Last weekend was weird. I went home for the first time since I moved away almost two months ago (I know! TWO MONTHS!). I didn’t really know what to expect, but I had an unexplainable feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Of course, I was excited to see my family and Ali (it was her bachelorette party), but there was something holding me back from all my excitement. I suppose it’s just an extension of the adjustment period. Who knows.
Anyway, the weekend turned out perfectly. I don’t think I have ever accomplished so many things in two days – breakfast, spa, lunch, dressed, limo, dinner, bars, sleep, breakfast, groceries, photos, lunch, grandparents, mom’s, Boulder, dorm room, dinner, bike lock, Denver, Sex & the City, sleep, airplane, whew.
I had a great time. I had never planned a bachelorette party before – it’s the first time I’ve ever been maid of honor. It was a little nerve-racking, especially since I did most of the planning from San Francisco while the event was in Denver. It’s always difficult to wrangle up a bunch of people and get them all on board for one night out. Here’s my advice:
- Plan ahead. I planned the bachelorette party a month ago and sent out email invitations right after it was planned.
- Veer away from lots of input. While opinions matter, it’s easier to just pick a plan and stick with it. Decide where you’re going, at what time, how you’re getting there, and just let the other participants know what the plan is instead of soliciting opinions. If you ask, before you know it, you’ll have a hell of a time sorting it all out.
- Include the nitty gritty. It’s very helpful to include every single plan you have made in the invite. For example, in my email invitation, I included the time the guests should arrive, the time the limo would arrive to pick us up, the time of the dinner reservation, the plans on how we’re getting home, how much everything was going to cost total and how they could pay me back. Worked like a charm.
If you do these things when you’re planning a party or event, it makes your life and the lives of your guests that much easier. The bachelorette party went off without a hitch and I had one very happy best friend/bride-to-be. Mission accomplished!
