UPDATE:
The first parent sponsored party was held at the MacGregor Downs Country Club in a room next to the pool. The event was dubbed "Death by Chocolate" because it had two themes: a chocolate spa party, and a murder mystery game. Here's the plotline: a group of young women are at a chocolate spa for a bachelorette party, but while they are there, someone is murdered and thee game is about finding out who the murderer is. A few days before the party began, each girl was given a character to play. She was asked to read a character profile and come prepared to play the game. We'll I can't speak for anyone involved, but I'm pretty sure it didn't quite go down as planned.
When I went to the party with Cassidy and a few of the other debs, I found out that many of them were not prepared to play their parts and were pretty confused about the party in general. It certainly didn't help that this was the first parent sponsored party, so the girls were already unsure of what to expect.
When we got the the party, I mic'd Cassidy up and followed her at a distance to she could socialize with the rest of the girls. They all seemed to cling to the people they knew, rather than branching out too much. (Definitely not a surprise.) However, they were forced to mingle once they sat down to dinner in their assigned seating. There were four (maybe five) large round tables stuffed into this rather small room, each table sat six or eight debs. One table was just for the parents who through the party and deb society members in attendance. If I remember correctly, a large salad was served as the main course. Dessert was a chocolate fountain served with bread items for "dipping" under the fountain.
After dinner, the debs started on the murder mystery game, which meant more mingling, but this time pretending to be your character and trying to figure out information about everyone else's character. Honestly, it was very confusing, and got old quickly. It'd be the last think I'd want to to if I were at a party and it didn't really help the girls to get to know each other. Although, it's saving grace, in my opinion, is that it did get them talking, so I guess that's a start.
In the middle of the game, the hostess said that they were going to take a break to do the spa portion of the evening. However, not everyone was going to get pampered, only two would be chosen. The rest of the girls were given baskets of lotions and scrubs with which they were to do their own facials by following the instructions of the two professional who were at the front of the room demonstrating on the two lucky girls who were chosen. Again, not really my idea of fun, unless I was one of the girls chosen to GET a facial, rather than just doing one on my own.
They all went through the motions, but it seems to me as though they were a little disappointed. However, their spirits seemed to rise when they found out that their party favor was a lavish white terry cloth spa robe which was embroidered with each debs initials. Very swanky, very expensive.
After the self-administered facials, they finished up the game and got ready to leave. I don't remember who the murderer was, it really didn't seem important to any of the guests, but the debs who threw the party wanted to make sure they finished the game. Before leaving the party, the debs got a bath kit as a second gift (with a loofah and other bath essentials). On their way out, I notice that many of the debs made a point of thanking their hostesses.
