What is the Price of Prom?

Prom is, for many, a teenage rite of passage. And, for many, the expenses associated with the biggest dance of the year can really add up.

Formal attire — evening gowns for girls and tuxedos for boys — is just the beginning. Proms also come with costs for shoes, jewelry, hairstyles, manicure and pedicures, corsages and boutonnieres, and, for some, transportation and post-prom festivities.

Here’s a look at our area’s 2013 proms:

Stevenson High School’s prom, “Under the Northern Lights,” takes place May 18 at the Renaissance Convention Center in Schaumburg. Admission tickets are $80 per person. Prom, which runs from 6:30-10 p.m., includes dinner, dancing, the naming of Prom King and Queen and coach bus transportation to and from the event.

Vernon Hills High School’s prom, “A Night at the Oscars,” will be held May 18 at the Westin Chicago North Shore in Wheeling. Tickets are $75 per person. The event, which runs from 6:30-10:30 p.m., includes appetizers, dinner, dessert, coronation and dancing. Admission also includes bus transportation between the high school and the venue.

We’re wondering: How much does it cost to attend prom, when all is said and done? Do you have a budget? Who covers the costs? Please tell us your stories, past and present, in the comment section below.