Team Effort (Super Long Post Style)

My bachelorette party was the best. Everything came together perfectly.

My matron of honor, Kathleen, created some great invitations, both electronically as well as a beautiful paper one ready to be placed in my scrapbook. You can see her beautiful displays of pink wine glasses and punch cups in the photo above. She had some adorable paper products for us all to use, bachelorette napkins and dessert plates, as well as HOT PINK plates and plastic cutlery paired with black napkins. I've always wanted to use hot pink plastic cutlery! She baked some tasty strawberry cupcakes for us for dessert, and for breakfast, she baked one of my absolute favorites, Monkey Bread.

I'll be sure to include her family's recipe in an upcoming post. Kathleen came early to decorate, and she placed 'bachelorette party' mints in a big martini glass, put a black tablecloth on the dining room table and jazzed it up with beads for everyone to wear.

She sprinkled big diamond rings about for each of the ladies to rock as well. Kathleen also had some fun scratch off cards she placed about too. The scratch off cards certainly made for an entertaining read!

Please note the decorated pig in the background here. He's sporting his own headpiece as well as beads, and he has the invitation on his chalkboard. Crazy pig!

As I mentioned on Friday, one of my bridesmaids, Maura, flew in from NYC. Our friend Cara was fabulous enough to drive her around to all of her errands - so nice!!!! Kathleen gifted to me a crown with veil and a whistle to wear, and Maura polished off my outfit just beautifully:

She added a lovely crown, "buy me a shot, I'm tying the knot," a WHITE BOA, and the kicker, a light-up sash. It was the best. Maura made sure I was all lit up and that I matched perfectly.

Maura also made a favorite punch, Pink Panty Pulldown, inspired by The Sisters (Amy & Laura - my future sisters). This punch includes Sprite Zero, pink Crystal Light and vodka. It's on the 'healthier' side in regards to cocktails. Maura added some hot pink & classy straws for us to drink from. So bachelorette!

My maid of honor, May, had some snacks and soft drinks for us for before and after POLE DANCING CLASS. Always important! She reserved our class time at Aradia Fitness. It was a super fun and entertaining class. It was the first thing I said I wanted to do when I was asked about my bachelorette party. I saw Aradia Fitness at a wedding show I went to last year, and I was immediately hooked. All of the girls chipped in to pay for my portion of the class, which I thought was so, so very nice. We learned a routine and had a blast performing it. Although, what we learned most of all was how to 'sexy up'!

My bridesmaids & future sisters, Amy and Laura, provided one amazing dinner. It was from my favorite Italian restaurant, Daniel's. Oh my deliciousness. We had caesar salad, lasagna, garlic bread and even a meatless pasta for the three vegetarians in the house.

After dinner it was time to 'glitter up'! It was so fun to have all of the girls getting ready in the house. Everyone put on their black outfits and glammed it up. I made sure no lady would be leaving the house without glitter. Color options were Tarte's sugar daddy or gold digger... You pick! Maura made me look extra lovely by applying Bobbi Brown's hot pink gloss... Ooh la la.

Then it was present & game time. Kat shared with us the most fun theme for presents, so a new tradition was born. I can't share the theme until after the wedding & honeymoon... So hold the suspense! It will be a Mrs. Loves Life delight. After presents, we played 20 questions - chubby bunny style. It's a classic. Kathleen touched base with Hank beforehand and asked him 20 questions about him & us. I think I got 16 out of 20 right. For every question of the 20 you get wrong, a marshmallow goes in your mouth... Obviously you see where too many wrongs would get you (in quite the predicament). Then Maura had us compete in a drawing competition, and it was a willie good time ; )

Then we headed out on the town. We went to my two favorite places, Rum Runners (a dueling piano bar) and The Hive. Rum Runners is for singing & dancing, and The Hive is all dancing. Here I am on the piano at Rum Runners - dueling piano bars are my all time favorite.

One thing I loved most about my bachelorette party was all of my different groups of friends coming together to play. I had my elementary/middle/high school friends, my college friends, my coworkers & my real world friends and my future sisters. I love each of them so.

Happy Bachelorette!

Thank you Amy, Cara, Carson, Jamie, Jen, Kat, Kathleen, Laura, Laura, Mallory, Maura and May for putting the HAPPY in Happy Bachelorette! And to the lovely ladies that could not make it, we missed you being there!

*A special thanks to Jen, Kat and Mallory for their late night driving - keeping us safe by being awesome DDs (even when you're not given the best directions to work with).