The best thing about doing a long distance wedding is that, at least for parties, you get two of every party. We’ve already had one shower in Silver Spring and I’ll have another in Minneapolis next month.
I’m also having two bachelorette parties, and started it off with my first one recently in DC.
Thrown by my maid of honor and sister, Kate, and helped extensively by other bridesmaids, she absolutely nailed it. That says a lot about how awesome she is because it was a very challenging at first.
My number one rule for bachelorette parties? Say your piece then butt out.
I learned a hard lesson when I started meddling in the planning – enough that my sister started panicking that she wouldn’t be able to find something that would make me happy enough or wouldn’t meet my expectations. What unnecessary and fruitless pressure to have on your shoulders!
Brides, do yourself and your friends a favor – be happy with whatever they plan. It’ll be fun and if you have the right attitude, you’ll love it, whatever it is.
So how what did Katie do that accomplished the goal of a memorable party?
- She kept it simple.
- She added little touches for fun and flair.
Here was our itinerary:
- 3:30 Mani/pedis
- 7:00 Happy hour with games
- 8:00 Dinner at a brand new restaurant, Zentan
- 10:30 Wig party (yes, you read that right!) and dancing at Café St. Ex
- 12:00 Wherever the night takes us
Mani/pedis are a great way to start b/c it puts everyone in the same room and breaks the ice among different friends. For us, it was perfect timing to have nails done because on Saturday, it was a phenomenal 85 degrees out (cue angels singing).
It was so fantastic, in fact, that we didn’t want to be anywhere but outside. We had 2 ½ hours to kill between doing our nails and pre-dinner Happy Hour. What’s a bachelorette to do with 8 of her closest friends and family in gorgeous weather? Find a rooptop bar, of course!
And that we did.
- Hotel photos courtesy of the Donovan House.
The Donovan House Hotel, where Zentan was housed, also had a rooftop bar, the DNV Rooftop, and it was perfect.
In fact, we sat right here:
Too bad the pool hadn’t opened yet…that would have been amazing. Then later, we can go back at midnight and sit right here.
Pretty amazing. I miss it already.
So back to the story – this was the incredible rooftop bar we stumbled upon and had it (almost) all to ourselves. Before we knew it, we were popping bubbly and #Chowie4life was born.
We headed back to the hotel to get ready, where I finally got to wear the gorgeous, beaded dress I bought just for the occasion. As one friend said, it was “worth every penny.” (Thank you, Nordstrom Columbia Mall!) I donned my “Bride to be” sash and back to the Donovan House we went.
We arrived to Zentan, bellied up to the bar, got a drink and started playing games. Katie had two ready, both of which were great (and neither of which were cheesy). Both are recommended –
- Drink Ribbons –Everybody but me had a ribbon tied around their wrist. When I needed a drink, I could pull someone’s ribbon and it’d be their turn to buy me one. Pretty good way to share the tab and keep people on their toes.
- Newlywed Game – a complete riff on the 70s gameshow. Kate asked Howie 25-30 questions and then asked me the same. The best part is that it triggered stories about Howie and me and got everyone laughing. Highly recommended!
At 8pm, we were seated for dinner and enjoyed a delicious sushi meal. Then Katie pulled out the big surprise – wigs!
Encouraging everyone to get a little crazy and toss aside inhibitions, Katie gave everyone a brightly colored wig. It was kind of like everyone’s Wonder Woman uniform, allowing you to be someone you always wanted to be.
Well, not everyone was as into it as we were, and I of course wasn’t going to let her down. I wore that wig all night, plus everything else she gave me – tiara, button, jumbo blinking ring, beads and a boa. I looked ridiculous but I loved it.
That’s another rule of the bachelorette party – just go with it. To my surprise, I actually got compliments!
Next, we headed to my old stomping grounds, Café St. Ex, for some drinks and basement dancing. Ah, nothing like reliving old memories with good friends and good tunes.
We ended the night back at the DNV Rooftop, soaking up the gorgeous weather and laughs.
The next morning, we (slowly) got out of bed, grabbed coffee, relived the night, shared hugs, and headed out. What a fantastic way to celebrate with friends and family, create lasting memories, and gear up for the wedding.
Too bad these get-togethers only happen for special occasions. I’ll carry this one with me for life.
