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BridesmaidAid.com
is on the road. . . and has just hit ATLANTA!
(and,
coming soon . . . Los Angeles!)
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BridesmaidAid.com has ventured south of the Mason-Dixon
line and travelled to ATLANTA! Here's the scoop
on where to perform all of your bridesmaid duties: |
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Visit
past Cities:
New York
Boston
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Where to Buy Your Bridesmaid
Dress
Atlanta has dozens
of bridal shops, but Penelope has found the best ones for
you. She likes Bridesmaids
Bow-Tique in South Buckhead (2140 Peachtree Road, NW,
Suite 340; Phone 404-355-8535; Hours Tu/W 11am-6pm, Th 11am-7pm,
Fri/Sat 10am-5pm. Saturday appointments recommended). It's
a full-service store with over 500 bridesmaid styles, including
Dessy, Watters & Watters, and Vera Wang. You can also
visit a great discount store called New
Natalie's Bridals (919 Chattahoochee Ave. NW; Phone 404-352-1616;
Hours W-Sat 10am-6pm, Th 10am-8pm, Sun 1-5pm). Many people
have recommended Bridals
By Lori (218 Sandy Springs Place, NE; Phone 404-252-8767:
Hours M/Tu/Th 10am-8pm, W/F 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 1-5pm.
Open Sundays only in January, February, and March). For more
budget-conscious bridesmaid dresses, can check out David's
Bridal (3505 Gwinnett Place Drive, Duluth; Phone 770-418-1030;
Hours M-F 11am-9pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12pm-6pm).
Maybe you've been
blessed with a bride who is letting you choose your own dress.
Lucky you. Depending on how much money you want to spend,
you have several options. The easiest thing is to check out
the department stores. You'll find a wide selection (and reasonable
prices) at both Rich's
and Macy's
(both have locations throughout the Atlanta area, check for
locations and hours). If you have more money to burn, you
can browse at Saks
Fifth Avenue (3440 Peachtree Road NE; Phone 404-467-5451;
Hours M-F 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-7:30pm, Sun 12:30-5:30pm), which
carries some pricier bridesmaid dresses (including Vera Wang
and Nicole Miller) starting at about $200. You can also search
their regular dress departments. Also try Nordstrom
(4390 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE; Phone 770-394-1141; Hours
M-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12-6pm), where you will enjoy excellent
service and quality clothing, not to mention a fabulous shoe
department where maybe you'll find just the right shoes for
your bridesmaid dress.
 Where
to Throw a Bridal Shower
or Bachelorette Party
There are so many options in Atlanta-ranging from old-South-style
ladies-only teas to wild girls' nights out. Here are Penelope's
picks:
SPA
DAY
In a hot city like Atlanta, a cool, soothing afternoon at
a spa makes a super bridal activity. Escape the Buckhead crowds
at Jolie
Day Spa (3619 Piedmont Road; Phone 404-266-0060: Hours
M/Tu/F/Sat 9am-6pm; W/Th 9am-8pm, Sun 11am-5pm). In addition
to basic treatments, the spa also offers funky treats like
Thai massage and microderm-abrasion facials. Facials start
at $60; massages start at $65. If you like stone therapy massage,
let the staff unknot (no pun intended) your stressed-out muscles
at Spa
Sydel which has five locations throughout the Atlanta
area (check their website for individual locations and hours).
Facials start at $60.
A POTTERY PARTY
Discover your
inner creative genius (and make some funky dishes for the
bride-to-be and her husband, and for yourself!) at Buckhead's
Wired and Fired (279 East Paces Ferry Road; Phone 404-842-1919;
Hours Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri/Sat 11am-midnight). It's a
popular bachelorette party spot, and for $25/person you get
2 hours of pottery time (materials included). Best of all,
it's BYOB. Call in advance for a reservation (you will need
to make a 50% deposit).
BACHELORETTE
DINNER
Atlanta has lots of restaurants, but not all of them are
great for a party. Don't fear, Penelope has found some gems
for you. Fuel up for a girls' night out at Zocalo, a sexy
Mexican restaurant with outdoor dining (187 10th St.; Phone
404- 249-7576, Hours M-Sat 5:30-11pm, Sat. 5:30pm-12am, Sun
10:30am-10pm); Fratelli
di Napoli Ristorante, a reasonably priced Italian restaurant
that's great for groups (2101 Tula St NW; Phone 404-351-1533;
Hours M-Th 5-10pm, Fr/Sat 5-11pm, Sun 4-10pm); or Imperial
Fez, a pricier Moroccan restaurant complete with festive
belly dancers (2285 Peachtree Rd. NE: Phone 404-351-0870;
Hours 6-11pm daily).
Want drinks before
dinner? Penelope recommends The
Leopard Lounge (84 12th Street; Phone 404-875-7562; Hours
Tu-Th 4:30pm-3am, F/Sat 4:30pm-4am) which features upscale
digs and great cocktails.
Not up for footing
a large restaurant bill? Consider hosting a pot-luck dinner
(and bring your own cocktail mixers) at someone's apartment.
Or, if the weather's nice, how about an al-fresco picnic with
drop-dead views of the Atlanta skyline in Piedmont
Park ? The park also hosts events like outdoor movies
in the summer; check their website to see what's going on…it
might make a fun girls' night out!
THE
OLD SOUTH
There's no better place than Atlanta to enjoy some Southern-style
food and hospitality. For an authentic Georgian experience,
head outside of Atlanta to Magnolia
Restaurant in Stone Mountain Village (5459 East Mountain
Street, Stone Mountain, GA, 770-498-6304). With a minimum
of 25 guests, you can have an elegant tea for $14.95 per person;
the regular Sunday brunch (11:30am-2pm) is $13.95/person.
Or, pretend you're Scarlet O'Hara and her gang at Sullivan
House a beautiful antebellum estate in Powder Springs
which is a popular rental for bridal showers and luncheons.
Call their office at 770-439-6600 to inquire about a bridal
shower.
If you'd rather stay in Atlanta (and are willing to foot
a larger bill), we recommend the proper English tea at the
Ritz Carlton Buckhead (3434 Peachtree Rd. NE (check address);
Phone: 404-237-2700; Hours). Or how about a Sunday brunch
($17.95/person) at Ray's
on the River (6700 Powers Ferry Road; Phone 770-955-1187;
Sunday brunch 11:30am-2:30pm), overlooking the 'Hooch?
TAKE
ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME
Rooting for the Braves is a holy activity in Atlanta. If
the bride is a fan (and she doesn't want a "girly"
shower), how about taking her to a home game at Turner's Field?
Check out the Braves'
official Web site for ticket information. Afterwards,
chown down on burgers, hot dogs, and fries (hey, you can diet
tomorrow to fit into those dresses…) at another Atlanta
institution, The Varsity (61 North Avenue NW; Phone 404-881-1706;
Hours Sun-Th 9am-11:30pm, Fri/Sat 9am-12:30am).
LOOKING
FOR A MORE RAUCOUS EVENING?
Is your Southern bride a bit too wild for these ideas? Here
are some randier options:
To kick of the
evening, have drinks at Café
Tu Tu Tango 220 Pharr Road; Phone 404-841-6222; Hours
Sun-Thurs 11:30am-11pm, 11:30am-1am Fri/Sat) where the bartenders
are total hotties. There are also tons of bellydancers and
musicians to liven things up even more. Lots of bachelorette
parties start out here. And, it's right across the street
from Bell Bottoms (see below).
If you and your
gal pals want to dance, we recommend the very happening (noisy
and sweaty, catering to mostly a 20something crowd, be forewarned…)
Club 112 (2321 Cheshire Bride Rd; 404-261-0155; Hours W-Sun
9pm-3am). Does the bride like '70s and '80s tunes? Put on
your grooviest clothes (think Marcia Brady) and head over
to Bell Bottoms (225 Pharr Road NE; Phone: 404-816-9669; Hours:
Fri-Sat 9pm-3am)
Not a bachelorette
party without some strippers, you say? Head over to the Coronet
Club. This "adult entertainment" club is used
to entertaining bachelorette groups. It may not be everyone's
cup of tea, but, hey, you're the one looking for naked guys
to dance around in front of the bride...
Before you call
it a night, surprise the bride with some naughty lingerie
from Intimacy
(3500 Peachtreet Rd. NE; 404-261-9333, Hours: M-Sat 10am-9pm,
Sun 12-5:30pm) or Victoria's
Secret (3393 Peachtree Rd.; 404-365-8860; Hours M-Sat
10am-9pm, Sun 12-6pm). If her fiance is waiting for her at
home, then he gets a special treat as well. J
 Where
to Buy the Gifts
IIt's easy to buy engagement, shower, or wedding gifts if
the couple is registered at any of the following major stores.
Shop in person (or make your life easier and buy the gift
online--everyone does it these days) at Tiffany
& Co.(Phipps Plaza at 3500 Peachtree Rd. NW; Phone
404-261-0074; Hours M-F 10-6, Sat 10-8, Sun 10-6); Crate
& Barrel (Lenox Square Mall at 3393 Peachtree Road
NE; Phone 404-239-0008; Hours 10am-9pm daily); Macy's
(various locations; check their website for store locations
and hours); Restoration
Hardware (Lenox Square Mall; Phone 404-240-2844; Hours
M-Sat 10-9, Sun 12-6);REI
(1800 NE Expressway, Phone 404-633-6508; Hours M-F 10-9; Sat
10-7, Sun 10-6); Target
(3535 Peachtree Rd. NE; Phone 404-237-9494; 8am-10pm daily);
Rich's (various locations); JC
Penny (various locations); Williams-Sonoma
( 3393 Peachtree Road NE, Phone: 404-812-1703, Hours 10am-9pm
daily)
Looking for a more
unique gift? Penelope loves the funky wares at Urban
Cottage (3211 Cains Hill Pl.; Phone 404-760-1334; Hours
Tu-F 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm), where you can find reasonably
priced gems like French pottery and unique rugs.
Where Else to Look
Still haven't found what you're looking for in Atlanta?
For more information about Atlanta than you'd ever possibly
need to know (including shops, restaurants, nightlife, and
much more), we suggest you consult atlanta.citysearch.com,
accessatlanta.com,
or atlanta.about.com.
Hey everyone! BridesmaidAid.com's
next "City of the Month" stops include Los Angeles
and Washington, D.C. Got any hot tips for us? Send them to
penelope@bridesmaidaid.com.
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