When “Yes” Means Debt: The Bachelorette Bash That Left Four Bridesmaids Broke

Have you ever looked at a photo of a bachelorette party and thought, “Wow, I wonder how much blood plasma it took to pay for all that?” Yeah, me neither—until now . The image of four glassy-eyed bridesmaids clinging to a glitter-dusted barge like their tax refunds depended on it (spoiler: they did) begs the question—just how far would you go to celebrate your best friend’s liberation into matrimonial bliss, and is bankruptcy too high a price for matching sashes? As someone whose idea of weekend luxury is splurging on fancy toothpaste, I almost spilled my reheated coffee reading about this gloriously over-the-top, Charleston-based fiasco . Who needs a “low-key girls weekend” when you can blow through your life savings before the pro photographer even snaps the first champagne-fueled yoga squat? If you’ve ever wondered where the line is between love and fiscal irresponsibility—well, apparently, it’s somewhere between bottomless-mimosa drag brunch and a psychic with a five-star Yelp rating . Trust me, you’re not ready for this saga, but oh, you need to see it . LEARN MORE

CHARLESTON, SC—In what was originally intended as a “low-key girls weekend,” four of bride-to-be Julia Rose Atkinson’s closest friends were financially ruined this week after her bachelorette party completely bankrupted her fave girlies. “The weekend turned out a bit more expensive than we had anticipated, but of course it was all worth it to celebrate our ride-or-die chica,” said newly insolvent bridesmaid Zara Khan, who quietly canceled her dental insurance after being hit with a surprise $800 charge for damage to the pink party barge chartered for the occasion. “Seriously, the weekend could not have been more perfect. The Airbnb we rented was huge, the spa day was absolutely divine, and the champagne-room VIP club crawl in matching designer ‘Till Death Do Us Party’ sashes was a night I’ll never forget. That’s not even to mention the boozy yoga, the private pole dancing class, the beach day with matching swimsuits and custom towels, the Hummer limo rental, the professional makeup and hair services for the group, the wine tasting and vineyard tour, the bottomless-mimosa drag brunches, the custom ‘Bride Squad’ tumblers, the late-night tattoo stop, the session with a psychic, the sexy male strippers, the first-class plane tickets, and of course the professional photographer who tagged along all weekend to preserve the memories forever.” At press time, the destitute bridesmaids had reportedly made appointments to sell their plasma in order to afford the $600 floor-length sage green gowns required for Atkinson’s wedding ceremony.