Posted by
At the time this post is going live, I'll be four days from my own wedding. So what probably happened in recent weeks? For one thing: my bachelorette party happened! Technically I called it a “hen night” since my family hails from the UK, but it's all the same deal: fun times with your friends.
What that means to you might not be what everyone else thinks is fun. Maybe you're a bar crawling, live it up type, a comedy show watching and beer flight type, or maybe you're a sleepover with board games kind of person. No matter what type of bachelor/ette you are, there's no reason you have to do anything traditional at your party. Make it your own, make it mad fun, and you'll take singledom by the balls on your way out.
Here's how I (and my amazing friends!) crafted a hen night where we all had a blast, including rosé champagne, delicious grub, and lots of games (including our partner in party crime, Cads About Matrimony!)…
Stage one: pre-partying at our hotel
There were only five of us at my party which felt like the perfect number to me. They were all my long time besties (like from 20-30 years now!), so it was super chill and comfortable. We all went in sleepover style in a hotel room so we could get ready and pre-party with some drinks and games. We had lots of card games and newlywed-style games on hand, but I definitely felt like this was the perfect party to roll out one of my faves, Cads About Matrimony. I'd been playing it at various points in my engagement just for fun, but it was MADE for bachelorette parties and showers.
I own the Poly Pack, which is their latest iteration that includes the complete original game, complete expansion pack 1, and 30 new question and answer cards. They also have a mini print-and-play deck of 55 question cards and 230 answer cards that you can download for free. The games definitely got us in the mood to loosen up.
Stage two: shove food in mouth
We headed out to a local restaurant in Chicago called Bar Siena for small plates, pizza, and more drinks. We ate, we took photos, I wore a TIARA (ha!), and we got way too full. So we decided to roll out in the cold and walk off some of that food. We had fun tiki drinks at a local bar, danced on a teeny tiny dance floor, and then took our asses back to the hotel room because we're all too old for these shenanigans.
Stage three: MORE GAMES
While I loved being out and dancing, I was really more about rolling with the homies in the hotel. We got into our jammies, turned on some music, and took turns wearing the bachelorette tiara, making drinks, and playing more games.
You can see some of the combinations we came up with playing Cads About Matrimony here. Hilarity ensued, I can assure you…
Stage four: Day-after brunch
After staying up late dealing dirty nuptial-related hilarity, we rolled out of bed in search of the elusive brunch. It's Chicago and we didn't prepare, so it was a gamble trying to find one with an available table. Thankfully, we lurked in the bar area of a local fave, The Little Goat, and snagged a table without a reservation. We also texted my partner to come join us, too! We brunched on stuff like bi bim bop breakfast bowls, shrimp and cheesy grits, yogurt and granola, and okonomiyaki. Then we hauled our asses back home for food coma naps.
So while my hen party may have been a pretty typical format, it was still catered to what I love most: good food, chill times with my closest friends, and games I love playing.
If you want to grab yourself the Cads About Matrimony Poly Pack, I highly recommend it for any and all pre- or post-wedding parties. It's the perfect balm for wedding nerves and takes all of the pretentiousness out of the whole thing. There's nothing like poking a little fun at this most hallowed institution to keep you grounded.
If you're having a bachelorette party, what does your night or weekend look like?
About the Author: Catherine Clark
Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com.
