Bachelorette Party Fun in Paw Paw

September 1, 2008 7:19 PM

How do I do an inexpensive and not lame bachelorette party in a tiny town in West Michigan?

I'm helping to host a bachelorette party in a very small town in West Michigan. The nearest city of any real size is 25 minutes away and the city with any real activity is 1 hour away. The bride has asked that all of the girls come in two days early, and this is the only thing they will have as an activity for the two days before the wedding so I want to make it fun.

Unfortunately, the maid of honor has given up planning or paying for the party so I am left trying to figure out what to do with ten late-20-something women who have all flown in to Michigan and driven three hours to the hotel that morning.

I am planning on having us trek to the city 25 minutes away for a nicer dinner and some bar hopping later in the evening, but I need something for us all to do from about 3pm-6pm that will not be hokey or expensive. It also will have to be in a Holiday Inn conference room. (woohoo!) I am also driving 13 hours the day before with two dogs so I can't bring a lot as far as supplies.

I have called yoga teachers, spas, cooking teachers, and caterers. They are all either too expensive or won't travel that far for a class. The bride has made it clear that we have to be "active" - she originally asked for the party to be from 11am-11pm, but I nixed the idea when it turned into me planning and paying for most/all of it. (Plus, I pity the fact that everyone would have to fly into MI an extra day earlier than they would expect just for a weekend wedding with little notice at this point.)

Thanks for the ideas. The wedding is in Paw Paw if that helps, and I have called the wineries in the area but am weary of adding daytime drinking/tasting onto nighttime events.

posted by eggerspretty to grab bag (5 comments total)

I take you're heading into Kalamazoo to a lovely conference room. Is there a reason you're not heading out to the beach instead?
posted by 517 at 7:45 PM on September 1, 2008

We are using the conference room at the hotel room in Paw Paw because the girls will have just flown for 2-3 hours and then driven from as far away as Detroit to get to the hotel right before the party begins. We thought about immediately packing them up and driving to the beach or even up to Grand Rapids (both options are 40 minutes to an hour away), but that means they have to travel all morning and then be immediately ready to be out all night long. If we stay at the hotel for the early evening portion, they have a chance to go back to their room and "freshen up" before driving another 30 minutes for dinner and dancing. (We also don't know when everyone is arriving, and I would hate to leave the hotel too early and leave an out-of-towner to drive another 30-60min to join us. (Maybe I'm being to accomodating?)
posted by eggerspretty at 8:03 PM on September 1, 2008

So, you're all headed in to the big city for drinks and dinner? It sounds like some people might not even be ready to hang out right at 3? I think you're overthinking it. Pick up some sparking water and limes, maybe a bottle or two of white wine. Grab a few snacks -- pretzels, pirate booty, etc. and have them come to your room around 5 to chat. How many women? You can fit a lot of people into a hotel room and it's going to be a hell of a lot more fun and casual to meet there and have some snacks on hand than a conference room. Forget the conference room. Seriously.

If you guys are going to bust out any veils, tiaras, boas, funny wigs or silly bachelorette party gifts -- this is the time to do it. Also, you can go to a party store and pick up for less than fifty bucks all kinds of goofy colorful, light-up rings, necklaces, leis, etc. and the party is set.

If the place you're going for dinner isn't in to that but the later bars are then hand them out at the end of dinner and just meet in your room for a little pre-func.
posted by amanda at 8:33 PM on September 1, 2008

At the last bachelorette i was at, when we had a bit of downtime the organiser had laid out glasses of champers, pedicure and manicure kits, face creams, etc. and we all had a wee bubbly-and-pampering session. It might be a nice way to relax after traveling and will let people chat as they do each other's nails, etc.
posted by ukdanae at 1:21 AM on September 2, 2008

If the hotel has a pool. could you see if you could get permission to have a boom box and some snacks for a laid back pool party? I think this would be even better if they had a jacuzzi to relax in. Just to be upfront, I'm not girly and cringe at the thought of wedding stuff but if I'd just come in after a long flight and drive. this would be a nice way to relax.
posted by stray thoughts at 9:30 PM on September 2, 2008