more north) and DD's dress was $300 (middle of road here) tux rental is about $150, tickets including dinner and "post prom" activity night are $100 per couple. Between tickets, dress,accessories (using old shoes), tux, flowers, hair,limo ( I know, but DS & DD's BF did this one!) the total package is around $1000. Kids are pitching in and DD's bf is paying for her tickets, etc.
So there you have it :)
Avatar for mjaye2002
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 6:10pm

If I remember correctly, seems like the tickets were only $20 per kid ($30 if your date was from out-of-town) and that included dinner. The tux rental was $100. I have no clue what the girls spent on dresses. I imagine the prices were all over the place. Ds's date actually *rented* her dress from a period costume place (which I thought was a fabulous idea.) Of course, you would have to know this girl in order to appreciate that--she is soooo not into "what everyone else is doing". I think her rental was probably about the same as the tux, maybe a little less.

I'm in West Texas, and we have a whopping 55 kids in the senior class--averaging approx 200 kids in high school (9th-12th).

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Registered: 10-16-1999
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 8:53pm
I live in SW WI, our school is small with about 70 kids per class. All kids grades 9-12 can go to prom, and freshman and sophomore year, going stag is pretty common. Tickets are $5 per person (we're in a very low income area) and that does not include dinner. Post prom activities are another $5 per person, both prom and post prom are highly subsidized by fundraising activities by various parent-run organizations that sell conscessions at athletic events, as well as parents of the junior class, the junior class and every business in town. There are always a few eyebrows raised by new folks to town when they find out that not only the grocery store and hardware store contribute to prom activities, but so do the liquor stores and bars... but the owners of most of those businesses have kids and grandkids attending prom, and everything they donate is very high school appropriate - one of the liquor stores worked out a deal with his supplier to donate a HUGE amount of pop for the event. Post prom lasts from midnight til 6 a.m. locked in, though kids don't have to leave until 10 this year. So many of them end up catching a few Zs in the movie room, that they aren't forced to leave until most of the clean up is done. Very seldom does anyone other than the prom court rent limos. Most girls spend around $100 or less on their dress, though a lot of parents splurge on the junior year dress and spend up to $300 or so. It isn't uncommon for girls to borrow dresses from prior proms from each other - this year Z's g/f wore my DIL's dress to prom. Because we're such a low income area, most of the girls are just glad to be able to find a dress that their parents can afford. Boys aren't expected to wear a tux, though many do - about 30% wear what N's b/f is wearing this year - dress pants, long sleeved shirt and tie. I much prefer this low key approach to prom over the hundreds of $$ some people spend. I'm also very, very lucky that my DD is such a bargain hunter - while some girls would be appalled to go to prom in an outfit that cost about $80, including dress, shoes and jewelry, she brags about finding such great deals. I was prepared to spend $100 on the dress and another $50 on shoes and jewelry, but she's very happy of what we got. Prom is this weekend - now she's decided she wants to have her nails done - $12 at the local cosmetology school.
Rose
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2006
Tue, 05-01-2007 - 12:44am

That sounds like the best prom deal ever, Rose.

Here in SW MI tux rental is $120-$150. (I wish suits or slacks +ties were the norm here.) Tickets $20pp for the dance, only. Some girls spend $300 on dresses. Dinner is another $35pp (according to DS, his gf doesn't really eat, but just nibbles, when they go out). There's no after prom. Last year the guys stayed over at one of the guy's homes; and the girls went to one of the girl's homes--or, at least, that's what we parents were told. A few splurge with limos, but not many.

In the end, if they enjoy it as DS did last year, it's worth it. I was afraid he'd come home and say, "that was boring". But he clearly had a memorable experience. Just hope this year's the same.

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http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM

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Registered: 12-18-2006
Tue, 05-01-2007 - 7:37am

I went to two events of this nature, my Year 12 formal (which is equivalent to the prom) and my valedictory dinner, which was my graduation. We also had a Presentation Ball (not a debutante ball - this particular ball demeaned the concept!) which I did not attend. The budgets for these events were quite different. The formal was in the middle of the year, during the winter break (on a boat. Yep. I know. Winter. A boat. Yep. I KNOW) and my valedictory was at the end of the year in November, just after my final exams. I can attach photos if you would like to see how I looked.

In terms of limos, my friends took one to the presentation ball. About 15 people were in the limo and the cost was split evenly. This was necessary because the ball was filmed, including the arrivals. You basically had to arrive in some sort of hired transport - you certainly do NOT turn up in the family car to that event! The parents arrived later.

At the time of my formal, my family was in a bit of a tough spot financially, and we did it on the cheap. My dress was given to me for free by a family friend who worked at a dress shop. It was black, slinky and knee-length. The dress itself was worth $99, which converts to... around $60-$70 US? My shoes cost $79, but I have worn them since. They are very comfortable - for 3-inch heels, at least! I had my hair done for about $60 AUD, wore jewellery I bought for another event, perfume I'd received for Christmas and had a spray tan, which cost about $40. My handbag cost around $15. As for incidentals, I bought a new Maybelline lipstick for the event and two crystal bobby pins for my hair.

My valedictory was a much larger-scale expense. My dress cost around $200. My shoes were $60, silver sandals I have not since worn. I wore a pendant that my godmother bought for me, a pair of $12 earrings, my graduation watch from my parents and a little cardigan that I already had (for warmth). My evening bag cost $30 (my mother bought it without me). I wore the same perfume, got another spray tan at the same place and had my hair done for around the same price as my formal hairstyle. I also bought another Maybelline lipstick.

My mother and I collaborated on my make-up so that was fairly cheap.

My advice to your daughters is: don't go overboard on a dress. It is preferable to spend more on the shoes (metallic tones such as silver and gold and classic shades like black are perennial and will be paired with other outfits). This is an ideal time to wear high, but sturdy, heels. Adding height to the heel subtracts width from the calves, particularly if you are wearing a knee-length or longer dress (not a gown).

That said, my data may not be useful at all. Perhaps proms are different to formals. But the point of both seems to be one and the same - go, spend a night with your friends, have fun, and boogie on down!

I think formal tickets were about $80, but we did hire a boat, and we did get a meal and had a DJ spinning tunes. There was also an emcee. Valedictory tickets were around the same, with the same conditions.

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