Posted on 06/26/2026 4:09:31 AM PDT by Libloather
Keeping up with the prom joneses.
Gone are the days of posing in gowns and tuxes at a designated classmates’ house while snacking on some chips and soda before hitching a ride to prom.
Today, highfalutin parents are spending upwards of $30,000 on over-the-top pre-prom parties that are in the same realm as an A-lister jetting off to a fancy award show.
Think professional photographers, stunning decor and catered food so good it could tempt high schoolers to skip prom altogether.
Proud Philadelphia mom Lanise Gartei spared no expense when it came to her daughter Lakyia’s prom send-off.
She not only funded a $3,000 custom Qaysean Williams dress for her high schooler’s big night, but Gartei didn’t bat an eyelash at spending around $6,000 for a luxe prom send-off, which included a roped red carpet that led to a stunning step and repeat, massive balloons and a Lamborghini rental.
“I feel like it’s definitely a celebration, and you should go all out if you can for your kid,” proud mom Lanise Gartei told ABC News.
Another Philly mom went as far as hiring an event planner to transform a city lot into a Cinderella-inspired pre-prom party for her teen that could’ve been mistaken for a Disney movie set.
It might’ve set the family back $27,000, but the smile on their daughter’s face? Priceless.
“It’s the family’s prerogative to do what they want to do, and prom send-offs are a thing now,” she told 6 Action News.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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What’s $3K when you have the Medicaid fraud fund at your dispoasal
Very.
That’s true, unfortunately.
Exactly.
And no need to look.
It is the latest black people thing. Don’t invest for college. Don’t save for a future. Don’t put it away to pay off debt. Don’t save money for a house down payment. But spend thousands to host a stupid prom night send off where Darquavious and Laquisha can show up in a Rolls Royce for some pictures for a two hour high school dance. It is all over youtube.
My son and my daughter live in a very wealthy town in MA. They do a red carpet presentation and hire buses (not school buses )to take the kids to the prom venue. After the prom they have breakfast and a “carnival” set up in the gym. All of this is provided by the senior class parents and the kids love it.
The only real expense is the incredible dresses for the girls.
In 1986 my dad paid about $60.00 for my prom dress. That was for the fabric and pattern because I made my own dress in Home Ec class.
The other girls? They might have paid around $200. or so. Hard to say. That dress I made would have been very expensive to buy.
Here was the pattern. I made View A just as you see it, in Red.
https://www.rubylane.com/item/135665-9019/Vogue-Bellville-Sassoon-Formal-Bridal-Dress
Hood prom celebrations are extremely important. They are the ceremony that launches these kids into the baby mama/baby daddy lifestyle. This is peak hood.
“Well, they ain’t getting married…so I guess the parent wants to spend money on them.
“They are misguided.”
I was going to say, they won’t be spending money on big weddings or baby showers
‘Go all out for your kid’
Like Karmelo Anthony’s parents.
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