It’s wedding season. Which means, not only are you trying to figure out if you were tagged in someones photo wearing the same dress you are planning to wear to the next wedding, but you have bachelorette parties. I have been to my fair share of bachelorette parties. I have taken shot after shot of who knows what, but no one cared because a group of cute guys were paying. I have eaten penis cake with chocolate sprinkles and have drank from plenty of penis straws. I have virtually no shame, so this is not what this is about. This is about bridging the gap between your twenties and your thirties and celebrating the bride to be.
There are some perks to bachelorette parties in your twenties. Most of your friends are troopers. They can still rock the hell out of that LBD, they can party all night because Sunday mornings are still a thing where you can sleep all day, wake up for food, and move to the couch for a Bravo marathon. Most people aren’t making much money yet, but that doesn’t matter. A group of young single girls at a bar doesn’t have to pay for anything. Throw in a bachelorette sash and a light up tiara and you are all of a sudden VIP. Splitting a cheap hotel room between eight of your best friends sounds like a great idea. “It will be just like college.” You’ll even feel smart and responsible because no one drove. Snap chats, hashtags, and facebook lives are life. You rely on the 24 hour playback so you can remember what actually happened last night, but you are grateful that they are only 24 hours because you have interviews coming up and you “just can’t have that out there.” Bachelorette parties in your twenties are a ton of fun. They are wild and free and uninhibited.
When you cross over into the “late twenties early thirties” range, bachelorette parties are different. Some of your friends might already be married, some may be pregnant, nursing, or have young children at home. You may even have a friend or two who is divorced. Your friends are now warriors. They are juggling busy lives, with busy careers, and serious relationships. As the guest of honor and the host you get to now make some real decisions. Between planning a wedding, working long hours, and “hello being engaged” why should you limit yourself to only one night of celebrating? Your friends all have real jobs now. They can afford a mini vacay.
For a truly posh bachelorette weekend check out a fun, modern, and centrally located hotel such as Quirk in Richmond Va. There is a top rated restaurant in the lobby with pink serpentine benches and marble top tables. This is perfect for getting the girls together for dinner and mocktails. (some of your pregnant friends may want to celebrate but won’t go out the entire night.) After dinner you can head up to your suite, because lets be honest. You didn’t require that your friends all wear matching outfits, and these girls brought some options. Playing dress up is always fun, it doesn’t matter what the occasion. Pop the champagne ladies.
Once everyone is ready you pause for a group selfie. You haven’t seen some of these friends in years and you all look amazing. It is definitely going to be your new profile pic. If you are lucky enough to have amazing weather and a rooftop bar, take it to the top. The drinks are a little more expensive than the dive bar down the street, but all of your friends look way to good to be somewhere where the lighting is less than stellar. There might be a cute group of guys at the bar, but you don’t even notice. You are enjoying catching up with all of your girlfriends. As the sun sets you may head out on the town. You might go dancing, check out a live band at a different bar, and grab some late night eats. When the night is over everyone heads back to the room. Some of the girls may stay in the suite, and some may opt to get another room. The only person you want to be sharing a bed with is your soon to be hubby.
The next morning everyone wakes up, orders some room service and gets dressed. They can function this morning. No one got lost the night before, ended up drinking too many sugary drinks and hugged the porcelain throne all night. This is great because you can now enjoy the next day to the fullest. There are art galleries, cute shops, and cafes to check out. If you are in a fun town you have so many things to do, and spending the day in bed is just not an option. Don’t forget to ask the concierge where the best local scene is and where you can get a great massage before heading back to reality.
The bachelorette party is all about celebrating the bride to be. It’s about introducing your new friends to your old friends, and catching up on each others lives. Make a ton of memories, have a great time, and if you can remember, take photos that will last longer than 24hours. There is no rule that says you need to post them.
As always, I would love to chat.
Creative Partners:
Photo: Zayas Imagery
Stylist: Touting My Wears
Clothing: Fire Fly Lane Boutique
Venue: Quirk Hotel
HMUA: Ave 42 Britny
Florist: Florals by Geoff
Models: @addisanpound @madelinekoski @missyaclark