We love styled shoots… not only are they a great way to do things a little ‘out-the’box’, but they are also a wonderful opportunity to chit chat with some of the other local industry folk. We spent the afternoon with a group of wonderful ladies (and our one gent) at the Salt Rock Hotel for this gorgeous Aloha themed Tropical Heat styled shoot.We wanted to do something a little different this time so we decided to stage a Bachelorette Party…filled with bright colors, gold pineapples and lots of FUN (thats right I said Gold pineapples)! If you have ever been a Bridesmaid you will know that first it is a lot of fun, second it can also be quite stressful, especially when it comes to hosting a kick-ass hens party for your special Bride-to-be.
Inspired by the amazingly talented Derryn Semple and her blog post on the …… styled shoot. I decided to make this post a little different, I want to add some substance next to our pretty pictures, so here I will be sharing my tips on how to plan a Kick-Ass, budget friendly party for your hen.
The first step for planning a bacherlorette party is to pick a theme that represents the Bride’s personality and that is budget friendly…
Deciding on a theme for the party is possibly the hardest decision. We opted for a beachy themed Tropical Heat party for our styled shoot and this theme would be great for someone who loves the beach. The great thing about our theme is that it is cheap as chips to execute. Seriously some fruit, a few details, cocktails and gold spray paint (you will amazed at what can be achieved with some gold spray paint) and you’re good to go. Pinterest is also plethora of ideas and advice so if you are stuck for a theme, pop on over and start browsing…
If party planning is not your thing, then we recommend bringing in a professional. Oh Happy Day is a Durban based styling and coordination company that can assist with small or large events. She is the fairy god-mother of party planners and will make your life as a Party-Planning-Bridesmaid an absolute breeze!
For decor hiring (because it cheaper and less stressful than buying your own) visit Labola. Labola are an amazing decor hiring company based in Durbs that specialize in bespoke hiring for weddings and special events. Their range is truly stunning and there are assorted items to suit any theme… they also do flowers.
Next up its important to talk logistics with the Bride…
Without giving to much away on what you will be doing, we suggest asking the Bride for a list of who she would want to attend the party. It is quite popular nowadays to host a morning tea for the family and older ladies, then have a evening shindig with the friends and younger guests. Make sure you ask the Bride who she wants and which party. She might not feel comfortable throwing back the shots and giving away her juicy sex stories infront of Gran or Mom-to-be, so try keep this in mind when party planning. Its also important to coordinate the date properly. There is always a lot going on just before the wedding, so try and ensure that the party is hosted on a day that is convenient for the Bride and doesn’t add to her mounting stress. I suggest sending out the invites at least 1 month before the party.
If you are looking for invites or stationary then Kim at Ruby + Swallow is the perfect person to call. She will help design some unique, custom invites & party stationary that suit your theme and style.
When dressing the Bride for the party make sure she looks HOT and ensure she is comfortable…
I have no idea why anyone would dress a future bride in a black bag or hang a carrot shaped penis around her neck. The perfect way to consider if the intended outfit is a yay or nay is to ask yourself the questions; would I want to wear that and would I be comfortable in it? Chances are this Bride may return the favor one day (there are baby showers too don’t forget) so be nice for your own sake. Its also great to have all the Bridemaids in special outfits so they are easily identifiable and its great for photos.
Plan some fun activities or games and don’t forget the food…
Once everyone has arrived at the party, its important to keep them entertained! Try and plan some fun group activities or games that will highlight the theme or even give some insight into the Bride’s personality. Its also not essential to embarrass the bride at every turn. You can find heaps of games and activity ideas on Pinterest so knock yourself out. (When I got married my ladies made an actual 30 seconds game all about me. I love 30 seconds so it was kinda perfect). Its important to make sure that everyone has some food and drinks. You could ask the ladies to each bring a plate of snacks or you could hire a caterer.
If you are looking for some cakes, cupcakes or sweet treats then give Taryn at Smith’s Bake Shop a call. She is amazingly creative and her cakes are not only gorgeous to look at but delicious to eat too!
Talk Budget (OH-NO!)…
Bachelorette parties can get super expensive if you do not budget correctly. We suggest meeting with all the Bridesmaids and deciding on a suitable budget for the party; find out what everyone is comfortable contributing. Its not totally taboo to ask the invited guests to pay for themselves, just try and keep it realistic. Remember that the guests will more than likely be in for quite a bit with gifts, and wedding accommodation already so try keep it affordable for them to attend.
And lastly remember to take pics… lots of pics
This is a very special occasion for your future MRS, her last official ladies night before she gets hitched! A lot of hard work and effort has also gone into the bachelorette party so its important to get some pics to remember it all! It is not uncommon to hire a professional photographer for a few hours (before everyone gets too messy). But if that doesn’t fit into your budget then ask a few of the Instagrammers in the group to snap away. Its a great idea to have a unique hashtag, not to be hipster but rather to make it easy for everyone to find the pics after the party. This is also an amazing way for all the wedding guests to connect online and become more friendly before the big wedding day.
A huge thank you to all the suppliers for your contributions to this shoot! As always it is wonderful working with you. We had such a great afternoon with everyone, thank you for joining us! And to our gorgeous models, thank you for giving up your time and braving the wind for this shoot! You are all stunning <3
If you have any tips in party planning then please add them to the comments below…
Suppliers
- Coordination & Styling – Oh Happy Day
- Decor Hiring – Labola
- Stationary – Ruby + Swallow
- Cakes – Smith’s Bake Shop
- Jewelry – Tommy D
- Photography – The Shank Tank & Kelly Daniels
- Video – The Shank Tank (coming soon)
- Venue – Salt Rock Hotel
