Wedding Blog

Last weekend, a gang of us jumped in our cars and drove down to Seattle for a Stagette Party Extravaganza for our friend K who is getting married in Vegas next week. (Sidenote: is it just me or does it seem like most people call these ‘bachelorette’ parties? Maybe it’s a Canadian thing, eh?)

Now, I know this is going to sound ridiculous but I swear it’s true: I have only attended one other stagette party in my life. Crazy, right? What’s more, it was ten years ago! I don’t remember much except that I was the one charged with renting a Chippendales video from the, ahem, sexy video store. (It’s sort of hard to forget a thing like that.)

Needless to say, I really didn’t know what to expect this past weekend.

Luckily, the other gals had a few tricks up their sleeves which I thought were great so I thought I’d share them with you.

Cute Stagette Idea #1: Use window markers to get everyone to join in

This actual tool works best for a road-trip related event, but the idea of it can be extended to different scenarios. We used a Crayola Washable Window Marker to write things like ‘Getting Married’ and ‘Bridal Posse’ all over the car windows. People driving by smiled and waved at us (and I think the border patrol got a kick out of it too). If you let other people know what you’re up to, it makes it that much more fun.

Cute Stagette Idea #2: Bring funny/kitschy wedding movies

Nothing gets you in the wedding mood like a stack of wedding movies and shows (think The Wedding Planner, 27 Dresses, My Fabulous Gay Wedding). We had these hooked up to DVD players in the car which was a brilliant move, especially considering we waited in line for 2.5 hours at the border crossing (eeps!). They’d also be great just to watch all together, or to play in the background as you get ready to go out.

Cute Stagette Idea #3: Outfit the bride-to-be according to her style

I’ve heard lots of stories of brides out on the town wearing huge pouffy veils, flashing rings and Suck-for-a-Buck shirts (i.e. a t-shirt with Lifesaver candies sewn all over it which requires payment for permission to eat one off it). This is fun if the bride is comfortable with that sort of thing, but it’s not for everyone. It’s not our friend K’s thing and she would have been secretly miserable. Instead, one of the girls got her a very pretty tiara to wear which K. just adored and consequently, had lots of fun wearing.

Cute Stagette Idea #4: Get the bride into the Mrs spirit

As anyone who’s getting married knows, there is something unmistakably exciting about being called ‘Wife’ or ‘Mrs [insert new last name]‘ for the first time. After our evening of dinner (at Wild Ginger… mmm…), drinks and dancing, back at the hotel one of the girls presented K with a pair of undies with the words Mrs [her new last name] across the butt. She loved them, of course. (Sorry, can’t show you THAT picture. ;-)) If the bride isn’t changing her name, you can do ‘GirlsName + BoysName’, or ‘BoysName’s Wife’, on undies, a shirt, hat or tote.

Tote, Shirt

Cute Stagette Idea #5: Seize the moment

Well, this last one is more a tip than an idea. During our adventures, we randomly ran into one of the funniest things I’d ever seen–a guy in an Elvis costume whose car had broken down. It was even more funny because K. is getting married in Vegas and everyone has been teasing her that she’d end up with an Elvis impersonator at her wedding. So we just had to stop and take some photos with the guy which was really worth it, as I think it’s a moment she will never forget.

It was a great weekend. As for the other details… well, what happens in Seattle stays in Seattle.

What are some of the best stagette/bachelorette party things you’ve ever done?