Prom - Grand Prairie,TX

Some have dinner some do not. Do you have to pay for ticket? If not, I would assume no food. If you had to pay a fair amount, I would assume there is food.

I went to prom in 1999 and they did not have any food there. I went out to dinner with my date before we went to the dance. Back then I don't think anyone went with out a date. Prom was very formal. If you don't have a date, then you don't go. Pretty much everyone just danced with their dates and or sat at a table in a group and drank soda. I really didn't even have that much fun

You might check the school website for prom information. They usually review any safety or dress code issues. Food varies from prom to prom. Also, many schools in the DFW area have an after prom party that is sponsored by PTA/PTO organizations. These parties go on after the prom until morning to give kids a safe, organized place to go to keep celebrating. Usually an extra ticket is involved. Many kids without dates will go to this event too because it is more like group fun with food and games and more casual in atmosphere.

No dinner at the prom. Maybe punch, but not that I recall. Going out to dinner before the prom with friends was the most fun part for us. Generally every May, there's hordes of high schoolers in formal wear at most of the decent restaurants every Saturday. So ask him what he and his friends have planned, I'm assuming they probably know the drill if this is their Sr prom.

ETA: I've never heard of dinner being served at a prom! I'm wondering if this is a generational thing? Mine was in 2002...

I am the prom coordinator for my high school. Some regions of the US do dinner many do not. My school does desserts and drinks. Kids go out to dinner before hand. Kids usually just dance, take pictures and hang out. Because it is such a cultural thing for our school we never send out any info to parents besides date, time, place and ticket price. Try contacting the school secretary. They know everything and have more time to get back to you. Many of our kids go without dates, some do, most dance and just have a good time.

I can't believe they haven't provided any information to parents!

We had to go to a mandatory meeting when my oldest was going to junior prom (it's junior year here). We got a lot of information there. Proms vary from school to school.

Our kid's prom was held at a banquet hall. They had a mocktail/hors d'oeurves (sp?) hour, a buffet dinner, and a dessert bar. Music and dancing. If I remember correctly, the tickets were $70 each.

Our HS offers an amazing post-prom party, free of charge, to try to keep kids from going to after parties where there will be drinking and such. The post-prom is held in the HS from 11:30 pm til 3:30 a.m. and everyone loves it. They have all kinds of food stations, music from a DJ and local bands, the gym is filled with inflatables, they can play some video games like Let's Dance, I forget what else there is and they send them home with breakfast in a box.

Hope your son has a great and safe time!

It really depends and the invite that he bought should specify what is included. The proms that I went to back in the day included a full sit-down dinner, which was included in the ticket price, while things like homecoming were just snacks, desserts and water with soda and juice available for purchase. At my kids's school, the prom does include a dinner but I hear that the kids don't actually eat much of it. Many of the kids make plans to get together after, either at a restaurant or someone's house and that's when they'll actually really eat, chowing down on pizza and chicken wings and such.

Take lots of pictures and hope he has fun!

hard to say, as it varies by geographical area, and over time (never used to include dinner, but now sometimes it does.) surely your school will let you know?
i remember years of restaurant work, and all of us dreading prom season. slews of kids dressed to the 9s, and no clue how to tip appropriately. ;)
sounds like your son is laid back and ready to have a good time. i'm always shocked at how stressed and how EXPENSIVE it is for some families. you'd think the dang kids were getting married.
khairete
S.

I went to the prom as a senior with my then-boyfriend about 20 (gasp!) years ago. I think most of us were couples at the prom. We were a couple and sat at a table with three other couples -- they had a formal dinner (choice of chicken cordon bleu or something else, I can't remember) at this big hall inside the nearby state park. Basically it was dinner and dancing until about midnight, then they had an "after-prom" party at the high school -- a lot of the girls and guys had changed into beachwear for the party (I didn't, I was still in my tea-length prom dress) and we all danced some more. I think we all went home at about 3 a.m. and my boyfriend crashed on the couch at my house.

My high school son went to a dance earlier this year without a date. He met with friends there but arrived with one of his guy friends. (I worried a little about this because I didn't want any comments coming from insensitive classmates, but it wasn't a problem.) I wanted him to have someone to arrive with only because it really sucks to be the only one in your group there. Now it sounds like your son is much more laid back about it and that's great. I'm glad he plans to go rather than just skip it.

They don't do a dinner around here, the kids go out to a nice restaurant for dinner before.

M

In our area, dinner is not included with the prom tickets. All of the moms of teenagers that I know have been all stressed out about making pre-prom dinner plans for their kids (serving something fancy at home for a group of kids, vs. going to a restaurant, etc). Around here, prom is just a dance, not dinner.

Call the school. The invitations, the on-line info, and the price of the ticket will give you the answers you need. They'll also tell you about customs. Find out if the kids all meet at the prom or if they get together ahead of time for photos. Customs vary from town to town. A lot of kids these days go without dates - it takes the pressure off, and then they meet up and dance if they want to. Usually there is more food than just punch/chips but again, check on this with the school (either the office or guidance will be able to direct you, but sometimes there is a parent committee that supervises. If the Senior Class puts it on, then the advisor will be able to help you.)

I am so glad your son and friends are going.

There must be a school website. Or call the main office and ask the secretary who you could ask. Leave a message with the office for the teacher to call u back since emails aren't working. Ask another parent...

Usually, a prom has tables set up, dinner, DJ and kids sometimes go on a party bus and split the cost.

Some schools have an after party at the school.

You could always ask to carpool with another parent!

My sophomore daughter is going to her first prom this year. Exciting!!

This is the first year our HS is not offering dinner at prom. It will just be appetizers. They said the kids didn't eat dinner any way and they wanted to keep the cost down. Prom this year is $70 / ticket.

After prom our HS host a $40,000 post prom party that over 900 Junior and senior kids and their dates attend. Even kids who don't go to prom go to post prom! It is fabulous!!

I am in the Plano school district and my daughter graduated last year.

The prom is for Seniors only and their dates . IF a date is from another school in the district, the 2 attendees much have a special form signed by the assistant principal of the guest's school indicating that the guest is "approved", as in not in detention, etc.

The year my daughter was a guest (Junior year), there was a party bus which had about 60 kids on it. They funds were divided and each couple paid their portion ($50). They then had a professional photographer meet the group at a good picture taking place for pictures, then they were off to dinner somewhere... usually about $75 for the couple. Tickets to the prom were $30 a couple.

The prom itself starts around 9pm, only limited drinks and snacks are provided. Our PTA funds Much of the prom and also holds an after prom party because most groups end up staying somewhere all night.

Last year, it was just my daughter and her date. We did hire a driver for them to go to dinner at Reunion Tower, and professional photographer.

It is SO pricey... You can easily spend over $1000 with a blink of an eye. My daughter has a gorgeous Sherri Hill designer dress and she wore it both years since she was actually at 2 different proms. Even with the savings of wearing the same dress, we still spent over $1000 each year.

I hope your son has a great time and stays safe!

Your son might want a little extra cash for any extras that are at the prom such as photo booth, etc. Also, there is a photographer at the prom taking pics (Probably Flash Photography because they do a lot of Dallas area events). When pics are posted, you can view and buy what you want.

Oh... it is common for groups of friends to attend without dates.

Does the school not send home info about it?

Prom has a special place in my heart as a former Prom Committee member :) A lot of work goes into making it special. Ours was a Junior/Senior prom, and I was able to go sophomore, junior, and senior year. I also went to a friend's prom in another town. Back then you only went in boy/girl pairs, but I think that has changed. My school's included dinner, my friend's school did not and we all had to go out to a pricey fancy dinner beforehand. Depending on how much the ticket costs, you may be able to figure out if that means a meal or not. I work now at my old school (it's a high school and a middle school) and I've noticed that now it is totally legit to go "stag", which was unheard of in my day. I think the tickets may still be sold as pairs however I could be wrong about that.

I think it's cool that your son plans to just roll solo. It's like he knows his social stimulation limits but he isn't such a fuddy duddy he would miss the thing entirely.

My husband went to a private Christian school where they did not allow dances. But they did have a senior prom... with no dancing. Apparently dancing is just one step away from fornicating. That's the only time I've heard of a prom without dancing, which to me is just... a banquet.

It's been a lot of years, so my prom experience may be dated (mid 80s). Our prom included a catered formal dinner. In fact, we had our wedding reception there years later. There were formal photos taken of couples and a lot of dancing. We had dance cards, in keeping with tradition, although no one used them and I doubt they still do that.

Usually the attendees go out for dinner before arriving at the prom. Just punch and light snacks served at the prom. Other than that, it's just dancing and socializing. Oh, and don't forget the pictures!

HOpe he has a GREAT time!

Never in my life heard of eating at the prom. They are in formal wear and they'll ruin it. So they don't eat during a prom, only punch and refreshments. They might go out afterwards but I don't know of anyone that eats before or during the prom. It's a dance and rite of passage.

Here prom is a formal dance. Dinner is provided, professional pictures are taken of your kid with and without their date, and dancing happens. During the prom the Prom King and Queen are announced and they get a special set of photos and kudos. After prom some students decide additional activities they want to do and have a great time doing them. Both my son and nephew graduated in the same year and their proms were on the same night for different schools. It was a logistical nightmare for our family but both of them had fun.

I'm certain your son will have fun too no matter what the details of the prom are.

I'm still learning about what they do at our son's high school.
He's in 9th grade so we have a few years to figure it out.
I know they have huge After Prom party - which you don't have to go to the prom to attend - but it's something everyone looks forward to and it's alcohol free and a safe environment for them to be at till dawn.

My high school prom was a formal dinner and dance.

Here in Austin there is no dinner, so most couples go to dinner before. At prom they have a few light snacks, and punch.

Our daughter went alone with a group. Gasp she wore dressy pants and a cute top. She said she was surprised How many other girls said they were envious she wore pants, their mothers would not allow it.??? They drove in groups.

Anyway I and another mom actually hosted a before prom dinner party, so that these kids would not have to spend money on an expensive dinner. We used our best china, silver and crystal. Tables set with linens.

We served tenderloin etc, with sparkling cider. Invited parents to come and help set up, take photos. We adults enjoyed the left overs and then had adult beverages after the kids left.

It is now very common for the kids to go not as couples but as groups of friends!

After Prom another group of parents hosted a game night and served heavy snacks, sandwiches, quiches, chips, desserts..the kids said that was also fun, because they talked about Prom and had more fun.

My son is also a senior and finally decided he would go. He's going with a girl that's a friend and had to ask her in a "cute" way officially. He used paint markers and wrote "Prom?" on her car and decorated it up and gave her flowers. I was pretty impressed with the effort actually.

Here dinner is included. Grand March is at the high school where parents and the community is invited to watch the kids walk down an aisle announcing the couples. Then the kids load up in buses and go to a ballroom for a dinner and dancing. The parent boosters club hosts a post-prom party until 5:30 am with games, activities and prizes.

My high school (graduated in 1995), we went out for a fancy dinner on our own, then went to the high school for grand march with just punch and then post prom.