<p>Traditionally, prom is held at my school, which isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds considering that the main high school building is a [url="<a href="http://www.wis.edu/aboutwis/facilit_rentals.asp"]beautiful">http://www.wis.edu/aboutwis/facilit_rentals.asp"]beautiful</a> mansion<a href=“it’s%20actually%20rented%20for%20wedding%20receptions%20quite%20often”>/url</a>. It’s also free; I probably wouldn’t go if it weren’t. I went last year as a junior, and most people in my grade went home afterwards, but I think the seniors usually have an afterparty at someone’s house (there are only 50 students in the class of '07, so this isn’t as crazy as it sounds). There will probably be alcohol, but since there are so few of us we’re very close, and those of us who don’t want to drink would never feel pressured to do so. It’s pretty low-key.</p>
<p>My s’s hs is a large suburban public with a wide disparity between the haves and the have-nots. They could not possibly charge a lot for tickets or the have-nots could never go, so…</p>
<p>The prom is free for all seniors, but, if you take someone who is an underclassman or from another school, you must buy a ticket for them. The money for prom and project prom (after prom) is raised by the prom committee made up of students and parents. The students have been raising money for 4 years by holding a huge garage sale, car washes, bake sales, tickets for powder puff game, etc. The parents also raise money by fund drives, parties in people’s homes, selling remembrances at the school, etc. All the money raised pays for not only the prom, but for project prom which is an all night event held at a “games” place that has a disco, bowling alley, gambling tables (win tickets for prizes), video games, etc. After the prom, the kids change into comfortable clothes and head to the project prom, they stay there until the next morning. </p>
<p>That next day, kids form groups and plan “after prom” weekend stuff, and depending on what type of crowd your kid is in, the plan will reflect what they are into. My s, his friends, and their dates are having a party at our ranch. All the parents of the boys will be there and we are planning some fun stuff, like a bonfire and fireworks display. It should be fun, they are a great group of kids, and we are all (parents included) looking forward to it!</p>
<p>mkm56, those down the shore after prom gigs, I"m with you. I wouldn’t let my kids do that. Go figure that YOU get flack for being conservative! Reminds me of a friend who got major flack for not letting her daughter go to these coed sleepovers that are all the rage now.</p>
<p>At my school, they held the prom at Heinz Field (I’m from Pittsburgh) and the after prom at the high school.</p>
<p>I was one of these guys who refused to go. With the total costs coming up around $550, I instead went next door to PNC Park to watch the Pirates WIN. It cost me a total of $37–I got a good seat and decent parking.</p>
<p>This past year I was at a Pirates game on the night of my alma mater’s prom. There were about 15 people from my high school there, no joke. I think I was an influence on them.</p>
<p>Unlike me, these folks went to the after prom. I went home instead and got up the following morning to go to the mall. I was going to prank call my friends at 8:00 AM but decided not to…</p>
<p>My reasoning with after prom was that they locked everyone in–you couldn’t leave early and it went really long. Since I didn’t take a nap like the prom kids did (I was out working that afternoon, we had a half day) I didn’t feel as if I would be up for it in terms of stamina.</p>
<p>The after prom lock-in thing didn’t go over well here. Many kids had to work the next day or had soccer games, etc and didn’t want to stay up all night. The after proms were dropped after about 3 years with dwindling attendance.</p>
<p>Whoa - our high school prom tickets are under $20. It’s a very nice event held at a ballroom at our local university. Refreshments are light - most kids go out for dinner beforehand at their choice of restaurant.</p>
<p>Our AfterProm is the best in the area. We have many community sponsors for much of the food, entertainment, prizes, etc. Juniors and seniors can go - unless an underclassman is with a J or S. The afterprom is held on the same university campus in the rec center. It goes from midnight till 6am. NO ONE can leave unless a parent comes to pick them up. We have a process for permission slips, phone calls etc. when kids buy their tickets. If they buy a ticket and don’t show up to afterprom their parents get a phone call.</p>
<p>We have awesome entertainment - all the rec facilities, karoke/videotaping, fortune tellers, balloon artists (weird I know, but the kids love it) movies, etc. etc. Food going all night long - eat as much and as often as you want - most of it donated. There are prizes for everyone attending - seniors at the end of the night (actually morning…) get together for a special prize give-away with senior tickets - not everyone gets one of these prizes but their are usually about 50 prizes consisting of small appliances, tv’s, dvd players, small electronics, etc. </p>
<p>It takes a LOT of manpower and planning but turns out to be as fun of a night for the parents who work it as well as the kids - the kids don’t mind parents being there - it’s a huge place and you hardly run into each other.</p>
<p>Another thing to look forward to. My oldest wanted nothing to do with high school. So senior year we didn’t have any prom, afterprom or grad night issues to deal with.
With my son I am sure I am going to be the Mom saying NO to any unsanctioned afterprom activity. I think I better tell my son now he better start saving some money.</p>
<p>Wow - $400 for tickets - that is apalling! Our school also does a good prom held at a ‘mansion’ where the kids promenade first in all their splendour for the family to see. About $25 per person I think. Some of the ‘partiers’ (i.e drinkers) leave early but the rest have fun. It is also followed by an official after prom that runs pretty late and has really good prizes to be won. The kids have a blast. Same as the above poster - no readmittance & no alcohol. </p>
<p>After prom at a motel. My answer would be a big ‘NO’ to that also. In fact No No No No No! Even with my senior daughter who will have just turned 18 
before prom.</p>
<p>I got to dodge this one (although I will admit to going down 'da shore after my suburban Phila prom many moons ago). Daughter’s Interlochen prom was called MORP and was held, believe it or not, at a car dealership showroom. She said it was awesome. Also, since it was Interlochen, all the boys already had tuxedos. You could have a date- or not. Lots of great dancers- the ballet kids, etc. No one was shy- a bunch of performers. They took the kids there on a bus and bussed them back to Interlochen.</p>
<p>Son’s boarding school prom (which he got dragged to by gf against his will-I think I posted about it last year) was at a rented mansion or some such place. They bussed the kids there and back and he thought the whole thing was terrible. The parents thought it was great. Tickets were not expensive and there were no limos or dinners ahead of time. I think the poor girl’s mother got the flowers. I had long since stopped being embarrassed by my boorish son. My big shock was the pictures and the revealing dresses the girls wore (I thought I had seen everything). My son’s date has over half a boob showing in the prom pic.</p>
<p>I just cannot remember is DS went down the shore. (please remember this phrase if you are coming to NJ for college…we do not go TO the shore)
That is a bad reflection on my parenting. I remember far more of DD1 prom, although of course it was much closer in time. ds graduated 10 years ago.
They probably went down the shore too. dd1 did. The good kids from the high track, etc. I saw the pics a boy put up on xanga. They played that game with nickels and shot glasses. They sat around eating food and just hanging. They sat outside and watched other teens try to be bad. Our town seems to migrate to Seaside. Our kids had to go down a town because on prom girl is a cop’s daughter and he refused to let them rent there.
the others were crabby at the higher price but happy once they saw the stuff going on at the downtown motels.
dd1 did the summer camp once. Small school, less issues to deal with. Our school is graduating 469 students. The actual graduation is in the ice rink. (brrr)</p>
<p>Sorry if I repeat anything, didn’t have time to read everything…</p>
<p>$400 is quite ridiculous, however, my own mother had to forgo (well, boycott) her prom because the student council found a place that was only large enough for about half of the senior class! Look on the bright side, at least they will have room for everyone to go ;)</p>
<p>Does the school have no post-prom activities???</p>
<p>I remember having a blast at my senior year post-prom at a laser tag center! Free laser light shows, free laser tag, all games on freeplay mode…I wouldn’t have considered anything else for that evening!</p>
<p>As for the prom dresses:</p>
<p>Don’t hate me because I had a cache gown for my senior prom 
I still own it, but can’t fit into it for the life of me!</p>
<p>I bought a $300 Betsey Johnson dress for my junior prom. :eek: I’ve never owned anything that expensive in my life, and was only able to rationalize it because it’s a classy, versatile Little Black Dress ([url="<a href="http://www.betseyjohnson.com/pr/pd/p/1486.html"]this[/url">http://www.betseyjohnson.com/pr/pd/p/1486.html"]this[/url</a>] in black with pale pink embroidery) and not really a Prom Dress in the traditional sense. It still fits, and I’ll probably wear it to this year’s prom, too – there are about 20 guys in my grade, none of whom I’d really like to go with, and my male acquaintances outside of school are, well, casual acquaintances, so it’s not as if I’ll have a date to impress or anything. :rolleyes: I probably wouldn’t even go to prom if I had to pay for the ticket.</p>
<p>Our Public H.S. post prom (300 seniors) cost $40,000 for 5 hours and it was in the school. Ugh</p>
<p>My D made her first prom gown - it was a simple halter in a really beautiful fabric, it probably cost about $100 to make. She got her second one after prom season, with a coupon, on sale, for $26! It was a very pretty lavendar sleeveless gown. Her third one she also got after season, but she paid a little more for it - $160 ish. It was a shimmering turqoise/green/blue sleeveless gown, very full skirt. This year, she is planning on wearing something red and slinky, but she hasn’t found it yet. She’s done well so far, cost-wise.</p>
<p>Last year our HS prom was held in NYC – an hour away. There are dozens, if not hundreds of places on Long Island to hold one. Why all the way in there?</p>
<p>“I bought a $300 Betsey Johnson dress for my junior prom.”</p>
<p>Oh, that’s so great! I wore a black Betsey Johnson dress to my prom (and a cream one to my HS pseudograduation). Good to know that she’s still appreciated.</p>
<p>Still have them both, and they still fit, although I probably won’t ever get a chance to wear the graduation one again unless I elope someday.</p>
<p>My daughter got her prom dress last year at Thrifttown. I think it cost $7.00. It was sort of retro, a cocktail dress, I guess I would call it. She looked very cute in it. She was very happy with it.</p>
<p>I had a wonderful Betsey Johnson black velvet number in the 70s. It was a splurge, but I looked and felt great in it.</p>
<p>It’s so funny about Betsey Johnson dresses: my D bought 2 of them for her proms (mostly of her own money, I might add.) I was against her spending so much - until I saw them on her. Beautifully made, superbly fitted and timeless. </p>
<p>Still I’d have been thrilled if she’d done what mstee’s D did: $7.00 thriftytown dress and a priceless story to tell for years after :)</p>
<p>My daughter goes to an expensive prep school where the cost of the prom gets way out of hand, especially designer prom gowns As a costume designer, I have access to many fashion designers, but flat out refused to use them to get her gown. She’s 6’0 tall and sample sizes wouldn’t work anyway.
So she designed her own gown (great I have to admit, with some tweaking I’ll do to it) with the assumption my best friend, one of 7th Ave’s top patternmakers (Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren),
would make out of the goodness of her heart. Nope! (well, actually she would, but I felt she had to find a way to pay her.) Many tears were shed, while my daughter obsessed over this damn gown for an event five months down the road. Turns out she found a way. My D is an extraordinary painter, my friend a big time art collector. My D drew preliminary sketches
for my friend’s approval. She’s been working on a beautiful painting, so beautiful I want to keep it for our collection. It also brought out the best of her talent, so much that I told her she should major in art instead of art history.</p>