Introducing ... the 'Prom-Posal'

It's like an arms race out there when it comes to prom invites, apparently. They're getting so elaborate that the Des Moines Register says they're called "prom-posals." It rounds up local examples, including one kid who paid for an airplane banner to ask his girlfriend to the big dance. "It’s going to be my only prom, first time ever, last time ever, with someone who’s been my girlfriend for two and a half years, so it deserves to be that big," he explains.

YouTube and Facebook are feeding the frenzy, as teens proudly post their invitations. "I saw one on Facebook where someone left tiny candles lit on a front porch that spelled out prom," says another local student. The article talks to a psychology professor who thinks it's a sweet sign that teens are turning back to romance, along with "romance event" companies who are very happy to cash in on the trend. (Is this just another sign that prom is getting completely out of hand?)