James Merrell/BRIDES
BRIDES magazine's got some new ways to celebrate a pal's wedding for every budget...and none of them involves lap dances!
Rock-band CampPro: It's not every day you get to strut in Tina Turner's heels.
Con: If you don't know a G clef from a G-string, you'll be wasting money—go to a karaoke bar instead.
Cost: $$$$ Private Yoga Lesson
Pro: Inner peace and balance might be exactly what you need right now.
Con: Newbies may bark at doing Downward Dog.
Cost: $$ Art Museum with Docent
Pro: Nothing says culture like a guided tour through Monet's Water Lilies and Hopper's Nighthawks.
Con: If your friends aren't the arty types, this may be a snooze-fest.
Cost: $$ Slumber Party
Pro: Movies, games, junk food, drinks—there's no greater setup for female bonding.
Con: Sleeping on the floor stopped being fun when you were 11.
Cost: $ Exotic Dance Lesson
Pro: You'll never feel sexier.
Con: You'll never feel more embarrassed.
Cost: $$$ Private Spa Party
Pro: Who doesn't love to be pampered with professional manis, pedis, and facials?
Con: Mind your nails while digging into your (deep) pockets.
Cost: $$$$ Amusement Park
Pro: Roller coasters, water rides, and cotton candy—who doesn't want to act like a kid again?
Con: Sharing the Tilt-A-Whirl with a group of screaming Boy Scouts isn't everyone's idea of a good time.
Cost: $$$ Limousine Pub Crawl
Pro: Travel in style and drink freely behind tinted windows.
Con: Cruising down neon-lit city streets as you wave from the sun roof is fun. Doing the same thing in a snoozy suburb isn't.
Cost: $$$ Camping
Pro: You can't go wrong with a bonfire and s'mores.
Con: Even the Double Deluxe Queen-Sleeper Tent won't satisfy a high-maintenance bride or her pals.
Cost: $ Bowling
Pro: Retro-cool, easy to plan, and fit for parties of all sizes.
Con: Lackluster Lanes might disappoint for your big night out.
Cost: $$ $ = $100 or less*
$$ = $250 or less
$$$ = $500 or less
$$$$ = $1,000...and up!
*based on parties of 10 guests
—Jamie France, BRIDES magazine
