5 Reasons Why Bachelorette Parties are Better in your 30s

Okay, guys, I might be showing my age with this post (literally), but bachelorette parties in your 30s are pretty amazing. Bachelorette parties in my 20s consisted of inappropriate straws and terrifying hangovers, but now that I've made the turn into my 30s (and even a few in my late 20s), it's amazing how much better the parties have become. Hear me out for my 5 reasons why bachelorette parties are better in your 30s:

1. It's all about the theme. 

From invitations to food and decor, it's all about carrying a theme throughout the event. The invitations set the tone, so choose those wisely. I find mine on Etsy and have them printed locally. There are some great deals on personalized invitations out there if you just look! Personal touches like on-theme snacks and decor really make a huge impact without a lot of effort. We carried our "Under the Stars" theme out with Moon Pies and Milky Ways in grab-and-go jars on the dining table.

2. Welcome bags steal the show. 

I l.o.v.e. putting together welcome bags for attendees. It's kind of my favorite thing to go overboard on. I almost always request to be in charge of that and almost immediately throw my personal budget out of the window. I think there's something so special with welcoming guests to the house with a fun bag of tricks. For my most recent bachelorette weekend, I partnered with Kate Aspen to gift everyone a zodiac luggage tag and a gold star bottle opener. We also added Lunetta prosecco, and star and moon sugar cookies, and packaged everything in a reusable Baggu bag. 

3. The party lasts 2-3 days.

Gone are the days of a night or two cramped into a hotel room with tons of girls. Now, it's all about the bachelorette weekend. We find a chic house where everyone gets a bed, we load up our suitcases, and we hit the road for a major weekend of fun. Why limit the party to one night when it can last three?!

4. All nighters at the bar turn into all dayers at the spa.

A spa visit has become a staple at our bachelorette weekends. Few people really take the time to pamper themselves, so heading to the spa during a girls weekend is an absolute must. We arrive early to take advantage of all of the amenities and head home late afternoon to continue relaxing. Bonus: no cute outfit needed! 

5. Fancy meals out are fun for everyone. 

As a foodie, finding the best restaurants is an integral part of a bachelorette party in my 30s. We choose the best restaurants for lunches and dinner. Bloody Marys are a must for lunch while wine is ordered by the bottle and coffee after is imperative at dinner. And no one bats an eyelash when the bill comes. Pro Tip: Have one person pay for the bill at the end of the evening and simply have guests Venmo her the cash the next day. So easy! 

Thanks to Kate Aspen for providing a few treats for the welcome bag along with some decor items for our Weekend Under the Stars!

How to Create the Perfect Bachelorette Weekend Welcome Bag

Like I said on Wednesday, I am a details person. I think about everything from paper products to flowers to how decor in a venue will impact the party. Details can make or break your party, y'all! 

One of the things I really wanted to do for a recent bachelorette weekend was create the perfect bachelorette weekend welcome bag. I wanted the bags to be useful, pretty, fun, and a little playful. I also wanted everything to match the vibe of the weekend. Luckily, Melissa Strother of M.B. Strother Designs really helped us set the tone for the weekend with a beautifully designed invitation and itinerary. These invitations were stunning, and I couldn't have asked for a better paper suite for the party! 

I then used the lingerie shower invitations as a guide for decor for the rest of the weekend.  Here's how you can achieve the same look! 

Decide on a Theme 

Since our party was taking place in the mountains, we really stuck to a woodsy theme with smatterings of antlers here and there. Kate Aspen is my favorite resource for party favors and decor. I was able to give every girl an antler bottle opener and an antler wine stopper. I also placed some of Kate Aspen's antler votive candles on the mantle to tie it all together. 

Think Outside of the Box

Using the paper suite as a guide, I reached out to Two Crazy Cookies to design a custom antler sugar cookie (which she has since added to her shop!) for the trip. These turned out beautifully and were just as delicious as they were lovely! Adding a cookie to the welcome bag was a sweet treat for each attendee. Consider cookies, candies, or some other fun food item to put in the bag. 

Don't Forget the Necessities

Using Kate Aspen's striped favor bags and a little washi tape, I provided each girl with 6 ibuprofens for the weekend (2 per night!). Even though no one every got too crazy, having a few hangover cures available was a thoughtful welcome bag addition. 

Add a Label 

To finish each bag, I added a label using the same logo from the itineraries. This was a last minute addition for me or I would have had them professionally printed by M.B. Strother Designs, but my home printer was a good second choice. Again, the labels tied the details from the weekend together; it's the little details, y'all. 

Thanks to Kate Aspen for providing the bottle stoppers, bottle openers candles, and striped bags to make our trip extra special! 

How to Plan a Bachelorette Party for Grown-Ups

This past weekend, I joined eleven other ladies for a fantastic bachelorette weekend in Highlands, NC. The bride (my future sister in law!) requested a low key weekend where she could hang out with all of her friends, relax, and have a great time. If I do say so myself, this weekend hit the mark and more! 

One of the things we all talked about as a group was how drastically different bachelorette weekends are when you're in your early 20s versus your late 20s and early 30s. No one needed a "hangover kit," there weren't any obscene objects carried around to multiple bars, and we didn't have anyone parading around in a veil. Of course, if that's the party you want, by all means, you do you! But those in our group pretty much agreed that this weekend together was exactly what the wedding doctor ordered. 

So how do you plan a bachelorette party for grown-ups? Below are the steps that we took, and please share with me your own tips in the comments! 

Create a Spreadsheet

I am sure any of this weekend's bachelorette ladies are probably a little tired of hearing about our trip's spreadsheet, but it really ended up being a huge help! I used Google Docs to create a spreadsheet to keep us organized. You can make a copy of it here. We referenced the spreadsheet throughout the planning stages as well as during the weekend. Since it was a true team effort to plan the weekend, having a spreadsheet allowed everyone to be involved and feel a part of the plans! 

Expect the Unexpected 

With a group of twelve, you have to take things in stride, and you should plan for a few things not to go as planned. Build in a little cushion just in case anyone has to back-out last minute. I made sure I factored in (up front) the possibility that one person wasn't going to make it on the trip. That way, I didn't have to go back and ask everyone for more money. Had no one cancelled, I would have used that money to take care of the bride's needs, but since someone did, it was already handled! We also had a last minute change of venues and ended up in a completely different cabin in a completely different part of town. No sweat! 

Plan a Mix of Group and Individual Activities

One of the things that made this trip so successful was that there were a mix of individual and group activities. We hiked as a group and ate as a group, but there was ample free time for shopping individually or enjoying the spa individually, too. Giving everyone some space was a key to everyone having a great time! 

Relax 

Build in some time to relax on the trip - whether that's having a casual lingerie shower & dessert bar at home after dinner, enjoying a leisurely day at an area spa, or just sleeping in, build in time to relax. This will set the tone for the trip and really encourage everyone to enjoy the weekend. We had several new moms and moms to be on our trip, and I wanted to make sure they enjoyed their time just as much as the bride. After all, it's not often that a mama gets time to herself with her girlfriends! 

Add Extra Details

I am a details person; I love little things that make a big difference. Bouquets of flowers on the tables, candles scattered around, special weekend decor, and welcome bags really kick things up a notch. I'll be sharing more about the little details later this week, so stay tuned. But if you're planning a bachelorette party for grown-ups on your own, start thinking about those small details that will make the weekend extra special. 

DIY Spider Web Favors

One of my favorite parts of the Halloween party I hosted was my spider web favors that I included for each guest. I picked up six glittery spider rings from Party City for $.25 each (yep!). Their sparkle went splendidly with my metallic color scheme. I then filled the All that Glitters favor boxes from Kate Aspen with cotton candy and topped every box with a spider ring. The cotton candy looked just like a spider web, and gave guests a sweet treat as well as a thematic bauble. They were a hit and were incredible easy. Win win! 

Kate Spade Inspired Halloween with Kate Aspen II

Of course with every good table setting, there has to be an equally fabulous display of food, and I am happy to say that mine turned out exactly as I had imagined it. I started with a wall of ombre streamers following this genius tactic. Next I added a printable poster, a giant tree limb straight from my backyard, and a fabulous cake centerpiece. Toss in some poison apples, a creepy cheese plate, and some pumpkin pasta, and I had a great spread for a few friends.

Of course Kate Aspen provided me with some of the party goods you see here. The baroque frames were a great way to label food, and I made a quick cake topper with a few remaining striped straws and some washi tape. Word to the wise: keep washi tape and twine on hand at all times. It is so handy!

Kate Spade Inspired Halloween Party with Kate Aspen I

As you know, I've been prepping for a very Kate Spade inspired Halloween party with my friends Kate Aspen for the past few weeks. I spent tons of time prepping, pinning and planning for this event, and I am happy to say that it came together beautifully. Instead of giving you everything at once, I am going to break down the party into several posts. I hate when bloggers give one detail at a time starting with the smallest one, so instead, I am going to work backwards and give you the full spread first with smaller details later. Up first: the place settings & table decor! 

Our wedding china is Kate Spade's Larabee Road, so it worked perfectly for this event. I paired my polka dotted salad plates with some cloth napkins from Anthropologie I scored on major sale several years ago. Then, I topped each one off with an all that glitters is gold favor box from Kate Aspen. 

One of the things I knew I wanted was to create an intimate dining experience for my friends, so plenty of candlelight was required. The damask tea light holders were a great addition to a few pumpkins I found at Trader Joe's. I then added a few taper candles to these little bottles (more on this later this week), and I had instant height and glow. Win win! 

Finally, I made sure to include a few subtle details here and there. A quick spray paint to these wine charms gave instant glam to otherwise kitschy decor. I also added a black and white straw from Kate Aspen to continue the theme. Who doesn't love sipping from a paper straw? 

Stay tuned for the next several days as I unlock more and more of this Kate Spade inspired Halloween affair! And thanks so much to Kate Aspen for supplying me with a lot of the goodies you see here.

Nautical Dinner with Kate Aspen

When my brother-in-law told us he was expecting, the rest of us ladies in the family immediately started scheming a little get together while we were all at the beach. We wanted to celebrate his family's new house as well as their new little one who is expected to arrive in December. To keep things beachy, we decided to stick with a nautical theme, and Kate Aspen was kind enough to send along a few goodies to help us decorate! 

From lighthouse tea lights to coral place cards & sand dollar coasters, we had everything we needed to celebrate in style. We sipped wine, noshed an absolutely phenomenal seafood platter, and showered Preston & Kyla with gifts galore for home and baby.

We had such a great time, and it was a fabulous way to kick off our week of vacation! Thanks again to Kate Aspen for the decor! Be sure to visit Kate Aspen for all of your summer soirée needs.

Kate Aspen gifted me a few of the products seen here for this post, however I truly love & use their products regularly.

Moore Fiesta with Kate Aspen

A few weekends ago I headed to Charleston with a few of my very best girls to celebrate our friend, Lindsay. We spent the entire weekend sipping on margaritas, tossing back corn chips, and having a belly-laughing good time. We even took an Aerial Yoga class, and if you're in the Charleston area, I highly recommend it; we had a blast! 

The weekend would not have been complete without a stellar place to stay. We rented condos in Folly Beach, and the decor was definitely on par for our fiesta theme, don't you think? Poms & tissue paper flowers set the tone while a weekend hashtag was displayed just about everywhere (you know, in case someone forgot it).

Kate Aspen provided us with some chic votive candles for the table as well as adorable swing top bottles for favors. As a last little touch, I filled each bottle with margarita flavored jelly belly's for a parting gift. It was muy cute ;)

A Kate Aspen Bridesmaids' Luncheon

Whew, y'all, the time for wedding-related posts is officially winding down. We have made it 9 whole days of wedded-bliss and are enjoying every moment. Throughout our wedding events, Kate Aspen has been there every step of the way. From measuring spoons to coasters to nail kits, I've been able to shower my guests with adorable goodies left and right. My bridesmaids' luncheon at the Swan Coach House in Atlanta was no different. 

I picked up a set of these polka-dotted place cards, busted out my gold & black pens, and added each one to a Kate Aspen beaded frame. The results were beautiful...and perfectly me. 

A small bag as a token for helping me tie the knot wrapped in gold dotted-paper was at each person's seat and tied in perfectly with the frames.

We loved celebrating the weekend's festivities at such an Atlanta landmark, and best of all, laughed our way through lunch enjoying each others' company. 

Thank you to Kate Aspen for their partnership over the past few months! Be sure to visit their site for anything and everything shower related!

P.S. You might recognize the Swan House from Catching Fire! It served as the president's mansion in the latest Hunger Games flick.

 

 

Bachelorette Recap & Kate Aspen Goodies!

Well, y'all, it's official: I have the best friends in the world. Now, I am sure you're thinking that your friends are pretty awesome, too (and I am sure they are!), but mine threw me a killer bachelorette weekend in Savannah, and I'm itching to share it with you! 

First, I have to tell you about the amazing Hangover Kit that was put together by my dear friend Hollie. Hollie couldn't make it on our trip, but she was definitely present throughout the weekend. Every kit had just what you'd need to cure a hangover, and we loved opening them up on Saturday morning (it was quite appropro). She tucked in some crackers, bandaids, tylenol, Ponds wipes, water bottles with cheeky names for each of us, hair ties, gum, and a Kate Aspen nail kit. 

The rest of the weekend was chock full of good food and great friends. My MOH, bridesmaids, & friends did a fantastic job pulling everything together and keeping the Great Gatsby theme running throughout the weekend. We noshed at Gryphon Tea Room (which I highly recommend!) for a girly and delicious lunch and visited the SCAD gift shop across the street. Thank you to Sara for her awesome recommendation for lunch (and dinner...and drinks...and shopping...). Later, we broke into two teams for a friendly competition & scavenger hunt, and we ended the day with a fabulous dinner at Cha Bella, drinks at the Bohemian Hotel, & dancing our hearts out. Check out my awesome sash from Etsy!

Thank you so much to my friends for planning and executing a flawless weekend. It was one for the record books! If you want to see more pictures, be sure to follow me on Instagram & check out our weekend hashtag #french75me. Tons more to see there!