Gossip Girl here, sharing the scoop on bride-to-be Chelsea's Gossip Girl-inspired bachelorette weekend in New York City! Chelsea chose the Big Apple as her bachelorette destination for a few reasons. She had recently taken a trip to the city with her family and future hubby for a bit of fun and an engagement shoot. During the trip, Chelsea and her mom, Gayle (who are both professional photographers), cooked up the idea to return to the city, but this time with her bridesmaids in tow for a Gossip Girl-inspired photoshoot! Being a big fan of the show, Chelsea knew both her and her friends would love exploring the city's hotspots (Blair and Serena style) while also capturing memorable photographs against the iconic New York City skyline.
The Party Theme
Gossip Girl meets Y2K
The main inspiration for Chelsea's New York City bachelorette weekend was Gossip Girl - a favorite amongst both her and her bridesmaids. She knew it'd be special for her crew to explore the city in true Upper Eastside-fashion, while also incorporating a few other fun themes like a Y2K night. The main event of the weekend was a photoshoot with surprise colorful tulle dresses gifted to the bridesmaids from Chelsea - which we have no doubt are 100% Blair Waldorf approved. Wondering where Chelsea found her party accessories? Here's the scoop:
- Colorful Tulle Dresses for the bridesmaids - Needle Meets Thread
- White Tulle Dress - Ava Gowns
- Matching Pajamas - Plum Pretty Sugar
- Custom Cookies - The Sweet Shack
The Weekend Itinerary
What They Did
Chelsea and her besties arrived to the city on Thursday so they would have plenty of time to explore. The group was arriving from all over the United States (and even one lady from Spain!), so everyone landed at different times. While waiting for the crew to arrive, the group camped out at Ladurée in Soho before checking into their hotel suite at The Gardens Sonesta ES Suites in the Upper East Side. That evening they went to dinner and grabbed drinks in Greenwich in Y2K-themed outfits.
The next morning was the big photoshoot day! Chelsea surprised the group with colorful tulle dresses, inspired by their favorite show, Gossip Girl. They had coffee and bagels in the hotel while getting ready before hopping in a private car that drove them to iconic NYC spots for their photoshoot. That evening, the girls checked out Catbird for permanent friendship bracelets before grabbing dinner at the romantic IL Cortile in Little Italy. The wrapped up the day with a slumber party at the hotel with cookies and champagne while watching The Princess Diaries.
On Saturday, the group spent the bulk of their morning exploring Chelsea Market and The Highline on a food tour with Foods of NY. Food tours are a favorite past time of the bride, so she was especially excited to share this activity with her friends. After the tour, the squad regrouped at their hotel before heading to The Campbell Bar in Grand Central Station for cocktails and a night on Broadway seeing Moulin Rouge.
Thursday: Brunch & Y2K Night
• Casual bunch at Ladurée in Soho while everyone arrives to NYC
• Check into The Gardens Sonesta ES Suites located in the Upper East Side
• Dinner at Tacombi for fish tacos and margaritas in Y2K-themed outfits
• Bar-hopping in Greenwich
• Late night pizza
Friday: Surprise Photoshoot, Permanent Bracelets & Dinner in Little Italy
• Coffee and bagels at the hotel
• Gossip Girl-inspired photoshoot at iconic NYC locations in colorful tulle dresses gifted to the bridesmaids from the bride - a total surprise!
• Regroup at the hotel after the photoshoot fun
• Pre-dinner shopping at Catbird in Soho for jewelry and permanent bracelets
• Dinner at the indoor garden at IL Cortile in Little Italy
• Late night cookies, champagne and movie night (The Princess Diaries!) at the hotel
Saturday: Food Tour, Drinks & Moulin Rouge
• Cocktails at The Campbell Bar in Grand Central Station (the same bar where Nate and Serena are spotted in the very first Gossip Girl episode!)
• Moulin Rouge on Broadway followed by dinner at a restaurant down the street
Sunday: Goodbyes & Head Home
• Goodbyes and head home
The Bachelorette Pad
Where They Stayed
Want a challenge? Find a reasonably priced hotel in New York City with enough room to sleep a bride and her 7 besties. Not easy, right?! Lucky for you, Chelsea did the legwork and found The Gardens Sonesta ES Suites in the Upper East Side where she was able to book a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite with a living room, dining room and full kitchen. Bookmark this one, babes! It's a find.
The Round Up
Where They Ate, Drank & Celebrated
Finding great restaurants and activities can be tough, especially in New York City! Here's a round up of the spots Chelsea and her I Do Crew recommend from her NYC bachelorette bash:
• Brunch: Ladurée in Soho
• Dinner: Tacombi
• Dinner: IL Cortile in Little Italy
• Cocktails: The Campbell Bar
• Jewelry Shopping + Permanent Bracelets: Catbird
• Food Tour: Foods of NY
• Musical: Moulin Rouge
The Party Photography
How They Captured The Moment
There you have it - Chelsea's final fling in New York City! Need more bachelorette party inspiration? Check our our party shop, city guides or party planning blog for even more bachelorette party tips and inspiration.