How much is too much to pay for prom night? Some may say you can’t put a price on what many may consider to be one of the best nights  of their lives, but this so-called “priceless” event has a hefty cost in reality. A survey (http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/resources/prom2015.php) shows that “promposals” (a new fad that involves asking someone to prom in an extravagant, flamboyant manner that is often meticulously planned out beforehand) alone may cost as much as $324 on average. The whole prom adds up to around $920. The average cost for a prom ticket is around $25, $250 for a dress, $40 for shoes, $25 for jewelry, $50 for nails, and $60 for hair, according to al.com(http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/03/paying_for_prom_how_much_did_y.html). Tux rental for guys costs on average around  $100, corsages  $20 each, $75 for dinner, and $40 for transportation. And when you consider all that in addition to other expenses that might arise, it really adds up.

So why do so many people spend so much money on one night? Why is it so important? Believe it or not, the tradition of prom started all the way back in the 1800s, according to Time magazine’s online news site (http://content.time.com/time/magazine/). Universities in that era would often hold formal banquets for the graduating class. This tradition evolved over time until high schools began to take up a less formal version of the celebration for their seniors. The tradition of prom that is familiar to us, yet so different from those 19th century banquets, still continues to change to this day, the price of such a special night constantly shifting along with it.