The Bachelorette

This past weekend I was reminded of two things:

1)   A glass of water with every drink is a must when you’re +30

2)   I have really fun friends and family.

My sister threw me a bachelorette party last weekend and it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Sure, I may be biased. I mean, who doesn’t have a great time at a party thrown in your honour? 

 I won’t bore you with details about just how awesome it was – I’ll just go over the highlights for any bridesmaids currently planning an epic party for their special friend.

The Night Before

My Mom really wanted in on the bachelorette festivities, but obviously wasn’t into hitting the club at 11 p.m. -- especially on Dateline night. The solution? A visit to the 10 Spot for some mani/pedis with my Mom, future Mother-in-Law and bridal party.

Showing off our nails! 

The Pre-Party

My sister wanted to host a pre-party but didn’t want her guests to have to shell out a bunch of cash for dinner and drinks at a restaurant. The solution? She and my bridal party rented a hotel room! Not only do you feel like you’re in high school again (but without the acne problem), but, it also serves as a comfortable crash pad at the end of the night. Plus, your guests can BYOB before heading out to the bar.

Looking to be even thriftier? Book the hotel using points!

Hotel room essentials. 

The Bride’s Costume

If you know me, you know that I hate drawing attention to myself. That includes the standard bride-to-be bachelorette getup. You know what I’m talking about. The veil. The tiara. The sash. The t-shirt.

My sister knew that, so when my friend Gabrielle offered to make the costume, Kayla heartedly accepted. She knew I wouldn’t be able to say no to wearing something out that a friend had made, and she was right.

At the end of the day I had fun wearing the costume. I think it was because Gabby did such a kickass job putting it together. Annnnnd if you want her to make something for you, let me know and I will connect the two of you!

The costume! Awesome job, Gabby! 

The Party

It’s been about six years since I last visited El Conveto Rico. The College Street bar has a reputation as a bachelorette haven, but they've really upped the ante since I last visited.

There’s now a $15 cover and ahem, let’s just say they’re cashing in on the Magic Mike craze. At first the amount of pink boas and tiaras can be disorienting, but then you remember, everyone is there to party their asses off and have an amazing night. The amount of women ready to party also cuts down on the amount of creepos that are admitted into the club, which also makes the night more fun. Plus, the drag show at midnight is bound to make anyone smile. Who doesn’t like watching drag performances??

Another great thing about Rico’s was that my entire party was admitted to the bar and people came at all different times of the night. It was great to know that everyone was able to get in without an hassle.

*No photos to protect the drunk and disorderly 

The Day After

After spending the morning rehydrating, my sisters and I went to brunch at Figo to dish on the night before and soak up some of that extra booze sloshing around in our stomachs. Afterwards, I realized the three of us have never gone out for brunch together. It was pretty special, and something I hope we continue to do in the future. 

Thanks for planning such an amazing night!

Bachelorette Parties in your 30s vs. your 20s

Bachelorette parties in your 20s are filled with matching t-shirts, extravagant weekend getaways, awkward strip club encounters, alcohol, drama, more alcohol, and even more drama. 

When you're in your 30s? Ain't nobody got time for that!

Your married friends (maybe) have kids, and weekends are filled with cleaning, working out, and other adult responsibilities. Most have more financial obligations than they did in their 20s, and it gets harder to justify spending a couple hundred dollars on one night of YOLO-ing. 

What do you do instead? Something like what happened at my friend Dayna's bachelorette a few weeks ago.  

FOOD

The bachelorette organizer happened to be a homeowner, and threw a bbq to kickoff the night's festivities. Low key, delicious, healthy, and wallet friendly. Plus, party goers were able to go back for seconds. You know where you can't go back for seconds? At an overpriced restaurant! 

BOOZE

Shots? Sure, maybe later in the night. But when you're in your 30s, you need to PACE yourself. Playing a game that involves booze? A sip of wine instead of an ounce of vodka does the trick. Speaking of games... 

PRE-DRINK ENTERTAINMENT  

The games did get little raunchy towards the end of the pre-drink, so I'll stick to the beginning of the night. Another one of the party organizer's had us all recount our first meetings with Dayna. It was a fun trip down memory lane, and also served as a great icebreaker. 

TRANSPORTATION

This is where we splurged. Instead of Uber-ing, the party organizers ordered us a limo. It was a fun way to head downtown. 

DANCING

We went out dancing to a few different places. No pressure to drink, just to boogie. I had to leave early as I had to move a bunch of stuff in the morning, but from what I heard the night was a success! How do I know? They ended up grabbing late night pizza. Nothing like cheese and carbs to cap off an amazing night.