CWPR 2015 Fall/Winter

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B A N Q U E T S , R E C E P T I O N S , S H O W E R S & P A R T I E S
C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
20
The Modern Pre-Wedding Party
Keep the clichés away from your bachelorette party & plan a weekend
that’s all about connecting with your closest gals
By Anna Sachse, CTW Features
You’re getting married because you love the
one you’re with. So, when it comes to the
bachelor and bachelorette parties, forgo the
outdated “last-night-of-freedom”/strip club
and all-male revue/blackout-drunk clichés
in favor of a celebration that’s both fun and
a custom fit.
And yes, brides- and-grooms-to-be, this ad-
vice is directed at you, too. Today’s couples
are more involved in planning their own
pre-wedding party, helping to select the des-
tination and ’s important that the
bride or groom tell their maid of honor or
best man what they do and especially what
they don’t want. If you want a surprise party,
that’s fine; but you want to be surprised in a
good way, so if you don’t want strippers, say
so early on.
After that, it’s all about personalizing the
party. Before the MOH or bridesmaid team
starts to plan in earnest, they should have a
brainstorming session about what the bride
enjoys. Is she addicted to reading her horo-
scope? Hire an astrologer and have a fun
house party with great cocktails. Does she
love trying new things? Schedule an after-
noon lesson for rock climbing or kick box-
ing, and then indulge her with champagne
and dinner out.
Indeed, it’s absolutely OK to do something
that may not seem like a typical “party,”
such as wine and cheese tasting, bowling,
karaoke, a scavenger hunt, an old-fashioned
sleepover, crafting, poker, golf, river rafting,
or a private class about cooking, pottery,
making jewelry or pole dancing. Or opt for
a simple-but-sumptuous soirée with a day at
the spa followed by an amazing meal, or a
ballgame and then cigars and high-end li-
quor at a lounge.
Want evenmore quality time with your clos-
est friends? If everyone on the invite-list has
the interest, vacation days and finances for
it, then a destination party might be just the
ticket. A weekend at the beach or heading
back to the guest-of-honor’s college town
where you can hit all his or her old stomp-
ing grounds. Does he or she love gambling?
Make classic cool again with a trip to Vegas,
Atlantic City, Lake Tahoe or New Orleans.
The skies really are the limit, from skiing in
Utah or New York for a Broadway show.
Whether the fêtes will be near or far, feel free
to combine them for a his and hers event. A
dual-purpose party can be especially helpful
and enjoyable if most of the wedding party
is made up of couples. And if it’s a G-rated
event, you may even want to ask the moms
or dads to join in!
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