Prom dreams run into reality

Last year Rashay Brown spent about $1,100 on a dress, limo, hair and makeup to go to the prom. And her parents paid for it.

This year the Socastee High School senior says she will spend less than half of that, and is helping her parents pay for it with her baby sitting money.

Brown, like a lot of other teens attending prom this year, realizes the economy is bad and her parents cannot afford to spend as much.

Teens are exploring ways to save, including finding group rates, renting dresses, doing their own hair and makeup and even going solo to prom.

Prom can cost $175- $2,100 per couple or about $600 per person, according to Katie's Project, a nonprofit group that collects donations and supplies free prom dresses and tuxedos to those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.

"No one ever really thinks about all the little things that go into prom," said Kelly Rhoden, a volunteer at Katie's Project and sister of the project's founder, Katie Rhoden. "The shoes, the accessories, the dress, dinner, getting your hair done."

"We've had a lot more people come in this year," Kelly Rhoden said. "A lot of girls who came last year have spread the word, and more people know about us, and I think it also has to do with the economy. Most of these girls do come in for the whole package, the shoes, the dress, a handbag and jewelry."

This time last year Katie's Project served about 75 girls in the Grand Strand area. So far this year, the project has served about 200 in Horry County and expanded its reach to surrounding counties such as Georgetown and Marion and Brunswick County in N.C. to reach another 125 teens. This year the group also started serving guys, said Sarah George, also with Katie's Project.

Without the program, Pamela Thompson said her daughter, a sophomore, would not have been able to go to prom. Thompson, of Myrtle Beach, is disabled and is not working and her husband, a military veteran, has not been able to find work.

Thompson said when her daughter told her she had been invited to prom, she originally said no. She changed her mind after hearing about Katie's Project.

"It was not in the budget," Thompson said about prom. "The economy is so bad. My husband has not found a job yet. It is incredible that a military veteran cannot find work. In October it will be a year. I do not know how we are making it."

When her daughter told her about Katie's Project, Thompson said she was more excited than her daughter.

"It is the one day outside of a wedding when she can feel like Cinderella," Thompson said.

Guys are also feeling the financial pinch.

Nate Francis, a senior at Socastee High School, said he is spending about $300 on prom to rent his tuxedo and pay for dinner. His father is helping by putting up $100, and Francis is paying the rest through savings from a part-time job. He said the $100 from his father will help to offset the cost of dinner.

Other seniors have gotten creative in an effort to save money.

Socastee High School senior Justin Aranda organized a catered buffet at the Cooper House, a historic home open for rental. While it may sound extravagant, Aranda said because of the amount of people attending it will only cost about $20 per person versus the $50 typically spent on prom dinner.

"We originally thought about doing a cook-out. None of us had the money to spend and we thought a cook-out might be kind of sloppy for prom," Aranda said.

Aranda was also able to rent a beach house for an after-prom get-together by convincing a large group of his friends to participate. The cost of the beach house for two nights is about $1,200. Aranda was able to split it with about 40 friends so that it breaks down to about $30 per person.

Amanda Roof, owner of Amanda's Collection boutique in Conway, also recognizes the financial hardship prom nights can pose for parents and teens.

Roof said this season she stocked her store with less expensive dresses, in the $300 range. She has a collection of bridesmaid's dresses she directs girls to who are trying to save some money.

She said for parents it means a lot to them to be able to pay for their children to have that special day.

"I was ringing one girl out when her mother told me the dress was her paycheck," Roof said. "I almost cried right there."

Aynor High School senior Sara Atkinson did splurge and buy a new dress but scaled back everywhere else.

"We kind of saved up for the dress because it is such a special event," Atkinson said. "The dress makes the whole night."

Atkinson said she plans to use shoes she already owns and will do her own hair and makeup.

"A few people I know are having to borrow a dress from a friends and renting dresses," she said. "A lot of girls who do pageants reuse them as prom dresses."

Atkinson said during the school year she does not have time for a part-time job and relies on her parents to pay for prom.

"It would be kind of hard to buy a super expensive dress," Atkinson said. "You can see how bad the economy is. In respect for my parents, I thought I wouldn't spend as much."

Atkinson also found other ways to save. Because she helped out on a fundraiser for the student council, her prom ticket , which normally would cost about $75, was free.

She and about 15 of her friends are chipping in together to get a limo.

"It's senior year," Atkinson said. "You have to go out with a bang."