Bachelorette Parties – HOT! HOT! HOT!

Given the fact that this has been one of the hottest summers in history with more triple digit temperatures than ever, ( and it’s not over, yet) this might be time to  have a really COOL  bachelorette party. Here are just a few ideas on how to deal with the heat and use it to your advantage:

Pool Party – Plan a beach themed pool party, complete with Hawaiian leis, tropical drinks with little  paper umbrellas, and all the accoutrements. Hula contest, pinata, and much more can help bring your tropical bachelorette party alive. Bring food out to the event, or have a bonfire so that everyone can participate.You can still have the raunchy male stripper if you want (or not).

Magic Movie Night– Speaking of male strippers. Magic Mike is the latest GNO (girls night out) pleasure and is great fun for ladies of all ages. The movie is okay. JUST okay . But, the fun that surrounds it, the speculation, the abs, the whole theater-that-serves-food-and-drinks experience along with the abs ( did I say that twice?) makes this  one of the best girls nights you can have. The best part- chatting with the ladies after the movie deciding who was the hottest. Manganiello – hands down! Oh yeah, there is a plot, too (whatever). It’s Raining Men …. WORTH IT!

Sleepover Party – Maybe it sounds tame by comparison, but, a good sleepover with pajamas, pillow fights, doing each other’s hair and nails can be a lot of fun. Book a room at a great hotel with great air conditioning, order room service and stay up all night. If you need something a little more raunchy, you can use this as an opportunity to host a ‘sexy party’. Whether it is lingerie or adult toys, you are guaranteed 50 shades of fun when the ‘big guns’ come out!!!

Ladies, it’s going to be a long, hot summer so start planning your bachelorette party, now!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

 

Bachelors and Bachelorettes Gone “Not So WILD”!

I’ve heard that Bachelor parties can get wild. I also know that  Bachelorette parties can be very tame compared to their male counterparts. I also know that the movies that represent this rite of passage are less than accurate.  From “Very Bad Things” to “The Hangover”, I laugh at so many parts that I usually have to watch again and again to see what I missed but, I laughed knowing they were just movies…. written to be absurd, ridiculous and hilarious. There was a brief scene in “The Bridesmaids” that eluded to some level of debauchery but it never came close to killing a hooker or pulling your own tooth.

Three things you need to remember about Bachelor/ Bachelorette Parties:

-The night before your wedding is the absolute worst time for this party. You do not want to be hungover or even tired on your wedding day. It will show in the pictures.

-This event is not the time to be engaging in questionable activities with the opposite sex. If you haven’t sown enough wild oats before you got engaged, there is a problem.

– Booking a Limo is the absolute best way to move everyone from one place to another. Drunk drving is bad enough to be illegal – Oh wait… it is. The bonus is that a lot of Limo companies offer packages.

If your best man or maid of honor doesn’t have any restraint or has issues with crossing the line between good and bad taste, there is hope. The new trend in Bachelor/ Bachelorette Parties is  getaways. Whether it is local or low-key, skydiving, white-water rafting, golfing or taking in a spa package – you can have a great time with no regrets. Sure, you might not have an iconic story of a night of wild abandonment but, spending the entire weekend relaxing and re-connecting with your dearest friends is a lot more exciting than it sounds… and you can put the pictures on Facebook.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties – The time of your life!

With the recent release of the Hangover II and The Bridesmaids, I can’t help but find myself comparing the differences between a bachelor ad bachelorette party.

The Bachelor Party  is consistently portrayed as  a raucous last-call, the last night of freedom and debauchery before you settle down with one woman for the rest of your life. The ‘Bro Code’ is often evoked and seldom are the stories suitable for sharing at family gatherings. Or are they? My best guess is that the stories are greatly exaggerated and most men wind up falling short of the movie depiction of the bachelor party events. In theory, the most popular bachelor party destination is Las Vegas. Maybe it is the “.. what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” adage. Maybe it is the image of poker chips, strippers and the lure of the high roller suite, champagne and Petron flowing from the water faucet. And the streets are lined with gold.

Basically the  "Vegas Bachelor Party" is a group of men getting on a plane (possibly even  separately) and spending the weekend drinking, gambling and  supposedly partaking of that proverbial last call. Maybe they are just drinking and gambling. Maybe they are just hanging out and having male bonding time. Maybe ( in my husband’s case) they are enjoying those legendary buffets of steak and seafood. I’ve never been to a bachelor party so I don’t know for sure but, I would venture a guess that a weekend in Vegas for a man about to be married does not include a trip to the Liberace museum.  However, from my understanding the Vegas party is greatly exaggerated in movies and stories so if my  boyfriend or fiance or husband were headed sin city for a Bachelor Party, I would spend little or no time at all worrying about it . 

There are other types of bachelor parties for those less inclined or able  to spend that kind of money on a destination event, or aren’t interested in those types of activities. Sporting events, an evening of fine cigars and brandy, a weekend camping trip, a golf getaway or even a trip to the racetrack sitting in the box seats.  The key is to find what the groom likes best and just go with it, chances are the conversation and company will be enough to keep the night going and you won’t need tattoos, monkeys or hookers!

Bachelorette Parties, by comparison, are usually planned detail for detail including what kind of tiny veil the bride will wear on top of her head to signify she is about to tie the knot. The focus here is on the planning. Oddly enough,one of the most popular bachelorette party rituals is heading to downtown Chicago for a late show at the Baton ( a long standing staple in the female impersonation circuit). The bride and bridesmaids generally have no interest in poker playing or heavy steak dinners followed by cigars. It is usually a fancy dinner followed by club-hopping with the girls, funny necklaces  portraying the male genitalia and possibly a visit from a ‘special’ police officer. Tip: If you see a cop carrying a boom box, get ready for a lap dance. Seemingly tame by comparison, the bachelorette party can still serve up a night of fond memories.  A relaxing weekend retreat at a luxurious spa might be in order, perhaps taking in a spectacular show followed by a night of girl-talk in a gorgeous hotel suite overlooking the city. For a more personal touch, host  a catered "pajama party’. You can even ‘raunch it up’  with ‘gadget demonstrations’  if  it suits the bride. Again, the point here is to find something the bride would enjoy and make this night memorable.

If you have the honor of planning a bachelor or bachelorette party keep these  things in mind:

  Be respectful of the budget.Maybe a $2000 weekend wouldn’t put a dent in your bank account but, even a $200 weekend would adversely affect one of the other attendees. Have a candid conversation about this in private with anyone you feel might have a problem. If you can pool yor resources, even better.

The guest of honor never pays.Techincally the bride or groom should be able to leave their wallet at home. This is their event planned and paid for by the members of the bridal party. Asking the honoree to pay is simply tacky.

Dont drink and drive. This is a great time to use a limo service. Ladies – how about that big pink stretch limo you saw at the Bridal Expo? You would look great sitting in it.. tell everyone to wear pink to match and have some fun with it! Guys – how about a party bus or a massive stretch Hummer ?

At Bridal Expo, we have   companies to handle all of your bachelor and bachelorette party needs from pink feather boas to a tuxedo t-shirt. For more information. click on www.bridalshowexpo.comand visit our wedding directory links under the title bachelor/bachelorette parties. Or even better, call 847-428-3320 to get tickets to a show in your area so you can see for yourself why Bridal Expo is the resource for all your wedding related needs.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Maid of Honor and Best Man – drama queens (and kings) need not apply.

The dust has settled from the Royal Nuptials of Prince William and Princess Catherine and I am left with one lasting impression: they had the absolute best man and woman at their sides to ensure the day went off without error.  This is important. It may seem more important for an internationally televised event than a casual affair but, every wedding is important and your day could be ruined by even the slightest amount of drama. The lesson for the day is to make sure your maid of honor and best man have got your back!

I’ve given tips to being  the perfect attendant…unfortunately not all bridesmaids and groomsmen  got the memo.  In order to avoid embarrassing mistakes do yourself a favor and go through this checklist (asking yourself who is best suited for this job) before you make your final decision.

Maid of honor responsibilities before the wedding:

Coordinate the bridesmaids. 

Host a  Wedding Shower with the other bridesmaid’s help 

Host, plan and arrange a bachelorette party also with the help of the bridesmaids.

Accompany you when you are gown shopping

Maid of Honor responsibilities during the ceremony and reception:

Assist the bride in getting dressed

Hold the groom’s ring

Arrange bridal gown train at appropriate moments.

Hold  flowers during part of the ceremony

Sign the marriage license, if needed.

Arrange the receiving line

Toast the bride and groom

Be available during the reception to assist  in the bathroom.
Best Man responsibilities:

Organize grooomsmen

Help choose tuxes

Plan and host bachelor party

Organize a group gift from the groomsmen

Assist groom on the wedding day ( also known as running interference)

Hold the bride’s ring

Toast at the reception.

In truth, these don’t sound like terribly daunting tasks. Add some work pressure, a few kids, possibly financial stress and you have the potential for disaster.  So even though closest family is usually delegated to the titles of maid of honor and best man, if you have siblings who are unreliable and come with a lot of baggage, you may want to re-consider bestowing the title on them. This may sound extreme and perhaps selfish but in some cases there is so much baggage that even Delta couldn’t handle them. Maybe you don’t have siblings and you have to choose among two friends. Have a frank conversation with that preson before you tell anyone else. You can be very nice about this and phrase it so that it is not hurtful. Explain that you don’t think they need the added pressure. They will understand. In fact, they may not realize it immediately but you will be doing them a favor. The worst thing you can do is hide behind your feelings. “I’ve decided that I am asking  Sarah to be my maid of honor because you have a lot going on right now and I want you to be able to enjoy the day”  See how easy that was? It may be a conversation you want to have in private or with your fiance in tow but, if it must happen, do it sooner rather than later.

Another option would be to split the honors of  the best man or maid of honor between two close confidants. For instance, “Holly will be hosting the bridal shower and Patricia will be hosting the bachelorette party.” Make sure you have the divisions set up equally or this will cause bickering. I don’t really advise this except in rare cases. It will probably cause more work and stress for you.

Lastly I would like to urge each bride and groom to consider which is more important; hurt feelings for a few days (maybe minutes) with your closest friend or a possible fiasco at your wedding… on video… for eternity. Something to think about, definitely.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

Bridesmaids Beware: Tips to being a perfect attendant

We’ve all heard the horror stories and seen countless clips of brides going berserk on TV. Bridezillas (as they have become known) are a ruthless, tireless breed and will not take (hell) no for an answer.  What you don’t see or hear as often are stories of bridesmaids and attendants who don’t live up to their end of the bargain. They hold up orders, complain about dresses, shoes, and generally complicate things. Whats the key to being a  perfect attendant? I’m glad you asked!

Play or go home. If you have agreed to be a part of a wedding, understand it is going to cost you money. Unless the bride has graciously offered to pay for everything on your behalf you will be paying for at least a gown, alterations, shoes, jewelry, makeup, hair, bachelorette festivities, shower and shower gift, and wedding gift. Don’t forget you will need something to wear for the shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal dinner as well. More shoes, more accessories, and the list goes on. If you know you cannot afford the festivities, be honest with the bride,  “I am honored that you asked me to be your bridesmaid and although I would love to be included in the wedding, I simply cannot afford it. I would be honored to be a guest” Otherwise you might be broke and resentful by the time the cake is cut. Once you have agreed to be an attendant, you are no longer entitled to say anything about your expenses. Keep your lips sealed and smile.

Be available. When you agreed to be a bridesmaid you had to know there would be shopping and fittings and all kinds of other pre-wedding activities. Your job is to make this easier for the bride, not harder. If you cannot attend something, being honest is better than being a no-show. With texting, instant messaging and facebook it is easier to stay in touch than ever. Missing an appointment is a cardinal sin and there  is no reason other than bodily harm that you should not be at a scheduled appointment.

Be honest. If asked your opinion, be honest. When it comes to bridal gowns, headpieces, bridesmaid gowns, cakes, whatever. You can have different opinions and still be friends. Remember that there are ways to deliver unkind words. “You butt looks huge in that gown” is not a good example. You might want to try something softer ” Cindy, you have a great figure but, I dont think this dress is very flattering.” However, if you realize this is the gown (or whatever) that she loves and adores, try to find something positive to say. You have signed on to be a support team, its time to be supportive. If asked for your honest opinion, give it as graciously as possible.

Run intereference. Bridesmaids have a lot less to do than the bride during the months and weeks leading up to the big day. You will be a great friend and a perfect bridesmaid by offering to run some errands, or help the bride simplify tasks somehow. This will be the greatest gift she receives, helping her to  handle any and all wedding tasks so the she remains stress free.

I saved the best advice for last: How to handle bridesmaid gown shopping. If the bride offers to take you and all of the attendants to try on dresses, this can be a lot of fun. It can also be the mother of all disasters. Approach it with kindness and fairness. Whether you are a size 2 or 22, remember its not about you: the bride has vision of what she wants the entire day to look like. Remember the scene in 27 dresses when Katherine Heigl goes through the closet and tries on each gown? Hilarious!!! But each of her friends had a vision and she was the perfect attendant by smiling, wearing the dress and not saying one word.  Help your engaged friend to realize her own unique vision by being as cooperative as possible. The only complaints that should be voiced are of the dress is  ill-fitting,  painful (poorly constructed gowns sometimes have cheaper components which can actually hurt and leave marks) or if there is something about that dress that makes you seriously uncomfortable. For instance, if you are quite busty and the gown has little coverage which leaves you a victim of side-boob exposure. Most brides are not stuck in the ‘same gown for everyone’ mold, anyway. Today’s wedding trend is to find a different gown that looks good on each attendant in the same color or one gown in several colors. There are so many choices… talk to the bride in private and explain your concerns, don’t turn it into a free-for-all or let any resentment build up. She does not want frowns, red marks or nipples in her wedding photos so if approached properly, any problem can be rectified. The same goes with shoes. If they are ugly – wear them and donate them after. If they seriously hurt your feet, explain to the bride why you cannot wear them. Offer to find a similar pair that are more comfortable for you and work it out. Unless she is truly that one in a million BRIDEZILLA,  she will be happy you spoke to her instead of complaining behind her back.

-ps – a great way to show your engaged pal that you are definitely in her corner is to offer to attend a bridal expo with her. Bridal Expo Chicago has 32 shows in 2011 and one of them is near you. With dozens and dozens of vendors and our luxurious runway fashion show you will have the time of your life. Call 847-428-3320 to get four complimentary tickets to a show in your area.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago