The Price of Prom

Morning folks, after I uploaded my trilogy of #PromPicks posts and my little overview on how my Prom went, I was contacted by the lovely Sian from MyVoucherCodes, who gave me a few details on some research they have been doing on the increasing expenditure that comes from your end of school party. I know that I definitely associated the kind of ridiculous prom spending with American teens, but as A Girls World discovered, the UK is quickly catching up on their extortionate spending habits. I'll link their full article here as I'll be quoting their results throughout, as I attempt to contrast some of the more expensive choices with my own investment in my prom! 

One aspect of the prom fiasco in the US that hasn't quite reached British shores yet, in my opinion, is the 'Promposal.' Apparently it is no longer okay to simply ask your date to prom, and even asking over dinner or perhaps accompanying your question with a small gift will now result in you being shunned by the cool kids, 'Mean Girls' style. According to AGW, Promposals in the US account for a third of the overall cost, with a frankly insane $300 being shelled out by thousands of unwitting young boys, all in the name of a date. I cannot even comprehend how the figure reaches that level, but thankfully this trend is not yet echoed in the UK. Sighs of relief from teenage boys across the country no doubt. 

Our venue, The Dunkeld Hilton Hotel

My first actual cost for prom was the ticket to the event itself, which was paid in instalments throughout our final year, and totalled £55, which seems to be on par with many across Scotland, the UK and indeed the US. Not cheap, but considering that our ticket included transport to and from the venue (in the form of the much loved Stagecoach buses) a three course meal, the use of the venue and grounds, and a CD disk with pictures taken by the professional photographer. This was my favourite addition to the cost of the ticket, with the photographer staying from the moment we arrived until well after the meal had finished and the embarrassing dancing had begun.
(Total Cost: £55)

Now onto my outfit, I toiled for ages finding a dress, but that wasn't due to lack of choice. I set myself a budget of under £100, which I felt was totally reasonable and there were thousands of options. My personal favourite online retailers were ASOS, Debenhams, Miss Selfridge and Little Mistress- which is where I eventually found my dress. I paid £70 for it, plus a little bit for postage, and I already owned a lovely little pair of black heels from Dune, which aren't online but I'll link a fairly similar pair here. I therefore didn't have to spend any extra cash on shoes, and with my dress being so long, I didn't feel like there was much emphasis on anyone's shoes, meaning that if you're looking for an area to skimp on, that'd be my advice!
(Total Cost: £135)

In terms of accessories, I kept it fairly simple, with only a pair of drop earrings from Topshop to jazz up my outfit. I also avoided a large cost as I did my own hair and make-up, which shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone as I do run a blog focussing on all things beauty. Many of my friends had hair and make-up done, with treatments ranging from £15 for nails or fake tan, up to the £100 mark for hair styles and full face make-up looks. Some girls hair in particular was especially beautiful, so it's easy to understand why so many opt for something professional! AGW found that the average hair spend in the UK for girls is £70, with beauty coming in at £30- and I can definitely back up these figures with what I've seen!
(Total Cost: £155)

As our transport to and from the venue was provided, we didn't really explore any other options. However, one group of friends in my year did choose to hire a large pink limo to take them to and from the venue, which is something that I would find entirely too embarrassing to even consider. However, they all seemed to be pleased with their choice, posing for pictures and no doubt having a much classier drive to the venue that I did on the top deck of a double decker bus that usually frequents that back roads of central Scotland. Some of the most expensive travel options can see parents shelling out hundreds of pounds for their children, with helicopter travel becoming increasingly popular. I can't help but feel like the headphones you wear whilst in the air would probably ruin your no doubt professionally done hair. Gotta think these things through logically!

All in all, I had a wonderful evening at my Prom, and feel like I spent enough to make me feel glamorous, without breaking the bank. As a word of advice to any girls reading who are yet to attend their Prom, feel free to spend as much as you want, but at the end of the day nobody was judging anyone else on the pricetag of their dress or how nicely their make-up was done. Prom is a way of celebrating the fact that you've survived high school, an evening to spend with your friends having a brilliant time, so if you feel like you can't afford to wear designer clothes, don't worry about it ruining your evening.

Go check out the article from A Girls World, and MyVoucherCodes page too, for loads of savings. Have a lovely week and I will be back soon with another post!