Robin of St. Louis, Missouri, is the envy of all bridesmaids thanks to her dreadful dress. As former bridesmaids looked on, Robin was honored as the grand-prize winner of DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps' "Worst Bridesmaid's Dress" contest at the "World's Largest Bachelorette Party," a fashion show event at LOT 61 in New York City.
Robin's dress -- a neon hot pink frock with the sheen of a new convertible and texture of plastic seat covers -- was considered such an eyesore that it won Robin and three of her friends a trip to Puerto Rico where they will party in true girls' night out-style with DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps, the ultimate girls' night out cocktail mixer.
"I never thought I'd ever wear my bridesmaid dress again, but when I saw the DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps 'Worst Bridesmaid's Dress' contest, I knew it was the only reason to resurrect it," said Robin, the now 44-year-old winner. "I'm glad I decided to keep it because one day of embarrassment has earned me four days of fun in Puerto Rico!"
Robin's frightening frock gained infamy as it was modeled on the runway along with nine contest finalists' dresses. Kicking off the wedding season, the party invited all bridesmaids past and present for a bachelorette-style fete complete with martinis made with DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps, America's number one-selling brand of cordials and liqueurs. Robin made a special appearance to model her infamous dress and party planning expert Becky Long served as the party's hostess with the most-ess.
"For any female who's in a wedding party, there are two main focal points -- the dress and the bachelorette party," said Becky Long, author of The Best Bachelorette Party Book. "While they may have no control over the dress, they certainly can help to plan a bachelorette party that everyone can enjoy."
Long recommends the following party tips:
When choosing a venue for the party, consider your guest list as well as transportation arrangements. Host the party in a centralized location such as your home or a hotel.
Be sure to consider the personality of the bride when choosing party activities.
Cocktails are an essential for any bachelorette party. Mix fun, colorful drinks using DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps, like the Pucker Appletini or a Ruby Martini.
The bachelorette party is usually a memorable experience, but bridesmaid dresses aren't so lucky. According to a survey sponsored by DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps, nearly half (47%) of bridesmaids claim the worst part of their dress is the color, while a little more than a quarter (26%) cite the fabric, and 15 percent blame the sleeves. What happens to the dumpy rag once the party's over? According to the survey, more than half of bridesmaids (51%) donate the dress to charity while others let it gather dust in the closet (23%) or save it for Halloween (21%).
Robin gave other bridesmaids a run for their money, standing out among the yards of taffeta, sequined, lace, crinoline and creampuff-sleeved couture, proving once and for all that most bridesmaids (60%) don't like their dresses and, despite assurances from the bride, will never wear them again.
The DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps "Worst Bridesmaid's Dress" contest kicked off in February as a nationwide search for the most diabolical dress to ever take a trip down the aisle. Entries were judged on appearance (40%), originality (40%), and appropriateness to contest theme (20%). One grand-prize winner was selected to receive a trip for four to Puerto Rico for a Pucker-sponsored party as well as a trip for two to New York City to attend DeKuyper Pucker Schnapps' "World's Largest Bachelorette Party."
In addition, nine finalists will receive a Pucker Party Prize Pack, including a martini shaker, set of four martini glasses and Pucker branded tumblers. The nine finalists' dresses echo the color and flavor of an array of Pucker-created cocktails and include:
A full-length outfit featuring turquoise and white flower-print culottes and a white long-sleeve frilly cotton top; a faux suede ribbon around waist
A heart-shaped strapless mini dress made of sea-foam green damask; full-length, high-collar cape in similar material with large bow at waist
A purple monk-like robe and hood made from burlap; bell-shaped sleeves; satin gold trim around neck and sleeves; tied around waist with purple and gold ribbon
A a shiny magenta-colored, off-the-shoulder dress with bubble skirt; texture and reflective-ness of tin foil
A bright blue ankle-length gown with thin white lace trim on the bottom, waist and sleeves of the dress; a big navy blue bow is affixed to one side of the waist
A metallic purple mini dress with spaghetti straps and matching wrap secured with a rhinestone clip that resembles a belt buckle
A full-length burgundy gown with a white lace "scarf" that draped over the shoulders, white satin gloves and a white four-feather hat
A handmade gold lame dress with an ivory tulle overlay with gold polka dots; a 40s-style gold lame hat with tulle fan
A polyester-satin turquoise tea-length dress with white lace overlay on puffy sleeves and skirt; gathered bodice and handkerchief hem; matching hat with netting that fans out