By Jessica Kubheka
From the very first day of high school you get excited for the day you will finally be in matric so you can attend your matric dance. Apart from one’s matric exams, and the nerve-racking waiting period for your results and university acceptance letters; matric dance/ball night is probably one of the most awaited events in a teen’s life.
Finally, the matric dance season is upon us, students are eager and are looking forward to this day. Students are filling up shops, boutiques, hair and nail salons in preparation of this “big day”
Matric dances resemble a typical Hollywood-red-carpet event as the teenagers emerge from deep hot rods, Italian exotics, supercars, classics and limousines to the dazzle of camera flashes, while the crowd cheers them on making them feel like they are real celebrities and it boosts their confidence. It’s not every day where you feel like a princess or a prince, on your matric dance day you get to glamor up and feel like one, despite the stir up of some anxiety of both the financial and emotional kind.
Sometimes it takes time to digest that you are all grown up now, let alone the thoughts of the amount of money you might have to part with in order to make your ideas turn into a reality.
Regardless of financial constraints, every teenager deserves to feel like a prince or princess on their big night. So there’s no need to break the bank if you plan for expenses, make some smart buys and hustle a little.
Here’s a list of items to help you flesh out budget costs:
General costs:
- Matric ball tickets
- Transport
- Photos
Costs for girls:
- Dress
- Shoes
- Hair, make-up and nails
- Jewelry, handbag and other accessories
Costs for boys:
- Suit/tuxedo
- Shoes
- Haircut
- Accessories
One of the matric learners said, “I am excited and nervous at the same time because I have been waiting for this day ever since I was in grade 8, just seeing everyone look so beautiful only made me imagine how I would look”. She also added that this felt like a mini wedding preparation for her.
“We have to contribute a certain amount of money each towards the event and still have money for our clothing and travel, etc. Not everyone can afford this. October and November should be dedicated to studying, not preparing for a dance,” said one of the students. If there’s anything worth indulging in, it’s capturing memories. Hiring a photographer to take pictures of you on your big night is becoming the norm these days and considering that you won’t need them for more than an hour or two, the cost might be less than you think. Make sure that you have booked them in advance as well.
