Tag Archives: bachelorette party

A Zombie Bachelorette Party

Uhm, these people are my heroes. After attending what seemed like a million bachelorette parties with the same theme, Sara decided to throw a different kind of party for her sister Melissa—a zombie bachelorette party. The boys got in on the action too, and the two groups spent half the night apart and reconvened at Minneapolis’s very own zombie-themed bar, Donny Dirk’s Zombie Den.

Sara shared some of her tips for creating your own zombie a-party-lypse. (Admittedly not my best pun.)

To start the evening, everyone got ready together at my sister’s apartment. All of the females dressed up as “Zombie Bridesmaids” by using old bridemaid dresses we thought we’d never wear again. Everyone destroyed their dress in their own unique zombie way—spray paint, shredding, dirt, fake blood, etc. All of the males dressed up as “Zombie Groomsmen” and similarly, they took old tuxes, suits, dress clothes and destroyed them in their own way zombie way. My sister and her (now) husband, dressed up as a “Zombie Bride & Groom.”

Everyone went all out on the zombie makeup. Most of us painted our faces with grey paint, had dark eye makeup, spray-painted grey hair, fake wounds and fake blood.

Here is Zombie Makeup 101:

Continue reading →

Bride-To-Be Bangle Game

I recently came across this amazing idea for a bachelorette party game on Penelope and Pip. Rachel knew her super-stylish friend wouldn’t want to wear a tacky veil all night, so she came up with another plan: The Bride-To-Be Bangle Game!

It’s like truth or dare, only the bride ends up with a gorgeous bracelet at the end! Throughout the night, guests present the bride with challenges: Truth, Dare, Memory or Love. The bride completes the challenge or shares a story, then ties the ribbon to her bangle. By the end of the night everyone has gotten to know the bride a bit better and she has a cute memento from the event. Get all the details for completing this project here.

Yoga Bachelorette Party

When I found this New York Times article on incorporating workout classes like yoga and Pilates into a bachelorette party, I have to admit I was at first quite skeptical. After all, the first thing I associate with the word “bachelorette” is alcohol. But the more I think about, the more I actually do like this idea. Then I saw these images on Bridal Musings, and I was sold:

Let’s be honest: Most brides are trying to look their best the day of, and that doesn’t end with the bride. The bridal party wants to look good too…after all, we have to be in all those pictures! Plus, I know lots of girls who love working out (I happen to be one of them). And since I’ve always loved the idea of incorporating activity into showers and parties (see kickball and field day suggestions), I don’t know why I didn’t entertain this idea earlier. Why not run a 5K together complete with sashes, signs and T-shirts? A dance class might be perfect—you still get your groove on, but you also burn calories! And the physical activity part can just be the beginning of the party. Start with yoga, then head to the spa for massages or manicures and toast the bride with some champagne, then finish with a dinner and, yes, drinks.

Some additional advantages I see:

We’ve all seen a friend get way too drunk or overdo it at a party. Adding a workout class before the drinking begins will help get everyone’s metabolism up and you’re less likely to get wasted. Chances are you’ll also drink less.
If the bride really is super dedicated to looking great for her wedding, this kind of party will make her feel good about herself and allow her to let loose with her friends as well.

Some things to keep in mind:

When choosing your class or activity, think about the skill level of all your guests. You want to be sure you choose something that all those invited will not only feel comfortable with but will also enjoy. If your friends are all super-athletic, feel free to pick a higher-level class. But if you have mixed skill levels, go with beginner. The comfort of your guests is the most important thing and, honestly, this isn’t about getting the toughest workout of your life. It’s still a party.
Make sure guests bring a change of clothes if there will be other activities after the class, and make sure the facility has showers, hair dryers, shampoo, and everything else the girls will need to get ready.

Brides love this idea? This bride had her yoga party the morning of the wedding and turned it into a brunch for her bridesmaids. Also an amazing idea!

Photography by: Andrea Lee Photography

Bachelorette Games: Bar Scavenger Hunt

If you’re planning a bar crawl for a bachelorette party, think about spicing the evening up with a scavenger hunt. This game is kind of a hybrid between a scavenger hunt and truth or dare (without the truth part). The idea is to compile a list that includes objects and people to find as well as challenges and dares, which can be very generic or specific to the bride or the bars you’re visiting. For example, is there a certain bouncer at the bar who always flirts with your group? Track him down and convince him to “sell tickets to the gun show.” A regular at the kareoke bar who can be counted on to belt Lady Gaga tunes? Score points if he chooses “Bad Romance.” You can work as a group to complete the list, split into teams or compete individually to finish the list first. Make sure you take a picture as you check each item off the list (for proof and posterity!). Here are some ideas to get you started, all of which I’ve kept very focused on the bachelorette:

Find a guy with the same name as the groom and get him to snap a picture with the bride. +1 for each guy you find.
Find a penny from the year the bride was born. +1
If the bride’s from out of state, meet someone from her home state. (+1) Add an extra point if he or she is from her home town.
If you’re in the bride’s home town, find people who went to the same high school/grade school as her. (+1) Add additional points if they were actually in her class.
Find another bachelorette or bachelor party. Ask the brides-to-be or bride- and groom-to-be to pose together. +1
Ask the bartender to come up with a special drink that is “the bride’s drink.” Then start talking the drink up around the bar and convince strangers to order it by name (i.e. I’ll have The Amanda). +1 for each person who orders it.
Designate “the bride’s song” for the night. Get the DJ to play it at each bar. All attendees must sing. +1 each time the song is played. Double points if they play it twice in the same bar! Triple points if you develop a choreographed dance that you all do to the song.
Find objects that unintentionally resemble the male anatomy…you know what! +1 each.
Collect marriage advice. Ask people to write their advice on a napkin. If you want this to get naughtier, change this to advice for the wedding night. Target really drunk people for the best answers. +1 for each napkin you collect.
Pick a distinctive characteristic about the groom. Maybe he has a mustache, red hair, or always wears a shirt from his favorite college team. Now hunt down groom look-alikes. The bride must approve your choice, then snap a picture for later comparison. +1 for each look-alike you find.
Collect a coaster from each bar or a napkin signed by the bartender. +1 each
The bride needs to be carried across the threshold into every bar. Try to recruit a stranger to do the job, but in a pinch someone in your group can carry her in. You only score +1 when a stranger does the job though!

You can modify this list to make the challenges more risque if your group is daring and be sure to add a few special touches that are particular to the bride. It’s a good idea to have a printed list to take to the bar so you can keep score as you go along. Create your own custom list or use this handy printable bar scavenger hunt form I created! Continue reading →

Tanks for Parties or Bridal Prep

The Wedding Chicks is a great bridal resource, but it also has a shop with some fairly adorable tees and tanks that would be perfect to wear while getting ready the day of the wedding or at a bachelorette party. I’ve compiled some of my favorite styles below and you can check out their totes, hankies and more here. The orders are custom and each tank set is available in a “bride,” “bridesmaid,” and “maid/matron of honor” option with different colors to choose from. Some can also be customized with names and dates. The tanks go for $24 apiece.

Vintage

Nautical

Paisley

But my absolute favorite? This cozy bridal sweatshirt, also available in bridesmaid and MOH options, at $48 each.

Q&A: Handling a Huge Guest List

Q: My bride wants to invite 20 people to her bachelorette party! What are my options for throwing a big party on a reasonable budget?

A: Accommodating a huge guest list is definitely a challenge, especially when you want to keep the cost low for both yourself and your guests. Here are a few party ideas that work well for large groups and won’t cause you to have a breakdown.

Host a girl’s night in at your house: The ultimate in easy party planning, throwing the party in your home or apartment will definitely lower your stress level. You can keep it simple with delivery or take on a home-cooked meal. The only downfall to hosting the party at your house is that you’re more likely to spend a lot of money yourself on food and drinks. Make the party a potluck and assign each guest a category: appetizers, side dishes, alcohol, mixers, desserts, or paper products. Then take on the main dish yourself. Turn it into an old-fashioned sleepover party complete with sleeping bags, truth or dare and kareoke.
Rent a house at a beach, mountain or lake: Everyone loves a getaway, and with this many people you’ll be grateful for the space of an entire house. If you add $5-$10 to the cost of the weekend per person, you can stock the kitchen with cereal, yogurt, and sandwich fixings to keep breakfasts and lunches easy. Sites like vrbo.com and Homeaway.com are great sources for vacation rental homes all over the country. A few words of advice: Finding a house that sleeps 20 people is going to be very difficult, so be sure guests know they may have to sleep on blow-up mattresses or couches. You’ll probably have to quote a lower number of guests to the property owner since many don’t want parties larger than the house actually sleeps. Be sure you’re going with a group of people you trust to leave the house in one piece—the last thing you want is an angry owner with your name on the agreement. As long as you know your group will clean up after themselves, go for it!
For the sporty bride: How about a kickball game and picnic at your local park? Some parks have rules against alcohol, but many are lenient if you don’t bring glass bottles or get too rowdy. Personalize “Team Bride” shirts with the guest’s names on the back (Old Navy has a tee that you could personalize yourself or this site will personalize them for you).
Bar crawl: Skip fancy dinners; bars are much simpler and better for big groups! Start with appetizers at a local brewery, then progress to cocktail lounges, dance clubs, kareoke bars, strip clubs—whatever best suits the group. Make sure you choose bars that are within walking distance of one another, or arrange for transportation in the form of designated drivers, taxis or a limo.

One of the hardest things to do with a big group, in my opinion, is have dinner at a restaurant. Here’s why: Continue reading →

Signature Drinks: Raspberry Mint Limonata Cocktail

No celebration is complete without specialty cocktails. For a bachelorette party or bridal shower, you can come up with a drink that honors the bride, or turn mixology into a theme and ask each guest to come prepared with a cocktail recipe to teach the group. This weekend while at a rooftop BBQ I tried a variation on a Tom Collins that would work beautifully at a summer bridal shower. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, minty, fruity and bubbly. All my favorite things! Here’s what you’ll need:

Gin (or substitute vodka if you don’t like gin)

Diet tonic water

San Pellegrino limonata

Raspberries

Mint

Ice

Mason jar (optional)

Fill glass halfway with ice. Muddle 3-4 mint leaves and raspberries together. If you don’t have a muddler, just rip the mint leaves into little bits and crush the raspberries before you drop them in. I added a few whole raspberries as well because they are pretty and yummy.

Add one shot gin, about half a can of limonata and top with diet tonic water. Stir and serve (preferably in giant Mason jar).

The limonata provides the sweetness, but it’s mellowed out by the tonic water. The mint is super-refreshing and you will knock yourself out trying to fish out the raspberries (which also give the drink its pretty pink color). If you don’t like gin, this would work just as well with a smooth vodka. Enjoy!