How To Ask a Girl to Prom

It is that time of year again.  Birds are chirping, the sun is shining, flowers are blooming, and young men all across the nation are anxiously anticipating the moment they have to lay it all on the table and ask a girl to prom.

Here are some tips to make the experience as painless as possible for you.

1. First figure out what kind of a prom night you want to have.  Do you want to go with a friend or a girlfriend?  Is the evening going to be a casual one or a romantic one?  This is extremely important to determine because it affects how you will ask that special someone to prom.

2. If you decide to have a more casual evening, asking a friend to prom should be as painless as possible.  Pick a friend that you know will be a fun date.
   • Pull her aside during lunch one day or after school.  Simply lay it out there that you believe that the two of you could have a really fun time at prom together as friends.  It is essential that you say "as friends" so that she doesn't take the invitation as a date.  Going as friends means that you will be sharing the costs of the evening and it will be pressure-free for both of you.

3. If the object of your desire is not your girlfriend, but you want her to be your date for prom, this is where it can get slightly complicated.
   • First of all, make sure that you know this girl; she is going to be your date for an event that requires parents getting together, lots of pictures, and a lot of money being spent.  Before asking her to prom, ask her out on a date, take her out to coffee, to dinner, and gauge her interest in both prom and you.  If, after your date, you believe she is interested in you, go ahead and ask her.  If you have doubts, use the fact that you are still in high school and work the friend network.  Ask her friends what she is thinking to save you the possible embarrassment of getting rejected.

   • Once you know that she is interested in going to prom with you, get creative with how you ask her.  You can surprise her with the invitation to prom or you can be straightforward in asking her.  When you do ask her, be clear that you are seeing the evening as a date.  Tell her that you think she is a beautiful girl and that you really would like to take her to prom.  Let her know that she is special in your eyes.  Girls appreciate sincerity and as long as you are genuine with her, she will say yes and the two of you will have a wonderful time.
4. If you already have a girlfriend here is how you should ask her.
   • Take her out to dinner one night and tell her that you cannot imagine prom night without her and that you would be honored if she went with you.  Make sure she knows that you see the evening as a special event for the two of you.  Brownie points go to boys who bring flowers and make the actual question a special event.  Just remember, girls go crazy over things like proms and doing your part to make it as memorable as possible will only pay off for you in the long run as her boyfriend.

Good luck to all of you boys out there.  Just remember, be clear with your intentions and make sure that she is interested in going to the prom with you.  You want your date to be someone who will make the night fun for you, not a drama-fest.  Happy Hunting.