The importance of protocol

There are events in every girl’s life that require certain protocol.

It begins with birthday parties, where coordinating plates and napkins, preferably with Care Bears, Barbie or Rainbow Bright, are a must, and moves on to school dances, which require THE PERFECT outfit to catapult us into popularity and make our 7th-grade crush come running.

And although the school dances end, the protocol continues on, as we trade in frilly pre-teen outfits for the college-bar-scene black pants, which later get swapped for I’m-an-adult-now sexy dresses that will inevitably turn into the-grown-woman classy pantsuits or I-don’t-even-care-anymore comfy jeans.

Protocol matures with us, preparing us for what comes next, when birthday parties turn into bachelorette parties and middle school dances become weddings, signaling our transition from child to teen to twenty-something to married to mother to woman.

I am happy for the protocol that’s embedded in these events, and even happier that I was able to unfurl these practices for one of my dearest friends over the weekend.

Because Courtney is getting married.

Independent, strong-minded, huge-hearted, classy-even-with-a-beer-in-her-hand-and-screaming-at-the-football-game Courtney is in love. And protocol dictates that before the lovely white dress goes on, a sexy black one must be worn for a night on the town with the girls.

And so began the protocol of a bachelorette party, except, because we’re not in our twenties, the matching t-shirts and penis paraphernalia gets traded in for little dresses and colorful ring pops.

Cute shoes were purchased.

Blocks were walked.

Legs were bared.

Champagne drank.

And when enough of it was enjoyed, protocol directed that we dance.

So, lines were stood in.

Disco balls twirled.

 

White girls danced.

 

And danced and danced.

 

 

Trust me, you don’t want to see the pictures.

 

 

And when late night turned into early morning, we escorted each other home to scrub off makeup, pounce into pajamas and stuff our faces.

 

And we did it all for her.

To make sure that when she recalls this event, it holds all the right moments. Because that’s what we want for our friends—for life’s biggest events to “go smoothly” and according to plan and practiced protocol helps ensure that happens.

We celebrate, not for one last night out, because I know these women and my nights out with them are far from over, but to give our friend a taste of what she’s given us…the protocol, as tradition and personal tastes have directed, that marks the end of a single life and the start of a married one.

And that’s when you realize that protocol has as much to do with right of passage as it does strappy heels and slinky dresses.

We love you Courtney, and were so very happy to share this protocol with you, just as you have done for us.

• ← Seeing new things through old eyes
• The only somewhat extreme makeover →