Who Pays for What for Prom

Going to prom is often seen as a must-do rite of passage, but it can wind up being a very pricey evening. Especially, the prom costs have skyrocketed in recent years as prom events have become more elaborate. The cost of the prom is usually afforded by you and your partner. Sometimes, their parents will pay for the prom. Of course, it depends on the situation. Today, we will talk about who pays the prom bill under normal conditions. Wondering what the “rules” are for dividing expenses? Don’t break a sweat – we are here to help! Below is a general outline of who pays for what on your big high school prom night.

The Guy

Prom Tickets

Traditionally boys buy tickets and then invite girls, which is defined as prom etiquette. In the past girls waited for a guy to ask them to prom. The guy buys the tickets, gets the tickets, holds the tickets, and presents the tickets at the door. Now, something is changed. These days the girls are more independent and self-assured. It's acceptable to ask a guy to prom. Whether you're in a relationship or single. Who pays for the tickets also depends on the relationship between you and your partner. If guys go with their girlfriends, they usually pay all thickets. They will pay their fee when guys go to the prom with their friends.

The Corsage

A corsage is a miniature bouquet worn around the wrist for a formal occasion. Traditionally, a corsage is given to a woman by a date and should coordinate with her attire. The word “corsage” is French and originally referred to the bodice of a dress where the flowers were once pinned. In ancient times, flowers were worn to special events to ward off evil spirits. Eventually, as fewer people worried about evil spirits ruining their prom night, the tradition slowly evolved to a gentleman showing respect to his date’s parents by offering a bouquet and then pinning a flower from the bouquet to the date’s dress. In this sense, corsages symbolize respect and attachment. While corsages were originally attached to the bodice of a dress or a shoulder strap since spaghetti straps and strapless dresses have come into fashion, they have transitioned to the wrist. So traditionally the male buys the corsage for the woman. But it's OK if women buy the corsage for themselves.

Pre-Prom Dinner

Generally, the prom will last all night. Girls and boys will have dinner before the beginning of the prom. They can gather in one’s homes or book a restaurant. Of course, they need to decide this as soon as possible to avoid an embarrassing situation: Nearby restaurants are fully booked. However, if they decide to go to a restaurant to have dinner, it may expensive. Who pays the bill? Normally, if the boy asks the girl to invite the prom, he will pay for the dinner. They also can share the cost of the dinner.

The Girl

The Boutonniere

Proper etiquette dictates that the girl buys a boutonniere for her date. Boutonnieres are one or two blossoms of flowers to be worn on the left lapel of his jacket. The girl pins the boutonniere on her date's jacket when he arrives to pick her up for the prom. Pin the boutonniere with the stem facing down. The corsage and boutonniere can be ordered at the same time so the florist may coordinate them for the boys and girls. Besides, the boutonniere should match the color of the girls’ dresses if possible.

Both

After Prom

This is usually a “dutch treat” – that means you split it between the two of you. Of course, this can be up for discussion, but paying your way is a fair and respectful way to ease your date’s wallet! It is also helpful if your school has favored purchase rather than as part of the ticket cost. There are other ways to divide the expenses, of course, but this is the most widely accepted arrangement. No matter how you divide the expenses, be considerate of your date’s opinions on the restaurant and other Prom-related activities – especially if he/she is the one paying!

Dinner, a limousine, and any other special expenses are usually split in half unless one person has a larger budget than the other, then the person with the bigger budget pays a bigger percentage.

Should parents pay for the prom?

For most teens, prom is their first formal event, and how much is spent comes down to individual budgets. Some parents opt to pay for expenses, while others don’t have the financial means to do so—or, regardless of parental resources, they expect their teens to foot the bill. In all, Parents are under no obligation to pay for teens' prom.