Bachelorette Beach Getaway

This past weekend five of my dearest friends and I traveled to Isle of Palms for a long weekend getaway to celebrate my last days as a bachelorette! I haven't had that much fun in quite a while and was in desperate need of relaxing (wedding planning can get stressful ladies!) and girl time.

Side-note; If you follow me on Instagram (@mmackvick) you likely got a good glimpse into what our weekend was like and may have laughed a little at some of the snaps I captured on Snapchat (follow me @mscheek). But for a detailed look into our four days together, continue reading...

We arrived Thursday evening just in time unpack our bags and make ourselves "at home" before heading to dinner at The Boathouse. But before we headed out to eat, the girls wanted to surprise me by decorating and making the place feel super festive, so I decided to go on a walk and explore Wild Dunes Resort by myself while they did just that. And who am I kidding...I played with this new app I just recently downloaded and can't get enough of it called Dubsmash. It's hilarious. Anyways, when I got back to the condo, the kitchen area and living room were decorated in two of my favorite colors; GOLD and PINK! Everything screamed Swoozie's which is one of my favorite stores in Charlotte!

Friday we woke up and headed to breakfast at Coconut Joe's Beach Bar before making our way into Charleston for the day. If I had to describe this city in one word I would have to say it's charming. From the mansions, palmetto trees, gazebos, and waterfront views, Charleston is simply the best. We did lot's of walking, explored King's Street (V2V is a must), walked around The Battery (aka Battery Park), stopped for a quick lunch at King Street Grille (try the Mac & Cheese Egg Rolls) and walked some more before hoping into our cars and headed straight to Party at the Point in Mount Pleasant. There's nothing like live music, dancing, and a cold drink in hand to make for a night full of memories you'll remember for years to come. After Party at the Point, we headed back to Coconut Joe's Beach Bar for a late night snack before heading back to the condo and calling it a night.

Saturday was our day of R&R and consisted of sleeping in, eating breakfast that Emily (my Maid of Honor on the far left in the picture above) made for us at the condo, and heading to the beach for a full day of sun! It was just what I think we all needed. We walked along the water's edge, laid out in the hot sun and even found a tiny little sand dollar for me to keep! Thanks Caitlin!!

Later that afternoon we went back to the condo to make some lunch, rest  up and headed back out for some more sun...this time we ended up at one of the pools at the Wild Dunes Resort. Me however, I sat in the shade and read a magazine because I was so sun burnt from early that day...so much so that the girls wouldn't even let me catch anymore rays even if I wanted to! That night, we took it easy and had a pizza party at the house and then made a quick trip to Island Joe's for ice cream. When we got back, we were so tired but stayed up just long enough for them to shower me with gifts. They truly are the sweetest friends in the whole world and I am SO lucky to have each of them in my life. The saying is true..."some people make your laugh a little louder, your smile a little brighter, and your life a little better".

Sunday was bittersweet as we woke up and had to start cleaning before checking out of the condo. I slowly started to pack up all the wonderful gifts the girls gave me, and sat on the ground for a few minutes thinking back over all the memories we made in the past three nights. I was sad the weekend was coming to an end but ready to be back home with Will and Miller!

I didn't want to end this post though without giving a few pieces of advice for all you future brides or girls that are part of a bridal party that were really helpful in making my own bachelorette beach getaway a success.

First, let loose and have some fun! You don't have to do anything wild or crazy, but this IS the perfect time to laugh, reminisce, and act goofy (even just a little)! In my case, I was getting stressed out and weighed down by all the wedding planning going on that I was in need of a break so this beach getaway was perfect for me. And honestly, it's the last time that I'll get to spend a few days with just my girls so I didn't take that for granted one bit.

Second, remember that this is all about the bride and don't lose sight of that! I've heard horror stories were bridesmaids and guest made the festivities all about them and what they wanted to do. Luckily for me my girls did a fantastic job and this wasn't an issue as I got to have a voice and help plan the itinerary! This leads me to the next tip I have...

Third, plan ahead and distribute an itinerary if possible. We did this and I think it was very beneficial for everyone. Ours included all the details for the entire weekend (with some wiggle room) and the girls loved being able to know everything that was potentially planned. This can also help your girls feel more comfortable spending money since they will have an idea of how many times y'all will go out to eat, etc.

Fourth, drink responsibly! The worst feeling in the world is waking up the next morning and either not remembering what happened the night before, or having to deal with a hangover resulting in having to miss the day's celebrations. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely fun to have a few drinks with your girls and to celebrate one of the most exciting times in your life, but trust me, you'll want to be able to soak up every minute with your friends instead of being stuck in bed with a hangover headache. While getting ice cream Saturday night, we saw a bride out on her bachelorette weekend who was so sick that Emily ordered some water and took it to her group of friends to give to her. I am so glad that wasn't me and none of us girls had this issue...

Fifth, decorate and get creative! Find ways to make your time together extra special. Remember that you don't have to spend a lot of money either! My Maid of Honor got crafty and got sand buckets and filled them with snacks, sunscreen, mason jars and other goodies for the girls to use over the weekend. Caitlin also had Swoozies sponsor a bunch of items that really made our weekend POP! Some of my favorite items that Swoozie provided included our drinking buddies, my mini gold veiled bride crown, my acrylic bride wine glass, and our beach drink spiker's! On Friday, I'll be posting even more photos of all the decorations Emily and Caitlin provided. They are AMAZING!!

Lastly, show tokens of appreciation. Most likely, your getaway/party will have some surprises along the way, and your girls will usually cover all of your expenses and gift you with precious gifts, so take this opportunity to show them how thankful you are for all that they have done for you. One of the ways I did this (on top of the sand buckets Emily created) was by gifting each other my girls with Rose Rewined Candles. I wanted to give them something to remember our time in Charleston and Isle of Palms, and reached out to a bunch of different companies in the area, and settled on these candles for a number of reasons. For one, each candle is in a repurposed wine bottle. On top of that, each scent is selected to "honor" different types of drinks such as the Mimosa, Champagne, Merlot, and Pinot Grigio to name a few.