"You have to order your flowers, make sure you save enough money for pictures and budget for everything," Higa said. "Also, what are you going to do after prom?"

Higa is among hundreds of high schoolers statewide in the midst of planning for what's typically the grandest bash of teenhood. As the big night nears — proms are usually held between March and May — students and parents alike begin to make preparations and crunch numbers for what can easily be a three-digit deal. See budget worksheet.

"It could get really expensive," said Higa, whose parents spent nearly $180 on their son's prom expenses last year: $120 for his tuxedo, $20 for his date's bouquet ("that was a deal," he said) and $40 for his share of professional photos.

Lurline Kawainui, 45, of Kane'ohe, spent more than $200 last year on her daughter's junior prom expenses, including a custom-made dress and accessories. But it was well worth it, she said.

"They're only in high school once," said Kawainui, a special projects and promotions manager, "and we want them to remember it."

Mona Hirata, a wedding planner for six years, said weddings and proms are similar in that both require advance purchases and bookings, such as the dress and tuxedo, flowers, hair and makeup appointments and transportation. So Hirata tells prom-goers exactly what she tells couples prepping for a wedding: "My biggest piece of advice is to do everything as early as possible," Hirata said.

By planning weeks in advance, high schoolers have the advantage of taking time to shop around for the best deals and scoping out the best choices, Hirata said.

Getting an early start means having peace of mind, said Chelsea Fujinaga, 16, a junior at Kahuku High School.

"Prom comes by so fast and you don't want to stress about it later," she said.

If you've already figured out who you're going with — hot date? stag? — and paid for your prom ticket, you're already on track.

"What next?"

Read on for advice on where to set your priorities and for money-saving ideas:

Clothing, accessories

First and foremost, get your dress (suit or tuxedo, for guys) out of the way.

"That's the biggest thing for girls," said Fujinaga, who has been to at least two proms and is getting ready for another on March 25. "And girls are always worried that they'll have the same dress as someone else."

Fujinaga recommends looking for dresses one to two months in advance. She has her heart set on a tube-top style, fitted, floor-length gown in either pink or yellow.

Kawainui also advises other parents who will go dress-shopping with their teens to start as soon as possible.

"Girls are finicky when it comes to their dress and their hair," Kawainui said. ... "Girls will change their minds a lot."

Buying a dress early is a must, Hirata said, "especially if it has to be ordered or custom made."

As soon as you've picked out the dress, get your shoes, Hirata said. If the dress requires alterations — say your floor-length gown needs hemming — having the shoes you're going to wear will help the seamstress make the proper alterations.

For great deals, make time to search for sales at stores or for bargains online. The advice applies to guys, too.

"Shop around to see what (tuxedos) are in style and to compare prices," Higa said.

Searching for the right dress can be frustrating, so keep spirits high by making an afternoon of it with some pals, suggests Chelsea-Andrea Sundita, 17, a senior at Kailua High. Sundita hopes to have her fantasy frock custom-made for her May 14 formal.

"Get together a group of friends and go shopping together," said Sundita.

limousine rental

While the cheapest mode of transportation to prom would be to drive there yourself, many teens like to ride in style, à la stretch limousine.

"That should be the first thing you do, get a (limo) because that's usually the hardest ... you have to book really early," said Castle High senior Kawena Kawainui, 17, Lurline Kawainui's daughter.

Ideally, students should make limo arrangements at least a couple months in advance, said Tanya Tiet, co-owner of Duke's Limousine Inc.

"There are a lot of schools that have a lot of proms at the same time, and all the limos book fast," Tiet said.

Renting a limo can cost a pretty penny — for example, Duke's charges $60 to $175 an hour — but students can share the expense.

"Some kids, what they do is a whole group of them will go and rent a stretch limo to split the cost," said Shawn Char, Castle High senior class co-adviser.

Teen Prom magazine offers more tips on striking a deal for your wheels:

• Try to get an all-night package — it can be cheaper than renting by the hour.
• Mention you're headed to prom. You might be able to score some free soft drinks or balloons in your ride.
• Find out ahead of time if the driver's tip is included in the price. If not, you'll need to give the chauffeur a 20 percent cash tip at the end of the night.

Attention to details: beauty

If you're planning to get your hair and makeup done professionally, or if you want to get a mani/pedi before the special night, book all appointments as soon as you know which salon you want to go to, Hirata said.

In the meantime, she suggests clipping out pictures of favorite makeup and hairstyles from magazines, or downloading photos off the Internet. This will give the stylist a clear idea of what you want.

"For hair, makeup and nails, if you have family members or friends who could do it, that could really save money," said Larah de Bussy, co-adviser for Hawai'i Baptist Academy's junior/senior banquet.

Or if you prefer to do the makeup yourself, consider buying products from makeup counters at department stores or beauty boutiques, Hirata said.

"Sometimes if you purchase from there, they can give you tips or offer a free application of the makeup you purchase," she said. Check with the salesperson before buying anything.

Don't forget flowers

For the all-important flowers — boutonniere or lei for guys, corsage or bouquet for girls — asking an artsy-craftsy family member or friend to create the piece can save more dollars, de Bussy said.

But Candace Yonashiro, a junior at Hawai'i Baptist Academy, will spare no expense when ordering her date's maile lei wrapped with pikake for her March 14 banquet.

"I think that's really important, even if it costs a little bit more," said Yonashiro, 16. "That's one thing I'm willing to splurge on."

All planning aside, don't forget to have a blast, said Higa, the Castle High junior.

"It's a time to have fun with your classmates," he said. "It's something to always remember."

Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8174.