Knowing Bromfield, I am sure the house/setting is gorgeous, the food left for the girls will be delicious, and everyone will have a nice time kicking back.
D2’s best friend from childhood is getting married later this month. My D is a bridesmaid and will travel out of state to this wedding and so has all the associated costs of that, but it is understandable. She even had to have it written into a contract of hers to allow her to go attend this wedding. Anyway, the friend who is getting married’s sister has organized a bachelorette party for a long weekend next weekend in Newport, RI (where nobody involved lives). This is pretty difficult for my D who lives in NYC and pretty much works round the clock. She didn’t want to miss it, but simply can’t go away for three days. She is in a pretty big show in NYC that Saturday night. The bachelorette event is through Monday at a rental house. She is going to travel to Newport (no direct way to get there either) on Sunday and stay as late as everyone else on Monday. She was slated to be in another show on Monday night and would have gotten back just in time to head straight to the venue to perform, but was getting so stressed out about this and also that she felt that she may have to leave earlier on Monday than the other girls and given she was arriving on Sunday, has now pulled out of being in that show. The girls are all splitting the house rental. My D has to pay her full share even though she is only staying one night. She says she would not feel right to miss it, but the costs of both weekend getaways are adding up for this friend.
Meanwhile, her own wedding is in September. She doesn’t want a shower and doesn’t want to burden friends with getting an additional gift. As far as a bachelorette party, she doesn’t want to make out of town bridesmaids (including her sister and SILs) travel to NYC twice. So, what they are going to do is go out together in NYC together the Friday night of her wedding weekend (Sat. night is rehearsal dinner, Sunday night is the wedding). Nobody will have to travel more than once. The groom’s bachelor party will be held at his brother’s house in Pittsburgh and I think everyone will drive together there from NYC. So, no big expenses for anyone for these get togethers. They are in their late 20s.
"Anyway, the friend who is getting married’s sister has organized a bachelorette party for a long weekend next weekend in Newport, RI (where nobody involved lives). "
That’s the keyword here – it wasn’t considerate to organize a command-performance party for a long weekend in a place nobody involved lives.
Yep…it’s the traveling to these events for everyone that makes NO sense to me.
DD is in a wedding in August. She bought her dress…and a plane ticket here (we get to see her…so that’s OK). No bachelorette…no shower for her anyway. She will be here in a couple of weeks and will look for a wedding present locally.
She is invited to her BFF’s wedding the same weekend. Unfortunately, she agreed to be IN the other wedding six months before BFF planned her wedding. We will be attending that wedding, but DD will not be. Because she can’t go to the wedding, they invited her to the bachelorette. Again…she will fly here (we get to see her…and she got a $148 round trip airline ticket too). Then she will drive to the bachelorette with another friend. It’s at a rented lake house. Costs will be low. The girls are pairing off and making dinners, and breakfasts. Everyone is bringing food to share. DD will take a cooler with several cheeses, hummus, and some veggies. And she will take a bag with a variety of good crackers, it’s not going to be costly…and it was the only way she could be included in this bride’s events.
Thanks for the suggestions/ideas and comments everyone. Passed some ideas into my D who’s conferring with the other bridesmaids on finalizing a plan.
@Bromfield2 From what you have described so far it seems like a fun and relaxing weekend. I am looking forward to hearing how your plans turn out.
It sounds great.
As “to-do” things…are there crafty type things that actually need doing? Place cards? tiny boxes made? favors?
Things that take time but are more fun as a group project? The " I need a couple hundred of these" category?
Better with margaritas?
Have all of the bridesmaids bring any photos they have with the bride–make a photo collage as a project.