baseballette

It feels a little bit like January 2nd today. I woke up still sleep deprived, slightly dehydrated and sad that the festivities are over. But it’s Monday so here I am, attempting to work and stop relishing in the fun of what went down this weekend. Clearly I am failing at that attempt so here is the recap.

The long planned and awaited baseball bachelorette party took place on Saturday. Fortunately, we had a warm and sunny August afternoon that called for, what else, but barbecue and beer? We claimed a rare shady, grassy knoll in the concrete jungle that surrounds Citizens Bank Park as our own. We set up what I like to think of as a gourmet tailgate spread complete with a fruit tray, olives, champagne, baked goods, dips, chocolate and veggie burgers.

This obviously wasn’t your boyfriend’s tailgate. It was a bachelorette party.

I do have to admit that the boys make putting a tailgate party together look quite easy. Schlepping cases of beer, keeping things cold, remembering all appropriate cooking utensils and actually grilling on the pavement can be more laborious than I ever imagined. We managed though and the fun was well worth it.

True to baseball form, we had our own 25 man roster. It was the largest bachelorette party that I’ve ever planned or attended but this goes to show the character of the bachelorette. Friends travelled up and down the east coast to make the event and some even flew cross country. In addition, all 25 had a uniform of matching tees with funny baseball puns custom designed by our resident graphic designer and assembled by another great friend of the bride. The bachelorette got to wear a special white Phillies cap donned with the inevitable tulle veil. That was the worst of the bachelorette swag.

Or perhaps the garter was.

The goal of the game was to make an appearance on the jumbotron. (Actually that is my goal at every Phillies game.) Some of our party managed to make an appearance sans the bachelorette. How bitter sweet!

Oh well, the impromptu hoola hoop dance party was fun anyway.

It truly took a team to pull off this event. The Phillies lost but the bride won everyone over!

-The perennial bridesmaid

photo courtesy: nadine friedman

phan-tastic

Went to the Phillies game last night. Saw a chick get proposed to by her boyfriend on the jumbotron. It was the only eventful part of the game since the boys lost and only scored one run.

I digress.

This is about the 5th time I’ve seen this very public proposal. It is quite sweet. They play some wedding-esque bells, the camera leans in on the couple, guy gets down on one knee and asks his Phillies-geared-up girlfriend to marry him. She says yes, the crowd cheers, their names are blinking on the screen and we go back to our regularly scheduled game.

It’s what happens next that they don’t show on the big screen. The girl definitely runs out to the breezeway and calls everyone she knows starting with her parents who want to hear the whole story, her sister who wants to hear the whole story, brother, friends, who ever. Before you know it, it’s the top of the 9th and she hasn’t been back to her $75 seat. Nor does she care.

And what happens before the proposal? The guy checks his pocket 42 times on the way into the ballpark to make sure the ring is still there. Then he walks through the gates with his girl. The security guard does a pat down of his pockets like they always do. The guy with the ring nearly faints because he knows what’s in his pocket. What if they make him take it out and he has to propose at the ticket turnstile amongst large crowds walking into the stadium? Ohmygosh, how anti-climatic would that be?

Anyway, he makes it into the stadium with the ring and without blowing the surprise and the girl is still clueless. He does not eat, drink, cheer or talk for the first 4 innings because he is just waiting for the moment that he has orchestrated. He definitely is not watching the game and has no idea who’s pitching. Finally his jumbotron proposal plan comes alive! Fantastic.

-The perennial bridesmaid

mogzilla

You heard it here first. I should copyright that one.

As my brother’s wedding rapidly approaches, I have dubbed my mother a “MOGzilla”. Up until this week, she was simply the MOG but her recent behavior has escalated her to zilla status. As I threatened to blog about her if she didn’t find her Zen place, she said she’d like to do the honors as a guest blogger…

I'm Not a MOGzilla, I'm Just Misunderstood!!

Does it make me a MOGzilla because our beloved dog is having "play dates" scheduled with the couple who will be taking care of him on the wedding day just so I know he gets along with them before the big "sleepover"?

Does it make me a MOGzilla because I'm worried that I won't have enough time to get my hair and make up done AND get dressed AND be at the groom's house by 12:30 in the afternoon?

Does it make me a MOGzilla because I'm concerned that since I'm getting my hair and make up done at 9 am, the hair won't still be in place and the makeup won't still look fresh when the wedding actually begins at 6 pm?

Does it make me a MOGzilla because I told the FOG exactly how many days before the wedding he should get his hair cut so it's at the precise length that it looks best on the wedding day? And then, admittedly, I made him go back because they didn't take enough off the top the first time?

Does it make me a MOGzilla because I'm no longer happy with the dress that I spent way too much on to begin with?

Does it make me a MOGzilla because I have bought at least 5 different types of undergarments to try with said dress just so I'm sure that I will be wearing the one that looks best?

Does it make me a MOGzilla because I'm beginning to feel very sentimental and just called the groom, my son, and asked him if he was free one night before the wedding to have dinner with me, just me?

No, it just makes me a MOM. A mom who can't believe my little boy, "my momma’s boy", has grown to be such a wonderful man who is about to marry and begin a new chapter of his life with his wife.

Label me if you must but this is all new territory to me as I've never married off a child before. I know this is going to be the best day in my son's life (even ahead of the Phillies winning the 2008 World Series???) so I just want everything to be perfect. Please excuse me if I have lost my Zen but come the big day when everything falls into place, I will be the one smiling the brightest, crying the most, dancing the longest and looking damn good doing it!

summer dreams

…make me feel fine.

On these cold February days, planning a sunny summer event brightens my day. This morning I secured 25 tickets to an August Phillies game/bachelorette party where the boys will take on the Mets. It should be a good game considering the long standing rivalry between both teams. Regardless of the rivalry at bat, it is guaranteed to be a good day because a group of friends will be celebrating with the bride in one of her favorite atmospheres.

Tickets went on sale yesterday for the Phillies regular season. Getting a large group in to see the Phillies play the Mets on a Saturday evening in August proved to be quite challenging, even this early in the pre-season. Fortunately I was up for the challenge! Sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see if my request for 25 tickets was approved only psyched me for the event more. Look for us on the jumbotron dancing with the Phanatic this summer!

I can barely wait. I’ve spent the morning daydreaming about pinstripes, Hatfield Dogs, Chickie's & Pete's Crab Fries, cotton candy, the Schmitter, Tony Luke’s cheesesteaks & McFadden’s cover bands. If you don’t know what I am talking about, you’ve probably never been to the Phillies stadium on a warm summer night. Put it on your to-do list.

Bring on tailgating. Bring on baseball. Bring on the summer sun!

-The perennial bridesmaid

j rollin

One of my favorite celebrities got married over the weekend!

You have to see the pictures of Phillies' Jimmy Rollins' wedding for yourself.  Him & his wife, Johari, look stunning at their Cayman Islands wedding.  Love the color scheme.  Don't miss the 6 foot cake!

-The perennial bridesmaid

baseball isn't just for bachelors

The bachelorette party is the last right of the bride while she’s single.  It is a girls night out (or day out or weekend out) honoring the bride-to-be just weeks before she walks down the aisle.  It is up to her friends to show her a fabulous time.  There are a variety of ways to do that. You can do the mellow party of dinner and drinks with all of the bride’s besties. That’s always a good time but maybe not as memorable as the party where the cop turned stripper arrives at the door. Yes, memorable but also slightly raunchy.  And my favorite is the destination bachelorette party.  But if not everyone can jet off to Vegas for the weekend you can always stay home and do a spa bachelorette party. Who doesn’t like to be pampered?

What’s most important when planning the bachelorette party is the bride, of course.  It had better be a party that honors her personality and interests.  That is why we’re planning a baseballette party honoring one special bride-to-be this summer.  Because she loves the Phillies, we’ll tailgate and attend a game against one of their biggest rivals in August. Since there will be about 20 of her closest friends along for the bash, we need to start planning now so we can get great seats and enough for everyone!

I am sure the MLB bachelor party has been done but it is still an evolving tradition for bachelorettes.  One difference is that we won’t get kicked out of the stadium for being too rowdy like the boys.  We’ve derived the title “bachelorette” from the bachelors so why not take a lead from them on party themes as well?

-The perennial bridesmaid