HOW TO PLAN A TORONTO BACHELORETTE
I recently had the honour of planning my sister’s bachelorette party in Toronto. I had been planning it for a couple of months and it took place a few weeks ago. Needless to say- it was- epic! So here it is: my tips, tricks and itinerary for what I think is the perfect Toronto Bachelorette.
The Backstory:
My sister is similar to me; she has a passion for health & wellness but loves to let loose and have a good time time. You guys might already know from my social media, but my sister Talia, my sister-in-law Melissa and I, are super close and we make up the best three pack- we are really lucky! Talia (the bride-to-be) wanted her bachelorette in Toronto and asked for very little. I feel like when Brides are easy going, you end up wanting to make it extra special for them! There is literally nothing worse than planning for a Bridezilla, amiright? The bachelorette was the full weekend affair for the 3 of us, and then the rest of the group joined on the Saturday day/night.
*The benefit of a full weekend bachelorette is that the bride’s friends can opt to be a part of the whole weekend, just one night, or even some of the main activities.
Book a hotel: Westin Harbour Castle
The first thing in planning an epic Toronto bachelorette is finding the perfect accommodations. We stayed at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. We really lucked out with this hotel. They hosted us for the weekend and upgraded us to the most magical suite. For more deets on the hotel click here.
* Other great options include Bisha Hotel, Four Seasons, The Broadview Hotel
FRIDAY NIGHT:
Get Pampered: Massago
After checking into our hotel we each got a pre-dinner 30 minute massage with Massago. Getting pampered feels so nice, and is the perfect way to start off a weekend of partying. Massago is a service that allows you book massages on demand. They bring the table, spa, music, and you provide a clean sheet and a pillowcase. Our Massage Therapist was named Cindy, and she was awesome. I requested a deeper tissue massage and she nailed it. It was amazing!
Wine & Cheese:
This was the perfect post shower and massage treat! Pro Tip – it’s prob not the best idea to consume alcohol right after a massage, but we made sure not to over do it. (I also forced everyone to drink at least 2 cups of water before having any wine).
Dinner: Akira Back
Making a reservation at a killer restaurant is key to starting off the night. We booked a 9pm dinner at Akira Back at the Bisha Hotel which is a trendy (but pricey) new sushi joint. The food was delicious and it was so nice to treat ourselves.
*Other fun spots- Gusto 101, STK, Byblos,
SATURDAY:
Breakfast In Bed: At the Hotel
The next morning we woke up and had breakfast in our suite. We hung out in our robes and kept it healthy with fresh juices, coffee, yogurt, and eggs.
Get Sweaty! Soul Cycle
Choosing a workout that a group of you and your girlfriends can do together is such a fun way to get energized and pumped up. We went to Soul Cycle on King Street. This is when the rest of the girls who were joining the bachelorette met up with us. (There were 14 of us in total). Pro Tip- make sure to reserve the class ahead of time so that the whole group could ride together. Soul Cycle was so well organized and the teacher, Liv, made sure we had the best time. Her music was bachelorette inspired and amazing.
Lunch: Impact Kitchen
Post spin we went to Impact Kitchen which is one of my favourite healthy spots in the city. They recently opened a new location on Adelaide which is a 3 minute walk from Soul Cycle. This place is totally iHart approved– i.e. healthy eats that serves alcohol. We all enjoyed lunch with a mimosa!
Chill Time:
Fitting in break time on a bachelorette in your hometown is a great way for everyone involved to reset and prepare for the night ahead. The rest of the girls went home after lunch and the three of us (Talia, Melissa and myself) walked around downtown and went back to the hotel to relax. I never feel like I can really relax in Toronto so this was the biggest treat ever!
Decorations: Dollarama + Party City
The rest of the girls were coming back to the hotel for the big night. We made a trip to Dollarama and Party City beforehand to get some decorations to give our hotel room the perfect bachelorette feel- it looked so cute and my sister loved it!
We ordered in dinner and had drinks in our suite. I would definitely recommend ordering in dinner if you’re a big group. Not only is it cost effective, but it’s time effective and its the best way to spend time with everyone. There’s nothing worse than an overpriced dinner, waiting hours for food with a large group and sitting at a long table not being able to talk and hang out with everyone.
Dinner: Maker Pizza
This is when things started to get a bit unhealthy, but like I always say, balance is best! We ordered pizzas from Makers Pizza, and an assortment of other stuff from Me Va Me- a combo of salmon and chicken skewers, labneh, hummus, pita, and greek salad. My first choice for Greek was from Mezes on the Danforth but they don’t deliver 🙁 I always like making sure there’s carbs, protein, fat, and greens before a night of drinking.
Pre Drink/ Cocktails: Viritus Vodka
We planned out cocktails ahead of time so we could have everything ready in the suite to enjoy with dinner. We drank Viritus Vodka. This vodka is a new brand and its made in Toronto, so obviously we needed to have it on a Toronto bach. Bonus- it’s 100% organic, gluten free, and kosher! It was super smooth and everyone loved it! We also made sure to have tons of soda water, fresh mint, and lemons and limes. We also served champagne, and tequila- it’s good to have a variety of drinks cuz everyone likes something a little different.
No Hangover Cocktail:
1 oz vodka
2 oz Viritus Vodka
1 oz fresh lime juice
5 mint leaves or more!
* place everything in a shaker bottle and shake vigorously! Pour into a glass with ice and top with a little bit of sparkling water!
Transportation: Book a limo!
My sister’s only request for the weekend was to have a party bus and obviously I messed it up! I accidentally ordered an SUV limo, but it was still amazing! Pro Tip- make a bachelorette playlist to have blasting while you and your friends party it up on the ride.
Bars & Clubs: Citizen Night Club
Choosing more than one stop for the night is a great way to keep things fun and exciting. Our first stop was Reposada Tequila Bar. We actually ended up sharing 2 bottles of Cava courtesy of the Groom (thanks David! xo). It’s a tiny place with the best vibe. Once we felt we overstayed our welcome (large group of screaming, tipsy girls, lol) We hopped back on the bus and went to The Citizen. We arranged a booth ahead of time (this was the best move) which got us 2 bottles of Grey Goose, guest list and line bypass. They had such fun music and it was so great to dance the night away!
SUNDAY:
Breakfast: Pearl Harbourfront
The next morning we knew we would want something a little bit indulgent for breakfast, so naturally, dim sum was the best option! We went to Pearl Harbourfront (make a reservation so that you don’t find yourself getting hangry). It was a 5 minute walk from our hotel. Side note- I always avoid the deep fried stuff! I actually prefer the taste of steamed dumplings anyways!
We capped off the weekend with great food, coffee, and of course, some advil. We walked around Leslieville and debriefed the amazing time we had. I think the key to planning a fun filled bachelorette in your own city is to explore different parts of it, to keep it balanced with a workout or something active, and to incorporate both healthy and some not-so healthy eats! It really was a bachelorette to remember!
