Not Your Average Party



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Not Your Average Party | You’re not a cookie-cutter bride, so host a bachelorette fête as unique as you are

Ride Into the Sunset
When Caleb Coblentz started Coastal Pedals and Paddles (843/460-2605; www.CoastalPedalsandPaddles.com), a bike and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) rental outfit, his shutterbug wife, Carmen Ash, snapped shots of brides and maids cycling the Battery. The images capture what CPP aims to do: introduce visitors to Charleston’s most photogenic and inspiring spots. Details: $35 per bike for two days; $40 per SUP for one day (discounts for group rentals available). Image by Carmen Ash Photography


Pretty Is As Pretty Does
Pink Dot Beauty Bar (843/637-4111; www.PinkDotBeautyBar.com) owner Meghan Walker fashioned her boutique to be a place where sales folks in the know school you in skin care and makeup lines, sans pressure. So whether you and your gals want to sort out wedding day looks, crave makeovers just because, or need a few low-key beauty treatments, book a wedding party party. Details: See site for the service menu. Reserve the second floor for private parties, $50 per half day. Photograph by Rebecca Wash


Put the Girls to Work
Whether you’re a DIY bride or just want a handmade keepsake for you and your maids, Pinspiration Labs (www.Facebook.com/PinspirationLabs; pinspirationlabs@gmail.com) offers sessions to craft décor for the Big Day or favor-making showers and bachelorette parties. Best? They bring the supplies and know-how to you.
Details: Prices range from $5-$50 per person or involve flat fees based on the cost of projects. Image by Becky Williamson Photography





Get Blown Away
What the humidity in Charleston does to a girl’s hair ain’t no joke. So whether it’s just you and one friend or your entire posse, book an appointment at King Street’s Tease Dry Bar (843/724-9493; www.TeaseDryBar.com) to make smoothing your ’do a party. Choose from stick-straight to beach waves and more, and tack on add-ons ($35 for makeup; $10 for a head massage; $15 for braids) for even more glam luxury. Details: Prices start at $35 for a blowout. Photograph by Louise Lawton


Pin ’Em Down
Rally at least 20 friends and book the bowling bar at The Alley (843/818-4080; www.TheAlleyCharleston.com) downtown for great drinks, silly sporting (bowling, video games, basketball tosses, pingpong, and air hockey), and killer food from Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ guys. Set in a hipster paradise in the Upper King area, it’s great for bachelorette and coed parties alike. Details: $500 food and bar tab minimum, and a two-lane, two-hour minimum ($30-$40 per hour). Photograph by Jonathan Boncek


Stretch Yourself
We spend a lot of time talking about how to get good looking for weddings, but what about feeling good on the Big Day? Enter Deborah Kaufman of Pretty Bride Yoga (646/824-9799; prettybrideyoga@gmail.com), who aims to help you achieve both. Deborah brings her mat and expertise to your hotel or rental house, or to some pretty part of Charleston’s great outdoors for a session. Offering packages for individuals (brides or grooms, for instance), couples, and wedding parties, the options are a breath of fresh (hold one, two, three…) air.
Details: $40-$60 per hour for individuals; $100 per hour for couples; $120 per hour for six or fewer, Image by Shannon Noel Photography



 

The Wedding Row

March 4 2019
Even though Anna, a Wilmington native, and Bobby, who is from Mount Pleasant, dated for over four years after swiping right on each other, they never really talked about getting married … they just...

March 1 2019
Kitty and Kyle met during their freshman year at Clemson, but they didn’t begin dating until they got to know each other as study partners a few years later. After two years, a move to Charleston,...

February 28 2019
Bissell and Jack may live in Atlanta, but Charleston has played a large part in their relationship, from their dating days through their engagement and now with their wedding. Bissell’s mother is...

February 27 2019
Today’s styled shoot takes place on the patio of 5Church, a downtown church-turned-restaurant that doubles as a wedding venue. Nicki Paige, owner of wedding planning company Nicki Paige Collection,...

February 26 2019
Christa met Andrew when she first moved into the same Charlotte, North Carolina, townhome complex as him in 2013. For a while, they were just passing acquaintances, until he asked her out for drinks...

February 25 2019
We’ve got the world of modern dating to thank for this gorgeous celebration at Boone Hall Plantation. Christiana and Bud met on Tinder, and after chatting on the app for a while, they met up for a...

February 22 2019
Nadja and Ryan both grew up in Sarasota, Florida, but they didn’t meet until they were in college (and on her 21st birthday, no less). A decade of dating later, he surprised her with a 10th...

February 21 2019
We so want to be friends with these two Charleston high-school sweethearts. Ask when they met and Jackie will tell you it was went they were 15 years old, she was in braces, and neither could drive...