Party Time: Being a Maid of Honor: Part 4

Part 4...yeah I could go on and on about being in the bridal party. I know that some people may know everything their is to know about being a bridesmaid but I have been a bridesmaid six times and I still feel like I learn new things.

Today's topic is F-U-N! Drum roll....Bachelorette Party Time!

Planning the bachelorette party is something that I loved doing for Summer. I also had the help of all the other bridesmaids and close friends! Between that many girls you are destined to have a GREAT time! My bachelorette party (pictured above) took place in Nashville. We danced, hung out poolside, had fabulous fruity drinks, giggled and relaxed. You too can plan an awesome bachelorette party with these helpful tips!

1. Consult the bride. Asking the bride what her expectations are is very important. For my party I wanted to get all the girls together in one location because we were all scattered around. I also wanted to do something small with just my closest friends and have my lingerie party then as well. It is important to know exactly what the bride wants. Does she want to visit a big city? Does she want to keep it low key and just do dinner with her closest friends? Is she expecting a weekend getaway or a one night shebang?

2. Who Plans and Who Pays? The role of planning the bachelorette party relies on the entire bridal party but the maid of honor normally takes the lead. When it comes to who pays, the bridal party is responsible plus the consider all the women who attend. With my party, all the girls split the costs of the rooms once a final RSVP count was done. Also consider paying the brides way. The party is about her and even though you have bought numerous gifts and hosted showers you should still cover costs for the bride.

3. Who is Invited? The bridal party is always included. This ranges from the bridesmaids to the ones who hand out programs. You should also include any family members i.e. the grooms or brides sisters. When it comes to close friends who are not in the wedding party consult with the bride.You want to make sure you have a good mix of friends!

4. Invitations. Invitations for a bachelorette party are not a necessity. I would suggest invitations though if you are going away for a weekend or are having the lingerie party during the bachelorette party. You can always send invitations through the mail, via email or social networking. Regardless of how you send them, remember to include the date, time, location, the brides sizes (if having lingerie shower) and dress attire. For example, if you are starting your day at the spa and then having a fancy dinner tell guests to dress very casual for the day and bring a change of formal attire for dinner. Also, if you need a head count include an RSVP cutoff date.

5. When do we have the party? This is up to you! Most bachelorette parties are held one to three weeks before the wedding. If you are going out of town, the schedule is up to you and the bride. If the guests of the party all live far away, you could have the festivities mid week before the wedding weekend begins. Try to have the party the same time as the bachelor party so the bride is not sitting around wondering what the boys are doing! Also, remember not to have the party before a big event like bridal portraits or the actual wedding.

Here are some fun themes and party ideas:
1. Colorful wigs - I LOVE this idea. How fun is it to not worry about your hair and have a different identity for the night? LOVE!

2. All black for the girls and colorful for the bride - As you can see from the picture above that is what we did for my bachelorette party and I thought the idea was genius! All the girls wore black while I got to add a pop of color! Their cute crowns matched me perfectly which was surprisingly unplanned!

3. Go Boating - Rent a boat and head out on the water! Pack dinner for everyone or even get someone to cater. Relax on the water, go for a swim plus catch some rays!

4. Go to the Races. I love the idea of getting dolled up with fun jewels and big floppy hats while sipping martini's at the horse races.

If staying Home...
1. Spa night - Everyone can come over dressed in their pj's while you ladies drink wine, get a facial plus sit around and giggle together. You can even have an old fashioned sleepover. When is the last time you did that?

2. Backyard Cookout - Invite the girls over for a nice family dinner. Divide up who brings what side dishes and desserts while you grill out in the backyard. This is fun and so memorable!

3. Boys Night - Say what? I mean do boy things like sit at home, play poker and drink scotch. Maybe even chest bump?

No matter what type of bachelorette party you plan for the bride you are guruanteed to have a blast!

If you have any suggestions or advice on the perfect girl party, email me @ lovebirdproduction@gmail.com or comment below!