Warning: Bachelorette Parties Now Include Workouts

By Margaret Hartmann | October 20, 2011 | 1:30pm

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Now that we’re living in a post-Bridesmaids world, everyone is aware that being forced into various social situations with a group of women you barely know can be pretty uncomfortable. At least at the bachelorette party you usually have booze to get you through the night, but some brides are taking that away from their so-called friends. Instead of simply donning some tacky “bride-to-be” paraphernalia and giggling as a g-string-clad man invades their personal space, some women are forcing the ladies in their bridal party to work out.

The New York Times reports that the latest trend in bachelorette activities is to sign your bridal party up for some kind of exercise class. This may include a interval training, stretching, yoga, riding stationary bikes, or running a mini marathon, perhaps while wearing the aforementioned mini veil and penis necklace. The Times offers this description of a recent workout-centric bachelorette party:

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The bride-to-be and eight friends were partying at Flywheel Sports studio in Flatiron, downing half-liter bottles of water as they bellied up to the barre for an hourlong workout that mixed Pilates, dance and weights. After a final stretch, to the sounds of “Chapel of Love,” the crew refueled with sips of Champagne (Moët) and bite-size cupcakes. Then they headed out for manicures, pedicures and sushi.

I hate most forms of physical activity, so the idea of being conscripted into an excercise class to celebrate some cousin’s wedding is making me shudder. However, if I put my own sloth aside, I do see how this could be fun. For a more physically active lady, doing a yoga class or a run may be preferable to getting drunk and learning more about everyone’s sexual comfort level than you care to.

But participating in a fun and stress-reducing activity isn’t the only reason bachelorettes are turning to exercise classes. It also keeps your girls skinny! Recent bride Casey Fremont Crowe explains, “When you’re trying to be really fit and lose weight, you really are thinking of it as every day counts, so why not make working out part of the celebration?” She adds that her bachelorette party also included a dinner but, “Because of the class, none of us felt too bad about what we ate or drank.”

Ah, it didn’t occur to me that bridal party workouts would aid in our all-consuming goal of being skinny as can be on the big day! I’ll definitely be scheduling some exercise classes for my bridal party, because I want to give them the gift of toasting my nuptials without descending into a shame spiral about the calories in pinot grigio.

Swapping Girls’ Night Out For A Workout [NYT]

Image via Andresr/Shutterstock.