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Bridal websites suggest budgets,
timelines, activities, gifts — all in
the interest of being organized to
make the most of the time together.

TOP: Pre-wedding, the bride and her maids wore
robes gifted by Erica. ABOVE: Erica and nine of
her nearest and dearest traveled to Charleston
for a destination bachelorette party.

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celebrate! • 2017

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bought a dress, personalized shirt and
lotions.
Bridesmaids did their own shopping,
after paying their own transportation costs
and other expenses.
A month earlier in Michigan, her then-
fiance had been at the center of destination
travel for 30 guys, who spent four sports-
filled days based in a northern cabin.
Boating was a favorite activity.
“My sister, Jaime Hirsch, who was my
matron of honor, lives in Chicago so I was
glad she could be part of our travel,” Forbes
says. “When we’re together for special occa-
sions, we think of our late brother, Ryan,
and make him part of any celebration as
well.”
Bridal websites provide planning tips and
checklists to help ensure these destination
experiences go smoothly. There are sug-
gestions for budgets, timelines, activities,
gifts and much more — all in the interest
of being organized to make the most of the
time together.
Jodie Colman, the bride’s friend since
nursing studies, was an attendant and a
prime travel planner.
“I have a childhood friend who went
to Charleston College, and she was very
helpful with ideas for places to stay and
things to do,” says Colman, who lives in
Birmingham and is becoming active with
the now-forming young adult group of the
Greater Detroit Section of the National

Council of Jewish Women.
Colman, who has been on three other
bachelorette trips — to Miami, Sonoma and
the Bahamas — built on those earlier expe-
riences while joining in to arrange this one.
“I contacted the concierge at the hotel,
and he helped with activities and reserva-
tions,” Colman says. “I also knew a couple
of people who went on bachelorette trips
there and found out what they liked about
the city and what they did.”
One group project for the Forbes entou-
rage had to do with planning and ordering
the T-shirts that became a fun memento for
everyone with the imprint “good times and
tan lines in Charleston.”
Forbes, who had been on bachelorette
trips cruising around the Bahamas and
staying in Chicago, took it upon herself
to arrange for all the pictures to appear
in a cloud setup so photos could be easily
accessed whenever each participant want-
ed concrete remembrances.
The most difficult part of making
arrangements was coordinating dates con-
venient to everyone interested in attending.
One worry had to do with the weather; a
hurricane threat had caused some unneces-
sary concerns that a few wouldn’t be able
to get a flight.
“Each of the bachelorette trips I’ve been
on has been unique and great,” Colman
says. “These trips are expensive, but they’re
worth it.” *