Hi SMP brides! It’s Jess from Dressed by Jess and I’m excited to give you a taste of my bachelorette weekend in Charleston, SC. We spent four full days on the Isle of Palms and Charleston and I could go on and on for hours declaring my love for these two beautiful places. Today I’m sharing the highlights plus a few tips to planning an unforgettable getaway with your own bridal party crew.
Rather than checking into a hotel we decided to rent a big ol’ beach house for the weekend. It was steps away from the ocean and my sister and bridesmaids decked it out with flamingos & pineapples- the perfect beachy details. A dream getaway for me includes pampering, relaxing, and sunbathing. The girls worked so hard to make this weekend extra special for me, and for that reason I wanted to treat them to a surprise lunch alongside live Oak alley at Boone Hall. I reached out to Ava Moore Photography and Gigi of Smells Like Peonies Events to pull it off. With the help of amazing vendors, it turned out to be one epic lunch date with my girls!
The afternoon couldn’t have been more perfect. A storm had just rolled in and so there was practically no one left at the mansion. It was quiet, serene, and out of a scene of a movie. We were surrounded by beautiful flowers and the most gorgeous tablescape I have ever seen (thanks to Gigi). After the champagne was popped, we dove into the oreo-filled cake and truly soaked in every moment under the Oak trees. It was magical! The best part of this weekend was being surrounded by all of my girls. If you are planning a bachelorette or a simple girls’ getaway, here are 5 tips for creating an epic weekend.
Designate one or two group organizers (in my case it was my maid of honor and bridesmaids) and make sure to collect all payments prior to your trip. Everyone should enjoy themselves from the moment they walk in the door and not have to worry about making payments during the special events. Which brings me to my next point…
Plan ahead. When traveling to a new city make sure to do all your planning ahead of time. Utilize tools like The Bach (an online resource that provides party ideas, venue recommendations, and tools to simplify the planning process).
Have a meal catered in! Sometimes restaurants can be too loud and they take away from the intimacy of the event.
Surprise & delight! In the case of a bachelorette party, it’s always fun to surprise all the guests with special treats. My sister prepared tote bags with beach towels, flamingo straws, koozies, custom t-shirts, and delicious chocolate covered pretzels by Fatty Sundays (even the boxes were customized for my bach weekend!).
Plan events that are meaningful to you and your gal pals. Whether it’s sunrise yoga, a painting class, zip-lining, a wellness retreat, or just a simple slumber party, it’s important that your bachelorette or girls’ weekend is completely tailored to your interests.
As cheesy as this may sound, quality time with your girlfriends should be cherished. It’s not often you can rally everyone together for a destination celebration, but when you do, have fun with it and try to disconnect from social media to be present in the moment.
xx Jess
Photography: Ava Moore Photography | Event Planning: Smells Like Peonies Events | Floral Design: Wildflowers Inc. | Invitations: Letter Loft Prints | Hair: Mirror Mirror Charleston | calligraphy: Corsivo Calligraphy | Custom Pretzels: Fatty Sundays | Desserts: Swank Desserts | rentals: Eventworks
[dotted]