DEAR HARRIETTE: As high school prom season is approaching, my daughter and her friends are getting excited about the event. Some of my daughter’s friends have already found their dresses, booked their beauty appointments and secured their dates. My daughter has been asking me almost every day if I can book her a makeup and hair trial run appointment, as well as appointments for the real thing. I know that a senior prom is a big deal, and I want to make it the most special day for my daughter, but I just can’t afford all of these things. It’s hard for my daughter because she has the least wealthy parents out of all of her friends, which means she has to miss out on some things. How can I talk to my daughter about spending less money on prom without making it seem like I don’t want her to have everything? -- Mom Can't Afford It All, Denver

DEAR MOM CAN’T AFFORD IT ALL: I trust that you have talked to your daughter about the reality of your budget before now. She knows already that she cannot do everything that her friends can do. She is caught up in the hype of prom season right now and may need a gentle reminder. You two can get creative and come up with alternative ways that she can have a great experience. For example, she can go to the makeup counter in a department store at the mall and get her makeup done for a small fee or for the cost of a few beauty products. She can even do that on the day of the prom to cut down on costs. You can also check local hair salons to see if they offer special packages for prom, like bundling hair and makeup. She may not get to have a trial run, but it may be possible for her to have professional services. As far as clothing, consider using Rent the Runway. For a nominal cost, she can wear a gorgeous dress and then return it.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am graduating from medical school this spring. I have invited both of my parents, my siblings, and so far, only one set of my grandparents. I am very close with my paternal grandparents, but not close at all with my maternal grandparents. Is it OK for me to invite only one set of grandparents to my graduation, or should I invite both and skip the drama and backlash? What would you do in this situation? I want to go about it so the fewest number of people get hurt, but I also want to be happy since it is my graduation. -- Grandparents at Graduation, Memphis, Tennessee

DEAR GRANDPARENTS AT GRADUATION: You should invite all of the grandparents. You will not want to have it on your conscience that you excluded your maternal grandparents. Given that you are not close, they may decide not to come. But if they do attend, be sure to pay attention to them as well as the rest of the family. You can also ask your family to look out for them.

Graduating from medical school is a tremendous accomplishment. You should be happy. Your family will be proud of you -- including all of your grandparents.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: When I was younger, my dad took my siblings and me to church every Sunday. We attended the hourlong mass and then went to Sunday school afterward. I attended a private Catholic elementary school, which incorporated some religious practices into the school curriculum.

I am now 26 years old, and I haven’t gone to church in years. I feel disconnected from my religion, and I want to start attending mass again. I think going to church might help me clear my head -- especially now that I am going through a rough time in my life. How can I get involved in church again? -- Can I Be Religious Again?, Shreveport, Louisiana

DEAR CAN I BE RELIGIOUS AGAIN: It is common for young adults to distance themselves from the religious practices they grew up in, only to come to a moment when they realize that faith is important in their lives. You are at that point, and it is up to you to embrace the religious practice that will support and guide your steps. You have no reason to feel ashamed or uneasy about immersing yourself in your religious practice and getting involved in your faith again.

Pay close attention and learn how to incorporate religious practice into your daily routine. You may want to keep a journal of observations about your life. Take note of how you handle challenging situations and see if incorporating religious rituals helps you to navigate them with greater ease.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My boyfriend and I are just about to graduate from college. We attended different schools, but we both plan to move to New York City after graduation, since that is where both of our jobs are.

Recently, my boyfriend has been making comments about us moving in together once we graduate. As much as I love him, I don’t think I am ready to live with him. I want to experience living in the city with my girlfriends or living on my own. This is not to say that I never want to move in with my boyfriend or that I don’t think it will happen one day; I just don’t think right now is the right time. How do I express my concerns to my boyfriend without making it seem like I am doubting our relationship? -- Don't Want to Live With Boyfriend, Philadelphia

DEAR DON’T WANT TO LIVE WITH BOYFRIEND: Well in advance of moving to New York City, you two should discuss your plans. Have you talked about marriage at all? If you think you will get married, you may want to add that to the discussion and point out that while you plan to spend your lives together, you want to live independent of him first. You want to learn to live on your own before settling down, so you are not ready to live with him yet -- that's all.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: Next weekend, my girlfriend and I are attending the wedding of one of her college friends. She is a bridesmaid in the wedding alongside some other college friends. I am excited that we are going to a wedding together, but I am also a bit nervous that I don’t know anyone attending besides my girlfriend. Because she is in the wedding party, I know she will be busy for much of the wedding, leaving me alone. Weddings are social events; there is always a lot of small talk and mingling, which is hard to do when you don’t have any mutual friends to speak to. Do you have any advice on how I can be more comfortable at the wedding? -- Loner at a Wedding, Boston

DEAR LONER AT A WEDDING: It is understandable that you are concerned about feeling awkward since you don’t know other guests. One way to help the situation is to have your girlfriend introduce you to the significant others of the rest of the wedding party. There’s a good chance that there are other boyfriends or husbands who will be loners at this party. If the bridesmaids consciously connect all of you, at least you have the bridal party in common. Talking about that can be an icebreaker. Also, during the wedding reception, your girlfriend should not be totally absorbed in wedding details. The bride will be with her husband. The bridesmaids typically will be on call but free to eat, dance and enjoy the reception -- which means being able to spend some time with you.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am 54 years old. I have been married to the same man for 27 years. We fell out of love about 10 years ago, but still live under the same roof and raise our children together. We are civil toward each other, but we both know that we are not meant to be married. I have not left for financial reasons. When we had our first child, my husband and I decided that I would stay at home and raise the children while he worked. Everything we have is from the money he earned for our family. The house, the car and all of our other belongings are under his name. What should I do? Do I stay married to a man I am estranged from and be financially stable, or divorce him and risk starting from nothing? -- Should I Get a Divorce?, Los Angeles

DEAR SHOULD I GET A DIVORCE?: What you should do is get a good lawyer. In your state, the law suggests that you would split the resources that exist in your family, whether your husband is the principal breadwinner or not. You do not need to stay in a loveless marriage to be financially stable. Talk to an attorney, and figure out how to proceed legally. Know your rights.

You don’t have to ask for a divorce immediately. Instead, talk to your husband about your life and ask him what he wants to do. Tell him your concerns and talk through your options. It may be easier than you think.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)