By the Bel: Formal Invitation
I know for some grade 12 students, school formal or prom has already happened, or you have it all stitched up. But for the late comers already in grade 12, or this year’s grade 11 students, now is the time to begin planning for your formal.
There are a few tips to getting the cost of this event down to a level most parents will be happy about.
Let’s look at 5 of the big money traps.
Car hire – As with weddings, saying the words school formal, can have some of the less respectable companies adding an extra cost on top of the usual fee of renting a limo. When hiring the limo keep close watch on how things are handled, maybe even have your parents ring up after you with their own rental enquiry to make sure you’re not getting ripped off. ALSO try and get as many people into that limo as it will hold, so the cost is split amongst you all. The more the merrier.
Tux Hire versus buying a nice suit – PLEASE check with your date as to how formal he/she would like you to be,
and shop around a little. Sometimes buying a nice suit you can wear more than once can be more cost effective than hiring a tux. Also check how much more is added to the rental fee if you add extras like top hats, cummerbunds and cravats. Keep in mind it is also cheaper to borrow from a family member or a friend. Don’t forget to pay for cleaning the tux, or suit if you borrow it. It’s only fair.
Hair and makeup – Do your research girls. Know what kind of hair style you want, and perhaps bring magazine clippings or photos along to give the hairdresser a really god idea of what you would like her to do. Some hair dressers have packages on offer including hair, makeup and sometimes even nails. Some even throw in a trial. Some may even come to your home. Be sure to check and ensure these packages are cost effective, and are going to suit your budget as well as your sense of style.
Corsages and buttonholes – I am a HUGE advocate of the artificial flower movement. If you look hard enough you can find almost any type of blooms and they’re extremely realistic in appearance. Not to mention they won’t wilt or be out of season when you want them the most. As an added bonus they’re usually cheaper than the real thing. There are some brilliant tutorials on how to create your own corsages and buttonhole arrangements on youtube. Here’s a simple but beautiful one by Waterdeep2012:
Now onto the big cost… The dress. There are many ways to save money on the dress.
Ebay. I think you would be taking the biggest gamble with buying your dresses from ebay. Not only could they be late on arrival, but they are not always of the best quality or exactly as they are depicted in the photos. However the prices are AMAZING if you’re lucky enough to get a good ebay seller.
Second hand stores or factory seconds. Op shops can sometimes be a mine of hidden treasures when it comes to formal wear. Factory seconds aren’t usually dramatically flawed. Sometimes it’s just a makeup stain or a slight discolouration in the fabric. These can be covered with beading, a strategically placed corsage or dry cleaning, even re dying the fabric.
Have your dress made by a dress maker. Those huge pattern books in spotlight are a brilliant source for formal wear patterns. You can usually pick one up for under $20 and if you supply your own fabric as well, this will keep the cost down even further with the dress maker. (Just be sure to get the recommended fabric type as stated on the back of the pattern) The added bonus here is, you probably won’t have anyone turn up with the same dress as you’re in, and, it will fit you far better than those you would be getting off the rack. If your budget allows, and your dress maker offers it, you could also add beading and other individual touches to really set yourself up as the best dressed lady in the room.
Have fun everyone!
