Planning The "Big Day"...

Weddings are a once in a lifetime event.  Rightfully so, everything must be perfect, from choosing the right shade of blush to having the exact count of freshly cut flowers.

But you must not forget that before that ‘Perfect Day’ comes knocking on your door, there is also another ‘Big Day’ to be planned for, never to be forgotten and of course, never ever spoken of. That's right, it’s the BACHELORETTE Party! So ladies, dust of that tiara and throw on your sexy stilettos and pink feather boas. Whether you’re the bride, maid of honor or even the grandmother of the bride, this day symbolizes the essence of partying like a rockstar- a full day of pampering, hitting the night life scene and ultimately, going wild with the girls. (But of course always drink responsibly).

I am excited to share these helpful tips and a series of bachelorette party ideas with you – they will surely knock your socks off and definitely be the talk of the town ‘til death do we part. So if you’re the lucky candidate chosen to plan this amazing event, just take a deep breath, think happy thoughts and get your top secret party planning book ready to jot down a wealth of information in planning the ‘Big Day’ of the year. 

TIP 1 Before you get too excited and start calling for bottle service reservations, the  very important first step in planning a successful bachelorette party is to ask the bride what she wants. As much as you want to plan a crazy night, let's face it - it's all about the bride! A happy bride will make a happy night.  

TIP2   Stay organized. Leverage your planning book and draft a mock up itinerary with all of the activities planned.  This will keep you on track and avoid any stress and fuss on the day of. 

TIP3    Budget, Budget, Budget…did I stress that enough? With a few event ideas in mind, it’s very important to then establish a budget with the attendees. This way, you set the expectation on total spend with your fellow divas and give them plenty of time to save up. The last thing you want is the bride covering someone's portion of dinner or, even worse, paying for her own lap dances!

TIP4   Have a theme or color scheme. With a budget set, you can now start working those initial ideas into a single plan – but not without a theme or color. You could maybe have all the girls wear pink and have the bride stand out wearing red. But if you really want to go that extra mile, make it a ‘cougar night’ with everyone putting on their best animal print dress. This is definitely eye catching and it'll separate your group from the rest. Even better, this simple act makes it that much easier to get access to the VIP section. After all, what guys wouldn't want to party with cougars?

So now that you have some general tips to get you started, here are a few great ideas if you're planning to take on the city streets….

"City Lights and Shooting Stars"

If you're not a city girl, don’t hesitate to throw a bachelorette party in your nearest city. Do some research and you will definitely find some hidden gems, both unique and exciting. I've had the honor of planning my BFF's bachelorette party in San Francisco. Being a suburb girl, I really wanted us to have a change of pace- do something different and out of the ordinary. We all deserved a night to party like a rockstar, and that's exactly what we did.  

5:00pm
We started the night with a pre-party at my place. Everyone grabbed a glass of wine as we toasted to what would inevitably be an amazing night. All of the girls looked scrumptious in their cocktail dress. To top their fits off, I gave everyone a pink feather boa and, to their surprise, they each found a jeweled whistle that I had attached to every boa. With the girls already tooting away on their whistles, this established a heightened sense of anxiety for a night of unknown activities to come. And the best part was that this made for an awesome party favor. 

Quick Tip: Try to keep the plans under wrap. You'll find the girls (especially the bride) more excited and on their toes wanting for more.

7:00pm
Asia SF Restaurant / Night Club. They have a lovely ambiance, flavorful drinks and, of course, entertainment. To put it nicely, the entertainers were “gender illusionists.” But simply stated, they were hot looking drag queens. The goooooorgeous and talented ladies of Asia SF served us triple star Asian cuisine and performed hourly atop the Chinese red runway bar. They offer a variety of dinner packages at a very reasonable price and also can help customize your special event. They have a spacious club downstairs with a live DJ and a VIP booth if you decide to extend your stay after dinner. “Shout out to my girls at Asia SF a big THANK YOU!”

10:30pm
Fisherman's Wharf – The Mermaid Cruise. Fisherman’s Wharf is known for its incredible scenery, creamy clam chowder, and mermaids. Yes…Mermaids - The Mermaid Cruise that is. You can call this venue a floating strip club. It was equipped with a surround sound system, a fully stocked bar, a stripper pole (including personal lessons at our convenience) and delicious mermen.  We spent roughly 4 hours on the boat that circled the San Francisco Bay, with drinks in hand, lap dances running ramped, and some tutelage in the clever art of stripping.

Quick Tip:  Always have an open mind. Just because you’re not P. Diddy doesn't mean you too can't party like the stars on a private boat.  Keep in mind that the more attendees, the cheaper it'll be.  So enlist the support of local neighborhood buddies to bring down the cost.

So at this point of the night you can probably assume what happened (hint hint…pink whistles going off). Unfortunately, what happened on the boat stays on the boat. It was an unforgettable night with great girls and memorable views: rock hard abs, city lights and, if you’re lucky, a shooting star. 

xoxo
The Card Lady