Our Trip to Paris

Shawna

My bachelorette party was in Las Vegas. We were in our 20's and one of my best friends Nicole planned the entire weekend. I knew I was in for it early on when she got stopped in security in San Diego because her penis beer bong got confiscated. We attended pool parties in the day, I wore a white bikini and the other girls wore black. Thanks to Nicole I also wore a penis tiara, had to give random guys lap dances at their discretion and was the recipient of a penis cake delivery at the pool which turned everyones head. At night we dressed in sequin dresses and went to the Chip'n'Dales show where again, I had to go on stage and give one of the dancers a lap dance (I'm getting embarrassed AGAIN even thinking about it). We followed that up with dancing at some club till the wee hours of the night. You know, the standard Vegas bachelorette party.

My bachelorette party in 2011 (lord help me!)

Now that Nicole was engaged, it was her turn... and yes we were older, but I still hadn't forgotten about all of the shenanigans she had put me through. Flying all the way to Paris, France for a bachelorette party might sound crazy to some people. But it didn't sound crazy to us. Nicole has a deep love for Paris and this trip had always been a dream of hers and I wasn't missing it for anything, not even after finding out I was pregnant (waaaa waaaaa).Everything over-the-top Parisian was on our agenda. Dinner at Michelin Star'd restaurants, indulging in the finest french cheeses, champagne tasting, experiencing a proper tea time and even a private tour to the top of the Eiffel Tower. We were also luck enough to be there during Paris Fashion Week which was an added bonus especially for Katy, Lauren (JJ's wife who's also a blogger) and I.  We were surrounded by fashion designers, socialites, celebrities and editors-in-chief's at any given venue we visited, many "pinch me" moments.Was it hard on me being pregnant in Paris? The answer is yes, but it could have been way worse. I was right around 12 weeks when I went so luckily for me, I had just gotten out of that "morning sickness phase" and was feeling more like myself. I also wasn't "showing" too much so I could still kind of get away with wearing my regular clothing. Another perk was that Lauren was also pregnant so I had a sober buddy all week! Katy and I flew together from San Diego which made it fun but also challenging on us because we both came down with a cold a few days before the trip. I guess it was nice to have a sick buddy too.

Photobombing at its finest

First Night

The temperature was 34 degrees and it was so windy. We were freezing but it was worth it!

Favorite moment: The entire first day! Seeing Nicole and all of the girls in the airport in Paris was so exciting. I couldn't believe we had made it and it was actually happening. Then we all got dressed up and went to the Eiffel Tower for a private tour. I had been to Paris with my husband Brett before but our trip was nothing like this. Getting to go into the tower and up was a once in a lifetime moment that I will never forget. The views (and the freezing temperatures from up there) took my breath away. After the tour we had the most fun, delicious and memorable dinner together. My cheeks hurt from smiling and crying laughing most of the night.

Fashion inspiration: When I think of Paris, I think of fashion. I wanted to bring beautiful clothes that were still walking and weather appropriate. The forecast was cold and rainy which made things a bit challenging. These Spanx Leather Leggings (on sale now!) are my go-to "dress up" pants so they were perfect for the day with boots and a cute blouse. We had one "themed" night where we all wore outfits looking like Nicole's groomsmen, she wore bright a bright red dress. For the other nights, I brought a lot of dresses. My favorite was a long-sleeved champagne colored, velvet midi dress. I also invested in a few dressy coats that would keep me warm and dry for the trip.

Favorite thing I ate: We had private chef where we stayed and he just happened to be the winner of Top Chef France (lucky us!) He made us a risotto dish for our first meal that was so beyond delicious. That meal began and ended with a spread of different gourmet cheeses and fresh french baguettes. Anyone who knows me knows what a cheese connoisseur I am so I was in heaven. Being pregnant and craving carbs all day, another food highlight for me was all of the fresh croissants in Paris. Regular, chocolate, I indulged in them all.

Katy

My bachelorette party was in Napa complete with all of my best friends and family, and of course lots of wine! I wanted a low key party because I had just had my beautiful baby girl Quinn 5 months before and really I was just looking forward to some R&R and girl time. Thankfully there were no penis hats or strippers just some good ol' fashioned girl dance parties to cheesy pop music and LOTS of good food and wine. I will never forget that trip and I'm so happy to have these beautiful memories.I knew that Nicole's bachelorette party would be nothing short of classy, beautiful, and amazing. She has impeccable taste and I love all of the restaurants and places that she's ever taken me to. Being that she gets to travel the world for work she knows all the good spots anywhere you go! I was super excited for the Tea Time because I've never done an official tea time and was definitely excited to get dressed up all girly and just enjoy Paris like a true Parisian.

Favorite moment: It's hard to pick just one moment but I would say in general just all of our laugh attacks. Not knowing if dinner was just starting or already over, little pranks we made Nicole perform around town, and seeing a few different versions of Parisian Mimes. Each day felt like a completely new adventure and having quality girl time while being all dolled up was such a blast. Going to Paris for a bachelorette party is pretty crazy but if you think of it, when would you really ever get to go to Paris with all your girlfriends? Hopefully we will get to again one day but this trip was so fun that every night I went to bed completely exhausted, feeling like I got major ab and face workouts from laughing so hard! Moments like that with your friends are what life is truly all about.

My favorite dress from Ekaterina Kukhareva

Dressing up as Nicole's Groomsmen

Nicole (always so sweet and giving) let me wear Nana's vintage coat. Favorite piece I wore on the trip!

New baby I brought home (when in Paris!)

Tea time in Ekaterina Kukhareva

One more picture of this gorgeous purple Ekaterina Kukhareva just because I can't get enough of it.

Fashion inspiration: Paris brings out the best in fashion because you can see how much both men and women try to look their best on the daily basis. I feel like it was a little challenging choosing what to wear because it was super cold (high of like 45* while we were there) and wet. During the day I wore my over the knee boots because they are actually comfortable and added an extra layer to keep my legs warm. Here are two versions that I love in case you're already thinking of shopping for fall. ;)  (on sale pair  and splurge pair)

Favorite thing I ate: I loved all the pastries, deserts, and of course coffee! I rarely order deserts or just eat pastries for breakfast so I definitely indulged on this trip. Probably a good thing that we had to wear big sweaters and large coats lol. I love eating in Europe because you get great quality small plates of food that are meant to be savored and enjoyed.