Weddingbee Blog

Why a combined bachelor/bachelorette party is basically the best thing ever—and we know because we just had one:

Mr. Jam, bridesmaid Tana & me at the combined theme bachelor/bachelorette party. More pictures (and lots of gabbing about the freakishly amazing decorations) soon…AKA when everyone else uploads pictures. Who do you think forgot to bring her camera? Oy.

1. No embarrassing gifts or games. No lingerie that will reside in the back of my underwear drawer for all eternity; Nothing hanging around my neck that was A) phallic, or B) flashing, which would probably only make me feel drunk; No awkward bar games where I have to dance with a random man wearing a hat, or take whipped-cream-topped shots using only my mouth.

Instead of being forced to wear a crown or a sash or an oversized, blingtastic plastic ring, one of the bridesmaids gave me a Lolita pilsner glass and I got first choice of the beer. Mr. Jam rocked a fancy groom koozie. The only people I had to dance with were members of the wedding party and Mr. Jam-to the beat of a strobe light app on his iPhone, naturally.

2. It was more cost-effective.

Although the party wasn’t cheap, it was definitely more cost-effective than hauling it downtown and drinking $10 beers all night in a brand new outfit that I felt pressured to buy for the party (you know you’ve been there before). Our glorious wedding party spent money on themed decorations, food, and a baby pool full of beer and homemade Jell-O shots. Nobody had to pay for cab rides or hotel rooms, and they asked everyone to bring a dish to pass—tasty AND frugal!

3. People could pretty much do what they wanted.

If party-goers didn’t want to drink or kick up their heels, they definitely didn’t have to. Even though the weather promised thunderstorms all day and night, we had perfect weather and nary a sprinkle of rain, making the most delicious weather to play washers or dance around like a crazy person on a sugar rush from our cotton candy machine. Some people played quarters; some people chatted and laughed hysterically; some people went inside and napped before coming back to keep drinking; and some people didn’t stop until the sun came up.

A cotton candy machine (one of the bridesmaids won the rental in a charity auction last month) inside the safety of our garage just in case the 90% chance of precipitation showed up. It didn’t, but the cotton candy was DELISH.

4. No inside jokes that need explaining, nor any jealousy.

Nobody worried about strippers or scandalous situations, and the next morning, we all sat around laughing and talking about the night’s events. The best part? We all knew what the others were talking about…and in great detail. Tee-hee.

5. It brought the wedding party closer.

We always knew our entire wedding party got along smashingly (it was part of the reason we took such care choosing who would stand up with us), but last weekend’s shindig really proved it. I have to admit, I got a little choked up seeing bridesmaids and groomsmen crammed around a little Formica table on our driveway playing quarters with the Milliedog running around and someone’s iPod pumping out jams. Could I have painted a more beautiful picture? Nope.

6. It brought us closer.

One of my favorite parts of the night was sitting outside with Mr. Jam at 4:30 a.m., birds chirping their beaks off, talking about how lucky we were. We could not believe the time and effort our friends put into a party that made us so incredibly happy, and we screamed and clapped our hands upon realization that the wedding is just WEEKS away.

So what you do think, hive? Would you ever consider a combined bachelor/bachelorette party, or is the last ladies’ night out as a single gal too much damn fun? Would you consider having your bachelorette party at home and totally skipping the light-up necklaces and lingerie/crown/clip-in veil?