~PinkVeil...the it girl's bachelorette party blog~

Games - A twist on a oldie but a goodie

One of our readers, Nicola, suggested a twist on a game, that I absolutely loved!  This game is very similar to the “How well does the bride know the groom” game, but instead you have the bride compete with the her new mother-in-law!    Here are questions that you can ask both ladies, and see who wins!

1. How many times has he been in hospital?
2. What size shoe does he wear?
3. What football (insert appropriate sport) position did he play?
4. What age was he when he first kissed a girl?
5. What is the name of his favorite high school teacher?
6. What fraternity was he in?
7. What was his first job out of college?
8. What is the name of his best friend growing up?
9. Has the groom ever been arrested?  If so, for what? (only for liberal mother-in-laws!)
10. How many weddings has the groom been in the wedding party?
11. What is the groom’s favorite drink?
12. What is the groom’s favorite sports team?
13. What is the groom’s favorite workout?
14. Where did the groom go for his bachelor party?
15.  What is the groom’s favorite restaurant?
16. What is the groom’s favorite home cooked meal?
17. What is the groom’s favorite place to vacation?
18. Did the groom get in trouble growing up?
19. Where did the groom propose to the bride?
20. What is his favorite movie?
21. What is his favorite bar?
22. What does the groom like on his pizza?
23. What was the name of the street where the groom had his first apartment?
24. What kind of car did the groom have in college?
25. What is the name of the groom’s favorite lady?! (a fun way to finish the game, especially if they are both present!)

New to the Pink Pages....Cabo San Lucas!

Cabo is one of my favorite west coast bachelorette getaways, because it is a short flight from SF or LA and the weather is always warm!  Some of the best months to go are January - May when the weather is well into the 80s.  Check out the Pink Pages for the latest tips on where to see and be seen in CSL!

First things first....

The most popular question I get from MOHs and other planners of the big night is, “where do I start?”  So, today’s post is dedicated to how to start to plan your big night out. 

1. The first thing that you want to do is offer to plan the bachelorette and talk to the bride to be about who she would like in attendance.  Request a guest list from the bride-to-be that includes everyone first and last name, cell number, address, and email address.
 
2. The next thing you want to do is pick out a date.  The best way to do this is to ask the bride for three dates and suit her best.  Then, send the group a save the date email.  I like to use evite for this, since they have such cute personalizable options.

3. After you have the date penciled in, talk to the bride about what she would like to do.  She may be your pal from the high school cheer squad, but what you gushed about doing in high school for your bachelorette might have changed. Just make sure that you both are on the same page so she isn’t expecting spa day and gets stripper.

4. The next thing you want to do is make a to do list of the things you need to do.  Some items may include:
    1. invitations
    2. dinner reservations
    3. party favors
    4. bar/club/spa reservations
    5. hotel

5. After you make the list, delegate!  Not only will this save you time, but when you get people involved they feel more a party of the bachelorette party and have a better time.  Plus, they get to do something special for the bride to be, after all they are good friends too!

DIY Invitations

With today's economy, saving money is a hot topic amongst ladies.  If you are willing to spend an afternoon on invitations, you can make some great ones with the help of your printer.  I found some pretty do-it-yourself invites at the fabulous Paper Source.

   

I am always amazed by stores where the people who work there really love their products, and that is just the kind of place Paper Source is. They have a fantastic staff with locations across the country.  The staff is extremely helpful and will walk you through what you need to do step by step.  Even if you have never done this before, you will be amazed by what beautiful invitations you can turn out.  Plus, it makes for an extra special memory.

Napa or Bust!

Have you always dreamed of having a Napa Valley weekend bachelorette party, but are reconsidering because of the collapsing stock market? I was very excited when I met Anu at Swirl Events, and she told me a bit about her company.  Swirl events bring the amusement of Napa Valley to the convenience of your doorstep!

Swirl wine tasting events are a chic, modern bachelorette party option that is simple to plan and fun for everyone! Swirl will bring everything you need from six different wines (which can be customized to fit the bride's story) with paired artesian cheeses and chocolates (yum!), stemware, and a team of young, dynamic and savvy wine experts.  You can host your Swirl event almost anywhere - your home, hotel room, or they will even help you find a location.  The wine tasting parties start at $50/person INCLUDING tax + tip plus you get everything from the wine, glasses, cheese and chocolate pairings, and their team of sommeliers!  Usually, the wine tasting last about two hours or so.

Since I am an LA girl at heart, I love their celebrity themed tasting note cards that compare the wine to your favorite A-listers! It gets everyone in on the action - a plus when you have groups of friends from different stages of your life that don't know each other really well.  Swirl's wine tasting parties are a hip, fresh way to host a bachelorette party.  And, best of all the bride and her bridesmaids don't need to lift a finger! 

For more information visit them at http://www.swirlevents.com/index.html 

First Crush, San Francisco

"Do you remember your first crush?!"

When you walk through the doors of this SF gem, you will feel like you found a place that only the hip crowd knows about. First Crush is one of my favorite San Francisco rendezvous' for bachelorette parties.  The scene at this wine restaurant is unpretentious, yet stylish. You will see couples, colleagues, and friends cozied up for various occasions. The food is a scrumptious seasonal menu that is sure to impress your whole group.  They have a variety of fish, beef, and lamb dishes, and they also feature four different cheese plates from around the world.  The cheese plates are perfect for sharing and come with lovely fruit and breads to match. First Crush is also known for their extensive wine list. They also have lovely sets of wine flights that are always a bachelorette party hit! (Tip: you can call ahead and buy each member a flight as her bachelorette goodie bag gift.)

Whether you choose First Crush for the food, wine, or the scene, your are sure to have a great evening.

Ladies Who lunch….

If you bride’s social calendar is packed with charity functions, she will love this rendezvous. The Red Door Salon and Spa is the original venue for the “ladies who lunch.” Started by the cosmetics queen, Elizabeth Arden, the Red Door Salon and Spa never seem to disappoint.  They offer a variety of treatments and services, and are priced a bit below the going rate of most spas.  Best of all, they have 30 locations nationwide, so you are almost guaranteed to find one in close proximity.  Nationwide they receive applause from ladies who rave about their excellent service and signature treatments.

They have customized massages, and facials that leave you with a heavenly glow.  I also recommend their cream and sugar scrub which makes your skin incredibly soft. Founded on the principles that “the essential glow of beauty should come from within” the Red Door Salons are always a special treat for the bride-to-be!

http://www.reddoorspas.com/

Location, Location, Location!

The best tip I can give anyone planning a bachelorette party is keep it simple and keep it fun. When I find a club that also features an amazing restaurant, I know that it is a winning combination for any bachelorette party.  That is why one of the best places in LA for bachelorette parties is Social Hollywood.  Located on the sexy Sunset Strip, Social has mixed the perfect martini of elements to make it a hit on any night.

 

Social is easy for bachelorettes because you can stay in one place all day and night, and have an amazing experience.  It eliminates the hassles of running late, guests lists, etc and let’s you focus your time on having fun.

 

You can start off you day with some spa treatments in their opulent Green Room, by calling  Spa on Location  to come and pamper you...

 

Then, you can move to Citrus their downstairs restaurant and enjoy a laughter filled ladies dinner. Request a booth or a table by the fireplace. Citrus features a variety of items that are “perfect for sharing or not!”  I love the Tartine Crab Robaire with roasted red peppers.

 

 

 

 

What makes any party a hit is the music. The Velvet Room at Social Hollywood has world renounced DJs that spin every weekend.

 

 

After a few spins around the dance floor I like to rest my toes in their game room, which features a cool lounge setting with pool tables.  For some reason, bachelorette parties have no problems finishing scavenger hunts and meeting new friends in this very social room!

 

                    

 

Social Hollywood makes planning your bride-to-be's special night out a breeze! Just ask for Ani and tell her that PinkVeil sent ya!

 

www.citrusatsocial.com

 

 

Trashionistas Unite!

This bachelorette goodie bag idea came to me from one of my dear friends, Michele.  On a recent ladies weekend trip, Michele mentioned that she was going to bring along a “chick-lit” novel to read while sipping Mojitos poolside.  And that's when it hit me....books are a fantastic goodie bag giveaway!!!  Simply gift one copy to each lady, and make sure you pick something fun and light hearted. Everyone will enjoy reading it poolside and have a special memory of the bachelorette party weekend. Don’t worry if one of the ladies has already read the book you choose, she can read parts of it and still part take on the hysterical discussions that are bound to unfold!  Here are the three best bachelorette poolside reads…

THE FIDELITY FILES by Jessica Brody

She could save your marriage...or destroy it.

Working under the code name 'Ashlyn', Jennifer Hunter leads a double life. Her friends and family all think she's an investment banker who's too busy to date. In reality, Jennifer is an undercover Fidelity Inspector, hired by suspicious wives and girlfriends to test the fidelity of the men in their lives. Her job has made her pretty cynical about her own love life. But just as she's ready to swear off men forever, Jennifer meets sexy, sophisticated Jamie Richards, a man who might just past her fidelity test. However, before she retires her secret agent self forever, she takes on one last assignment - a job which will permanently alter her perceptions of trust, honesty, and love.

www.TheFidelityFiles.com

The Undomestic Goddess By Sophie Kinsella

If you loved confessions of a Shopaholic, you will also love Sophie Kimsella’s other novel, The Undomestic Goddess. Samantha Sweeting is on the verge of partnership at the prestigious London law firm Carter Spink—the Holy Grail of her entire workaholic life. But when she finds she has made a terrible, costly mistake just before the partnership decision, she's terrified of being fired. In a fog, she stumbles out of the building and onto the nearest train, which drops her in the countryside, where she wanders to a stately home. The nouveau riche lady of the house mistakes her for the new housekeeper—and Samantha is too astonished to correct her. Numb and unable to face returning to London, Samantha tries to master the finer points of laundry, cooking and cleaning. She discovers that the slow life, her pompous but good-hearted employers and the attentions of the handsome gardener, Nathaniel, suit her just fine. But her past is hard to escape, and when she discovers a terrible secret about her firm—and when the media learns that the former legal star is scrubbing toilets for a living—her life becomes more complicated than ever.

http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/kinsella/

Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger

Any jewelry lover should know about Harry Winston, the jeweler who makes gorgeous and expensive baubles. For the characters in Lauren Weisberger's new novel Chasing Harry Winston, their goals are to get these engagement rings and also to spice up their lives while pursuing the perfect man and the perfect life.

Chasing Harry Winston is the story of three friends who live in New York City who make a pact with each other to change their lives in three very dramatic ways. The first friend, Emmy, decides to have torrid affairs with men from five different continents after her slimy fiancée Duncan leaves her for his personal trainer. Adriana is a Brazilian femme fatale who decides that she will get married instead of sleeping with random rich men. She meets movie director Tobias Baron and decides that his lifestyle is exactly what she needs and makes an effort to settle down into a monogamous relationship.

Leigh is a book editor who has the seemingly perfect life, a gorgeous apartment and an equally gorgeous fiancée. But when she tackles author Jesse Chapman's new novel she finds herself falling for Jesse and pulling away from her stable existence in New York City. The three women offer each other support, albeit sardonic, in an effort to find happiness in the big Apple.

http://www.laurenweisberger.com/

Money Saving Tips, II

We are going to continue yesterday's idea with all inclusive bachelorette weekends.  Club Med is the original high-end all inclusive resort.  They feature great cuisine, interesting cocktails, and beautiful locations all over the world.  I found some great weekend ALL INCLUSIVES for the east coast bachelorettes at prices you just can't turn down.

$222 for 2 nights in Cancun, Mexico!
$333 for 3 nights in Turkoise, Turks & Caicos!
$444 for 4 nights in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!

Club Med makes for a great bachelorette weekend trip because you pay one price and then you never have to think of money again.  All your activities are included also, so you and your friends will have unique experiences together that you may miss out on by not staying at an all inclusive. Such as snorkeling, horseback-riding, or water skiing.  (Activities are different at the various resorts.)  This is the best way to bachelorette, especially if you have limited time to plan...make sure you search online and you may be able to grab a real last minute deal!!!

http://www.clubmed.us/cgi-bin/clubmed55/SP/home.do?PAYS=115&LANG=US