Ah, prom. You may think back to your own prom and feel a bit nostalgic. But what are the memories about prom that you truly cherish? Chances are that it’s not the expensive photos taken by a hired photographer or the meal that was prepared.

If you’re the parents of a teen heading to prom, here are some ways that you could potentially save some money without sacrificing any of their important experiences:

No (Professional) Pictures

With the quality of cameras, and even smartphones, around these days, there’s not much point to hiring a professional to snap photos of your teen and their date. Those pictures are bound to be ridiculously expensive and just aren’t necessary. Instead, invite your teen’s friends over to your house for a nice photo session. If it’s a beautiful day, take some lovely pictures outside. Then you can print out your photos at home or at a photo center and share as you’d like.

Rent the Dress

Prom dresses are sort of the like wedding dresses in the sense that you’re only likely to wear them once. (The only times I ever brought out my prom dress again were at a couple of theme parties.) So it may be cheaper for your teen to rent their dress for one-time use. A site like Rent the Runway is a great option to check out!

No Fancy Dinner

Sure, they may really want a fancy dinner but having a pot luck dinner at home with a few other couples (and their parents) will save a lot of money and depending on how creative you get, it may be just as fun. Get out the good china that never gets used, light a few candles, put the husbands in Tuxedos and serve the kids. There are plenty of ways to make dinner fun, memorable, and affordable.

Check out more ideas over at Bargaineering’s Four Ways to Save Money at Prom.