Prom - How much is reasonable?

[niceguy2]

DD has started to talk to us about her upcoming prom.

Obviously it's a big thing for her and I do really want her to enjoy it. I'm not adverse to treating her and whilst we are fairly comfortable, we don't have a magic money tree in the garden.

So far she would like a beautiful dress (obviously) but of course her hair doing, nails and she's not sure about what to do about the car or whom she will share with. Also she's asking about how much it will cost for someone to do her make up.

My fiancee and I have discussed this and think that it would be better for us to just give her a budget. Out of that she can prioritise herself and make up any shortfall out of her allowance/savings.

I've told DD that her budget is £150 and she's pulled a bit of a face because the dress she was looking at is over £100 so it doesn't leave her much for anything else.

How much do others spend on their child's prom? To me £150 + £35 for the ticket is just shy of £200. Surely that should be enough? Or am I being unrealistic and proms are just a very stupid expensive thing we've inherited from American movies?

For my DD, her dress was £420 which was the cheapest in the shop, £89 for the limo and about £150 for hair, makeup and nails. But only because this is one of the most important days of her life, finally finishing secondry school!! She knows she can't expect any of that ever again. Just one night to be spoilt so I wish you luck in spending under £200 it's very difficult nowadays!

Worriedmum73 your comment made me laugh so much !!! brilliant!! and so true to my own feelings about this stupid Prom guff that we have imported from the USA. My dd's prom ticket is £41, and she is a veggie who hardly eats anything. When i left school, we just went out with the people who were actually our friends. The whole thing is a showoff parade, its not like they are getting married or anything important!!! makes me ROAR that some people even hire limo's for their little Princes and Princesses. My girl has a dress given to her by a friend, she will be doing her own makeup, and will be dropped off in the normal car of her friends mother. I would certainly do all i could for her if it were her engagement or wedding, but Prom ???? really????? a glorified leaving party. Leave the budgets to those with more money than sense