On Tuesday night, my friend Kara and I sat down to watch Biggest Loser, and do some planning. I don’t think I have mentioned this yet but she is getting married about a month before I am! We are each others maid of honor and our fiancés are actually each others best man. Needless to say it is going to be a very busy summer!

(If you were curious, we were waitresses from True Blood for Halloween)

So far it has been great planning our weddings together. (We have yet to have any Bride War moments.)

Although our weddings are going to be pretty different, it has been so helpful to have someone to bounce ideas and venders off of, not to mention someone else who has bring a bride on the brain 24/7!

But now we are left with the task of helping plan each others shower and bachelorette parties. These are both very fun events, but with double the fun comes double the planning and expenses, and half the available times to do them in. I think we finally came up with a timeline that does not interfere with each others events.

For both of us, this is the first wedding either of us has been a part of so we are rookies. So I am sending out an S.O.S and calling all past, present, and future brides for some major and much needed advice! I am looking of fun but economical ways to celebrate. More specifically:

Bridal shower venues/ games /menu (to cater or not to cater…)

Bachelorette party venues and ideas

Invitations/ guest lists (should +1’s be invited to the shower?)

Recommended gift registrations

How soon before the wedding should the Bachelor/Bachelorette party take place?

I’d love to hear what some of you have done in the past and whether they were successful, or not. Even if you are not currently in bride mode, maybe you recently went to a shower. I will take any advice or insight I can get.