My Big Fat Engagement – Engagement Advice & Warnings

This week we pick up with our Las Vegas Series.

In previous installments we interviewed Shawna in our Fun Weddings for Families article and we heard from Tara about how Vegas is The Perfect Stage for a Stagette. This week we get some great advice about planning a trip with a group from Colleen.

Colleen’s advice is valuable for anyone planning a trip with a group of people: whether it’s a stagette, a wedding, or a family vacation.

Colleen and a group of her friends met up in Las Vegas for a bachelorette weekend.

Where did you stay? Who went on the trip?

“We stayed for 3  nights at the Monte Carlo. It was me,  Shawna, and my friend Tracey from Kelowna and my friend Karleen, who lives  in California, joined us a day later.”

What kind of things did you do during your stay?

“Most of the time it  was pretty low key but we had a great night out at Studio 54 at the MGM,  followed up by grilled cheese at a 24hrs Denny’s. We had no real  scheduled activities, the group was pretty small.  No shows or tours  but Shawna and Karleen visitied the [Hoover] dam…We hit a few attractions, saw all the free shows at  the hotels like the sinking of the pirate ship at Treasure Island, which  they still did then.”

Why  did you select Las Vegas?

“I chose Vegas  because it was warmer there, there is always lots going on and I always  wanted to go there with girlfriends instead of a boyfriend.”

Do you have any advice for people considering a similar  event?

“My advice is to  make sure everyone is on the same page about what they want to do and where  they want to go, as there is so much going on in a short time period and not  everyone wants to do the same things as everyone else… One thing I’d do different is to have a better planned schedule  and talk to everyone about the things they wanted to do before arriving in  Vegas.

What was your most memorable moment of the  trip?

“Most memorable  moment was our night out at the MGM, and also a hilarious run through Vancouver airport trying to make a connection after a late  arrival.”

Thanks Colleen!

Here are some tips for Group Vacation Planning

1. Discuss plans before you arrive to make sure everyone has the same vacation in mind.

Do you want to go sightseeing or do you want to relax by the pool? Are you going to Las Vegas for the entertainment, the gambling, or both?

2. Schedule group activities ahead of time.

Based on your conversation, you can buy tickets or make reservations in advance to avoid misunderstandings once you arrive at your destination. Everyone will know what to expect during the trip and no one will be disappointed that they are missing a sold out show or that they can’t have seats that are together… Also, people will arrive with appropriate clothing (swimsuit, hiking boots, tuxedo – depending on your plans).

Extra Tip: Don’t forget to ask about group rates when you are booking your rooms or buying show tickets!

3. Avoid overscheduling.

A few group activities a day is ample – you don’t want to have a plan for every minute of the day or people will feel overscheduled and stressed. Make sure you leave time for individuals in the group to do their own thing. Some people might want to take a nap, others might want to shop or visit the spa.

Stay tuned for some more big fat advice when we look at theme weddings in Part 4 of our Las Vegas Series…

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