Laugh or Cry....HS Senior Prom 2009 Long Sorry

[diskids2]

I'm sure many of you have gone through your child's Senior Prom and right now I'm in the thick of it and I dont know whether to laugh or cry!

Let me just say.......Why is it so STRESSFUL!

I try my hardest to calm my daughter's concerns and I remind her that while this is a special occasion it is a time to have fun and not get so crazy! It falls on "closed" ears.

So as I celebrate this time (prom is June 10th)...I'll share some of my journey with you now..........

Shopping for a prom dress - five different times, countless store, many many prom dresses and we got the very first one we tried on for the amount of $229...naturally we needed a special undergarment for it....cost $80....and the alterations.....got the dress to the seamstress...haven't gotten bill yet...can only imagine.

Shoes.....who thought this would be so much fun Ok this time we only went to three shoe stores before we figured out that she wanted shoes dyed to match the dress. Trucked over to Central Ave. in Yonkers (which is clear across Westchester County for me - but hey I'm a devoted Mom) and got shoes she liked....yipeeeee! Cost $90 plus $10 to dye them. (Oh but did I mention she can pay another $10 after the prom and get them dyed to black and won't they look great with jeans....ummmm ok) Got the swatch from the seamstress and went to drop the shoes off to get dyed at the Yonkers shoe store where we bought them (across the county I go....) only to find out they are closed on Tuesdays....totally my fault I should have checked. Went back on Wed....fought the traffic and got there at 6:05pm...store closed at 6....so I'll try again on Saturday...but I'm ok....I love my daughter

Limo......5 girls with dates decided to get together and rent a limo. $240 per girl. Ok...I breathe....got the $100 deposit from each girl...went to limo place and booked it....all set....just have to get the other $140 from each girl next week. Oh wait Karen is not coming back in the limo....OK that's nice....Limo owner needs a note from or to speak to Karen's mom....he's responsible for her if she goes down in limo....I dont blame him....DD says you adults are so overprotective....yes....we are.....can you say "look in the news!"

Prom Tickets....Hammerstein Ballroom NYC....$125 per ticket. Daughter's BF paid for his prom...now it's her turn....I loved it when he paid....Seriously, fair is fair. School asks that they make tables of 10. No problem.....5 girls in the limo with dates.....5 girls at the table with dates....wait what did you say.....Sue's BF doesn't like Janet's BF (names changed to protect the innocent).....they'll deal with it All ten tickets should be purchased together.....do you hear ten pairs of feet scrambling for their money??

After Prom: Pre sale on tickets to dance clubs and comedy clubs....Limo owner says everyone must go together...can't leave kids at one club.....ok ok we get it......and we agree.....now if we can just get 10 teens to agree on an after party....cost per ticket at the moment $40 each.

Breakfast.....Oh who's taking me........."Oh Mom, plezzzzzzzzzzzzze".....Do you really need to go to breakfast when the after prom parties end at 4 am? Again, "Oh Mom, PLEZZZZZZZZZZZZZE". Ok fine....I'm ancient...I forgot. Cost who knows.....

Makeup - $100 to have someone come to our house on prom day to do the makeup....ok actually not bad.....$200 to buy the makeup she liked. NO comment!

Hair - Appointments made for the week before for a trim and highlight and then the day of for the styling. Wash the hair the night before and let it air dry.....Can't I just put it in a ponytail for her...I'll curl it....Well you already know the answer "PLEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZE" Trim and highlight usually runs $150 and the styling cost....unknown

Wildwood NJ trip after Prom......3 nights.....5 girls....I have no idea of the cost and right now I don't want to know.....LOL!

We haven't tackled....jewlery yet.

Well thanks for listening....I feel better now......Where's that priceless MasterCard commercial when you need it!

 

[binny]

Wow, youre a better mum than me. No way will I be able to do all of that.

They'd better start saving now ( at 9 and 10 ) if thats what they want. I am not going to pay for all of that! Dh would have a heart attack.

 

[diskids2]

Wow, youre a better mum than me. No way will I be able to do all of that.

They'd better start saving now ( at 9 and 10 ) if thats what they want. I am not going to pay for all of that! Dh would have a heart attack.

DD works at Stop and Shop and she has paid for quite a bit of this...I've helped as well. I guess seniors are helping the economy.

 

[Kath2003]

I would have said very simply: NO.

I bought my own prom dress at 16. It cost $60. I bought my own shoes. They cost $60. I did my own hair, makeup etc. with friends. That cost nothing. I got a taxi to and from prom- $10 return. The whole night including the ticket cost under $200. I still have the photos. We had a great time. I still have the dress; it still looks great. I got rid of the shoes about two years ago, they were worn out.

 

[Darcy03231]

You're definitely a better mom than me. DD bought her dress for senior prom 2 weeks ago. $118. She's wearing the shoes and jewelry that she work last year for junior prom (who's going to remember anyway?). She'll do her own make-up and I'll roll her hair for her the night before. Her boyfriend is buying the tickets (its his prom). After prom a group of them are going out to Denny's for breakfast and then coming home. I'm driving them to the prom and picking them up and dropping them off at Denny's. His mom is picking up at Denny's and bringing them home.

 

[babytrees]

I am so not looking forward to this next year (Junior Prom cost me just under $50). Cassidy's boyfriend bought all the other stuff (her ticket to prom and after prom and supper). Seniors do get their ticket to prom free.

 

[MichelleVW]

Wow....that's alot of drama!

Last year cost me

$500 for dress
$40 for shoes
$80 for hair
did her own make up
$20-25 for jewerly
$20 prom ticket

Last year's prom dress

This year she is going to 2 proms...one in ND with hr friends and one in Texas with her school.

$75 for dress on sale
$? for shoes...I think she already had them
prom ticket is bought from shool
riding to prom with some friends
doing her own hair make up
$? getting dress drycleaned for prom 2

Here's Prom #1 this year in North Dakota

 

[C.Ann]

Wow....that's alot of drama!

Last year cost me

$500 for dress
$40 for shoes
$80 for hair
did her own make up
$20-25 for jewerly
$20 prom ticket

Last year's prom dress

This year she is going to 2 proms...one in ND with hr friends and one in Texas with her school.

$75 for dress on sale
$? for shoes...I think she already had them
prom ticket is bought from shool
riding to prom with some friends
doing her own hair make up
$? getting dress drycleaned for prom 2

Here's Prom #1 this year in North Dakota

--------------------------------

Beautiful!!

Boy - times sure have changed.. DD attended 2 proms - junior and senior - and the entire cost for both didn't even come close to $500..

I think DGD (10) needs to start saving for her proms now.. LOL

 

[gm]

my sons prom is this weekend.

$130 for the tux and everything that goes with it. (rental by the way)
$25.00 for the flower thing you wear on the wrist to present to date
$60 prom ticket
$40 after prom ticket

thats it whew!!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I paid $40 for my prom dress (9 years ago) and used shoes I already had and I think he paid for the tickets and dinner ($150). Then I got left by my date (boyfriend) at the prom and he took my cell phone (he didn't go to the school). Ah memories

 

[MsLeFever]

Michelle - your daughter is stunning!

 

[ckay87]

My son is going to his girlfriend's Sr prom, but he is only a sophomore. Bless him, he wants to BUY a suit so that he can wear it to his future proms. We'll see if that actually pans out, but at least he will own the thing. Wasn't looking forward to renting a tux.

I came on here to say how thankful I am that I have a boy, but this thing will run us almost as much as a girl...he needs a haircut and shoes. No makeup expenses, but flowers.

 

[NotUrsula]

Great googly-moogly! I didn't spend that much dressing for my wedding.

It's a good thing that I sew. When DD decides to go to prom and or get married, she'll be getting her dresses from Mom's Boutique.

 

[Traveliz]

Sounds like you are having fun regardless of the hiccups.

My daughter's proms didn't cost as much but I think that might be a geographical thing --

We had a blast though getting the dresses, accessories and all. She is out of high school now and the other night my husband and I were out to dinner and quite a few prom couples were there...he commented he likes looking at the dresses but doesn't miss paying for them or worrying about the night.

Liz

 

[MICKEY88]

WOW 300 for makeup,,

I can hire a good makeup artist for a full days photo shoot with multiple models..for that kind of money.


speaking of photos....

how much is that going to cost you...LOL

 

[powellrj]

My DS is attending his last prom, this is the 3rd year he has gone and all 3 years together didn't have that much drama or cost anywhere near that much.

In fact, the group he runs around with has decided to drive their own cars and have a progressive dinner at their homes. They figured they had done the limo and dinner out thing so this year they are just going to enjoy the evening for what it is.

Last year his date was the Prom Queen, and one of his best friends was the King, so they figured it doesn't get any better than that!

 

[Katy Belle]

Over $1500 for Prom??? I think I'd try to talk her into a trip to wdw instead

I think I'm glad I had all boys!

I hope she has a fantastic time!
Katy

 

[MushyMushy]

My son is going to his girlfriend's Sr prom, but he is only a sophomore. Bless him, he wants to BUY a suit so that he can wear it to his future proms. We'll see if that actually pans out, but at least he will own the thing. Wasn't looking forward to renting a tux.

I came on here to say how thankful I am that I have a boy, but this thing will run us almost as much as a girl...he needs a haircut and shoes. No makeup expenses, but flowers.

Oh I know! I've always heard how cheap it is for the boys. No, not so.

Here's what we paid compared to what the GF paid:

Tickets: $70
Tux: $135
Flowers: $50 (girls here do bouquets)
Pictures: $25 (I offered to pay & she chose smallest package)
Hair cut: $20
Car wash: $10
Full tank of gas: $40
Spending money: $50

She bought her gown (which was under $100), got her hair styled (probably $20 in our town), and bought shoes.

I'm not complaining at all! The Friday of the prom, my son and I spent the day together getting the hair cut, wash the car & clean it out, pick up the flowers, etc. It was the best day we've had together in many years. For all the complaining he did about going to the prom in the first place, I could see how much he really did care that day. I had tears in my eyes just being so proud of him.

It's not over yet. I have a daughter who has I don't know how many proms ahead of her. LOL

 

[minkydog]

I cannot imagine spending this kind of money on a Prom. I mean, it's not like she's getting married. Did you not give her a budget?

My DD16 is a sophomore, but there is no way she would even ask for this much. She knows our money is tight. In fact, I asked her about prom next year--she plans to wear a lovely burnt orange-with-gold-sequins-and-kicky-gold-shoes that she wore to my brother's wedding. The total was $69(dress) +$20(shoes) + hair & makeup($50) + nails($16)=$155. Oh, and $118 for airfare. She turned a lot of heads, I must say.

Personally, I think Prom is over-rated. I know, I know, it's important to the kids. But like any other activity, I set a budget. Anything over the budget is on their dime.

 

[minkydog]

Great googly-moogly! I didn't spend that much dressing for my wedding.

Me either. In fact my ENTIRE WEDDING cost $300. That's all we had and we stretched the money 'til it squealed. 'Course we've only been married 28 years, so I guess it was a good investment.