Redefining the Bachelorette

Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote a little about my sister.
Then, 3 months later, I announced that she was engaged.
And now, her wedding plans are well under way. We have shower plans in motion, dresses and shoes are purchased, flower babies are practicing wearing headbands, hairstyles have been practiced, MOH speeches have been written since the night they got engaged (that's right, Sister!), the MOB and I are making sure she has borrowed, blue, old, and new.

But the big day couldn't come just yet. Not before we have a bachelorette celebration for our little bridey!

As a side note, the word "bachelorette" is coming up as a misspelled word. And yet "bachelor" totally exists as a word. Really, Webster?

Moving on. When I told people that I was going to celebrate my sister's bachelorette weekend, they said something to the effect of, "OHHHHH!", implying that we would be up to some kind of debauchery. I just smiled. Choosing not to explain that for our bridey, we were redefining the bachelorette.

This day was not about her "last single night out", because we don't believe that the fun stops when you get married. We believe in having fun with our hubbies, they love participating in our craziness and nights out. Our day was about our bride. It was about the girls that love her the most, and who she loves the most. It was about making her feel special, reliving our special memories with her, making more memories together, learning more about one another. It was about celebrating our friendship together, celebrating each other, celebrating marriage and the wonderful stage of life she is starting. It was about a limo full of best friends, cousins, aunts, sisters, mothers, daughters, and love.

We had such a beautiful day.

Hubby and the boys stayed home with our little angel from heaven.

Could you just die with how cute this picture is? I mean really. Look at their precious faces and the bare feeties. Ugh.

A few weeks ago, on Easter weekend, I made a scavenger egg hunt for Bridey giving her all the details of this day. Limo, visits to wineries, picnic lunch, and a dinner at her favorite restaurant.

Our first winery, on eastern Long Island.

I love wineries. Not just because I love wine, I love everything about them. When I go there, I make sure to tell the people to tell me everything they know about the wine, and not to think they will bore me, because I love learning about it. I love the mesmerizing nature of the vines, all lined up as far as you could see.

This was a room in the first winery, for private events. Isn't it gorgeous?


We take Sister Pictures most everywhere we go.

I'm so glad we have them. And I'm so glad I have you, Sister.

On the way out to the first winery, we sat in the limo and started a conversation. I asked everyone to say their name, how they knew the Bride, and a funny story they had with her, or advice for her about marriage. It lasted the whole hour out east. Everyone cried, laughed hysterically, and got to know each other so much better. I loved how my cousins reminisced and told stories I didn't even remember myself. I loved how her almost mother-in-law and almost-sister-in-law said that they knew she would marry E as soon as they met her. I loved how her best friends from high school told the stories of how they met her, and what they first thought when she moved to town. I loved hearing my mama talking about her first baby, and how they knew she was special even when she was a baby. I thought about my girl. And as she spoke, I tried to imagine what it feels like to sit there looking at your first baby, who you couldn't even imagine turning one, being twenty five and engaged.

I loved that even though I was her Sister, knowing her the best, I still learned so much in that car ride. Isn't it beautiful when you never stop learning about the people you love?


Her mother and sister in law to be gave her such sweet gifts. One of them was racy, so I'm not picturing it here.

We tasted, drank, talked and lunched.

And had a fun "Have You Ever" game, where we learned about one another's colorful pasts.

The whole day was due to careful planning by the beautiful mother of the bride, who sure knows how to make a day beyond memorable. She talked with the owner of the limo company about wineries about 13 times on the phone in the weeks leading up to the event. I'm not even exaggerating. She's on a first name basis with him.


Here is the bride, her sisters, and mamas.

And our whole group.

Shortly after this, we took a picture of everyone jumping up in the air holding hands. The pictures were adorable, but we didn't even have one that did not show someone's underwear. Darn. They were cute pictures, too!

I love you, Bridey. I love that you have so many wonderful girls around you in your life. Wonderful girls are so important. Girls that are only there to build you up, love you, be there for you, with no question. Sisterhoods like these are rare these days. I feel blessed to be a part of this one.

Bridey, the fun is just beginning! :)

Love & Winos,

Dirt Road MOH