Best friend getting married to the love of her life…check. Beautiful bridesmaid gown that flatters your figure…check. Love spilling over for your friend and her soon-to-be perfect life…check. Wanting to show her that love by volunteering to throw the bachelorette party…check. Unlimited budget to throw the party of a lifetime…uncheck…uh-oh. Ladies, we have a problem! Dreams of a Las Vegas style soiree may be crushed as you realize the guests list is 20 people long, you have not received that promised raise and, to top it off, you live nowhere near Las Vegas or any town that remotely could act as a stand-in. What should you do? This is the time to channel you inner Martha Stewart and give that friend the party she deserves without busting the bank, taking up a whole weekend or having to hop on a plane. Here are some quick and budget friendly DIY and local hot spot tips to planning the perfect bachelorette bash on a budget…
Dinner: Rather than springing for a catered meal or a “fancy” dinner, ask your friend where she would like to go to celebrate. Recently, when I took on the task on planning a bachelorette party, I made it priority to remember my friend’s desire, which turned out to be for us to all go to her favorite local restaurant rather than worry about getting a reservation at a more upscale place. I did call ahead to inform them how many were coming and that it was a special occasion and also let each girl (except for the bride, of course) know their dinner would be there responsibility but dessert was on me! Former restaurant owner Amy Skills agrees with this low maintenance approach to dinner, “As an owner or manager you are willing to accommodate requests when you are aware that it is a special event. It is special for us too; we want to help you make memories!”
Transportation: Remember, this is not just another girl’s night out so make is extra special by hiring a driver or reserving a limousine for the night. Wes May, Owner of Platinum Limousine (www.platinumlimonc.com) suggests chatting with the prospective company to make sure they have the type of services you are looking for. “We offer Lincoln Town Car Sedans, Stretch Lincoln Town Car Limousines (8 & 10 Passengers) and Stretch SUV Limousines (14 Passengers) as options for a night out. We encourage customer to “check out” the vehicles before deciding which best suits their needs. A smaller party may prefer the more intimate setting of a Town Car while a larger party may prefer the luxury and space of a stretch limo,” Wes also suggests checking the company’s credentials before signing on for a night of fun. “We are fully licensed and insured in and out of state, where as not all companies are. We are also USDOT regulated and are also Permitted by the City of Wilmington, NC. This means that a bachelorette party could start in Wilmington, travel to Myrtle Beach for dinner and then end up in Charleston for after dinner drinks!” Reserving a car or limousine can add an extra touch to the party and is reasonably priced for the services included.
Dessert: Keeping my friend’s love of chocolate in mind, I recently decided to let each guest make their own brownie sundae and keep the sundae glass as an added bonus. Turning my kitchen table into a good old fashioned dessert bar was a hit complete with three different flavors of ice cream, chopped nuts, multiple syrups, sprinkles and of course a hug platter of heart shaped fudge brownies. There is nothing like a pile of chocolate to bring a group of women closer together! If invading your own home with the likes of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is not your idea of a good time, try contacting local bakeries or chocolate shops to set up a group lesson. Specialty shops such as Cupcake located in Charleston, Mt. Pleasant and Columbia, SC and Hot Pink Cake Stand in Wilmington, NC offer party packages that allow you to both make and eat a fun creation! Best of all, making your own dessert serves the dual purposes of appeasing your sweet tooth and creating great picture taking moments.
Activities: Planning activities for a bachelorette party on a budget will greatly depend on the personality of the bride and the guests. For some brides a night of dancing and JELLO shots is the perfect idea; however, remember that cocktails can range from $5+ per drink…not the more budget friendly option. As an alternative, invite the guests over for a make-your-own cocktail glass party and ask each to bring the ingredients to make their favorite drink and bring enough to share. Provide martini glasses, gem stones, glitter and glass paint to create a great activity and a memorable souvenir.For a more low-key approach consider a pedicure party at home
or talk to a local spa about taking over their pedicure area for some girl time. Most spas and salons are more than happy to arrange a group rate and will often offer complimentary snacks and wine as well.Have a flashback party! Remember those days of Truth or Dare, Twister and all night movie gorges? Well, just because you are now an adult does not mean that daring your best pal to run around the neighborhood in her underwear will not still be fun! Invite guests over for a night of make-your-own pizzas and bedazzled t-shirts and be sure to document the experience with a video camera for more late night laughs.
Decorations: When it comes to decorating for a bachelorette party there are no rules! Décor can set the mood for any event so keep in mind that if you decide to cover your bride with giant blinking parts of the male anatomy then you are probably in for a wild night and a full day of cleaning up! Be sure to check with the bride before going too over the edge as some choices may make her or other guests (which are her friends) feel uncomfortable or left out. For a more “sweet” approach, consider the Steel Magnolias think of pink, pink and pink by covering the space in varying shades of the color. From cups, to sashes to, to banners nothing says love is in the air quite like the color pink.
Favors: As I mentioned before there is no better favor than one you made yourself or one that was made with friends! Most crafts stores, such as A.C. Moore and Michael’s, carry a wide assortment of unfinished photo frames, trinket boxes, signs and more. Personalize the favors by adding the date with a paint pen and including a token from the night such as a group picture for a frame or a movie stub for a trinket box. Try your hand at the business of pampering by purchasing the supplies for each guest to make their own lotion or bath gel and add a special twist by naming the concoction after the bride…such as Shelley’s Sumptuous Bath Salts. Easy recipes for bath products can be found online. To top it off, place the product in a small glass bottle complete with a personalized tag and ribbon.
When it comes to throwing a bachelorette party, or any party for that matter, on a budget you really only need a little creativity, possibly some hot glue and glitter and a ton of well wishes. While planning for your friends remember to keep their personalities in mind and feel free to ask them their opinion along the way. We all know that a happy bride makes for a happy party and that, ladies, is priceless no matter what your budget is!
For more information on the business mentioned in the article please visit:Platinum Limousine at: http://www.platinumlimonc.com/
Cupcake at: http://www.freshcupcakes.com/contact.html
A.C. Moore at: http://www.acmoore.com/
Michael’s, The Arts and Crafts Store at: http://www.michaels.com/
*Special thanks to Wes May of Platinum Limousines for the information concerning safe limo transportation (picture top right).
Dinner: Rather than springing for a catered meal or a “fancy” dinner, ask your friend where she would like to go to celebrate. Recently, when I took on the task on planning a bachelorette party, I made it priority to remember my friend’s desire, which turned out to be for us to all go to her favorite local restaurant rather than worry about getting a reservation at a more upscale place. I did call ahead to inform them how many were coming and that it was a special occasion and also let each girl (except for the bride, of course) know their dinner would be there responsibility but dessert was on me! Former restaurant owner Amy Skills agrees with this low maintenance approach to dinner, “As an owner or manager you are willing to accommodate requests when you are aware that it is a special event. It is special for us too; we want to help you make memories!”
Transportation: Remember, this is not just another girl’s night out so make is extra special by hiring a driver or reserving a limousine for the night. Wes May, Owner of Platinum Limousine (www.platinumlimonc.com) suggests chatting with the prospective company to make sure they have the type of services you are looking for. “We offer Lincoln Town Car Sedans, Stretch Lincoln Town Car Limousines (8 & 10 Passengers) and Stretch SUV Limousines (14 Passengers) as options for a night out. We encourage customer to “check out” the vehicles before deciding which best suits their needs. A smaller party may prefer the more intimate setting of a Town Car while a larger party may prefer the luxury and space of a stretch limo,” Wes also suggests checking the company’s credentials before signing on for a night of fun. “We are fully licensed and insured in and out of state, where as not all companies are. We are also USDOT regulated and are also Permitted by the City of Wilmington, NC. This means that a bachelorette party could start in Wilmington, travel to Myrtle Beach for dinner and then end up in Charleston for after dinner drinks!” Reserving a car or limousine can add an extra touch to the party and is reasonably priced for the services included.
Dessert: Keeping my friend’s love of chocolate in mind, I recently decided to let each guest make their own brownie sundae and keep the sundae glass as an added bonus. Turning my kitchen table into a good old fashioned dessert bar was a hit complete with three different flavors of ice cream, chopped nuts, multiple syrups, sprinkles and of course a hug platter of heart shaped fudge brownies. There is nothing like a pile of chocolate to bring a group of women closer together! If invading your own home with the likes of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is not your idea of a good time, try contacting local bakeries or chocolate shops to set up a group lesson. Specialty shops such as Cupcake located in Charleston, Mt. Pleasant and Columbia, SC and Hot Pink Cake Stand in Wilmington, NC offer party packages that allow you to both make and eat a fun creation! Best of all, making your own dessert serves the dual purposes of appeasing your sweet tooth and creating great picture taking moments.
Activities: Planning activities for a bachelorette party on a budget will greatly depend on the personality of the bride and the guests. For some brides a night of dancing and JELLO shots is the perfect idea; however, remember that cocktails can range from $5+ per drink…not the more budget friendly option. As an alternative, invite the guests over for a make-your-own cocktail glass party and ask each to bring the ingredients to make their favorite drink and bring enough to share. Provide martini glasses, gem stones, glitter and glass paint to create a great activity and a memorable souvenir.For a more low-key approach consider a pedicure party at home
or talk to a local spa about taking over their pedicure area for some girl time. Most spas and salons are more than happy to arrange a group rate and will often offer complimentary snacks and wine as well.Have a flashback party! Remember those days of Truth or Dare, Twister and all night movie gorges? Well, just because you are now an adult does not mean that daring your best pal to run around the neighborhood in her underwear will not still be fun! Invite guests over for a night of make-your-own pizzas and bedazzled t-shirts and be sure to document the experience with a video camera for more late night laughs.Decorations: When it comes to decorating for a bachelorette party there are no rules! Décor can set the mood for any event so keep in mind that if you decide to cover your bride with giant blinking parts of the male anatomy then you are probably in for a wild night and a full day of cleaning up! Be sure to check with the bride before going too over the edge as some choices may make her or other guests (which are her friends) feel uncomfortable or left out. For a more “sweet” approach, consider the Steel Magnolias think of pink, pink and pink by covering the space in varying shades of the color. From cups, to sashes to, to banners nothing says love is in the air quite like the color pink.
Favors: As I mentioned before there is no better favor than one you made yourself or one that was made with friends! Most crafts stores, such as A.C. Moore and Michael’s, carry a wide assortment of unfinished photo frames, trinket boxes, signs and more. Personalize the favors by adding the date with a paint pen and including a token from the night such as a group picture for a frame or a movie stub for a trinket box. Try your hand at the business of pampering by purchasing the supplies for each guest to make their own lotion or bath gel and add a special twist by naming the concoction after the bride…such as Shelley’s Sumptuous Bath Salts. Easy recipes for bath products can be found online. To top it off, place the product in a small glass bottle complete with a personalized tag and ribbon.
When it comes to throwing a bachelorette party, or any party for that matter, on a budget you really only need a little creativity, possibly some hot glue and glitter and a ton of well wishes. While planning for your friends remember to keep their personalities in mind and feel free to ask them their opinion along the way. We all know that a happy bride makes for a happy party and that, ladies, is priceless no matter what your budget is!
For more information on the business mentioned in the article please visit:Platinum Limousine at: http://www.platinumlimonc.com/
Cupcake at: http://www.freshcupcakes.com/contact.html
A.C. Moore at: http://www.acmoore.com/
Michael’s, The Arts and Crafts Store at: http://www.michaels.com/
*Special thanks to Wes May of Platinum Limousines for the information concerning safe limo transportation (picture top right).
Great post! I love the sundae bar idea.
ReplyDeleteleigh @ 'i do delcare'