Need Reader Advice: a low-key bachelorette party

K*****, if you are still reading my blog for some reason...it's time to scat!

This isn't for your eyes.

So many of you may remember my feisty sister who got engaged in December

She is planning a mid-March wedding (where did the time go!) in order for her new brother in law to make it to the wedding before his deployment.

It's been a crazy roller coaster ride trying to find a venue and secure dresses for her and the bridal party, among all the other details in about 3 months. Lots of stress, tension, long phone calls and the drama is finally working itself out. Sometimes family is tough to love!

It was especially hard for me because I've been so immersed in wedding-everything for 1.5 years now that I wanted to be able to help more. But my sister's independent spirit and the distance didn't allow that to happen.

One thing I have been able to contribute to, however, is the bachelorette party! Due to some girls having to come in from out of town (*ahem*, me) the party is going to fall on the Thursday before the wedding....

And guess who gets the honor of planning it--that's right, me!

Because a few of the bridesmaids are under age, including my littlest sister (the MOH), and because the bride-to-be isn't much for going out, and is much for girly movies....the basic idea is to stay in and do just that. But since is the only part of the wedding festivities that I am participating in, I want it to be really special and tons of fun. Here's the lowdown:

Theme

I've started to gather inspiration for a theme--Marie Antoinette meets Gossip Girl, as inspired by this bridal shower featured on Hostess with the Mostess:

Part 1

Part 2

and

various

other

sources

Weddingbee not the least!

Decor

This party is going down in my parents' basement--and I don't have much to work with for setting, but here is the beginning of my decor plan:

• pink, tan(gold) and white sheets draped over the walls
• navy and gold tissue paper poms
• streamers all over
• Gift table covered in vintage floral wrapping paper
• navy ribbon wrapped around votives
• milk white vases filled with pink roses and peonies

Food

all kind of home-baked sweets and treat!

cheese platter

chocolate croissants

petit fours

macarons

scones ?

Drinks

strawberry lemonade

sparkling white grape juice (some chapagne for those of age)

cucumber mint water

Wedding movies:

The wedding singer

My Best Friend's Wedding

Father of the Bride

Princess Bride

The Wedding Planner

and lastly, games!

i said, games....?

ok readers--this is where you come in. In addition to watching some classic wedding movies, I want to have some fun with the girls.

For my bachelorette party the game was a scavenger hunt of sorts in the city. But what to do at home? What fun, non-traditional games have you played at showers or bachelorette parties that will work with younger girls [i.e. keep it clean! I want my baby sister to stay innocent :-)]

I've thought about videoing the groom with questions, but that's about.

I know you ladies can help me out, so lay it on thick (I only have 12 days!)

Italian Honeymoon, part IX: Tuscan Villages (and how we honeymooned with my mother in law)

Some of you may be wondering about the whole "mother-in-law on our honeymoon" situation since I mentioned in on Twitter. And I'll get to it, I promise. First I have to share my second favorite city in Italy...a very close second to Venice.

Siena was one of the few village in the Tuscan countryside we visited to get away from the hustle and bustle of Florence life. We enjoyed lots of incredible wine and food (the food was much better outside of the big cities!)

Siena may look familiar to you, as it was the location for the opening scenes of Quantum of Solace (the latest James Bond flick)

It was also two days before the famous Siena Horse Races, the Palio (de Provenzano). If you've never heard of them, check out the link really quick. I'll wait!

ok, back?

Where's waldo? ;-)



The city was totally abuzz with excitement--The 17 neighborhood flags were proudly worn as scarves, belts, bandannas and capes. Every once in a while the street traffic would get completely clogged from a large parade of men singing their neighborhood anthem. It was totally electric. We watched workers begin to erect the bleachers for the big event!

We grabbed a gelato (of course) and want on to tour the duomo and baptistry

and this is where the story starts to get good....

I've been avoiding this post for a while because it's taken me a long while to get to this point in writing about our honeymoon, but here is the story!

Going back a little:::In the beginning of the year, E and I started talking about honeymoon locations. I suggested an exotic yet unusual place where we could have adventures (we are not just lay on the beach type people) and we tossed around some places in South America....but both of us kept returning to a dream of a European honeymoon. We were concerned about the amount of relaxation we'd have on a 'touring' honeymoon, as well as the cost so we tossed it around for several weeks before making a decision on Northern Italy-- a romantic, relaxing place in Europe that was new to both of us.

As E was doing his research, he mentioned out plans to his mom, who revealed her plans to travel to Northern Italy with a friend immediately following our wedding.

E didn't see this as a big deal and didn't mention it to me right away.

A little while later he brought it up (assuringly knowing what my reaction would be!)...and needless to say I flipped a lid. It was our biggest argument in our relationship up to that point. He couldn't bring up the honeymoon for weeks without me bursting into tears. I was devastated that our epic European splurge of a honeymoon was just going to be a fun trip for his mom and a friend. The planning was difficult because E's mom always does a ton of research and I knew he was getting a lot of guidance from his mom. I had a hard time with the fact that his mom was planning our honeymoon.***

...and then there was the possibility that we would run into them!

So what happened? Tune in next time to find out :-)

***I want to say as a disclaimer that I love my MIL dearly, and she didn't know anything of my feelings about the whole situation. In all fairness, she booked her trip before us and we planned both trips without the other knowing until well into the process.