Who's the boss? Bruce Springsteen still is.

My gal pal, Lauren, had an extra ticket to his tour stop with the E Street Band here in Charlotte, NC last night.

The show started with a beautiful memorial to organist & keyboard player Danny Federici, who just died April 17 from melanoma. It featured a photo & video tribute playing against Springsteen's voice singing "Blood Brothers."

But from there, the musicians exploded and I was awed to watch "The Boss" and the E Street Band continue a virtually non-stop jam of songs back-to-back. Their energy was extraordinary and it was an absolutely incredible experience to see one of the rock greats live in concert!

This awesome experience prompted a thought about "getting creative" when planning a bachelorette party... it's okay to think outside the strip club. For a bride who's a Parrothead, get tickets to a Jimmy Buffett concert. If she's a Mets fan, catch a game during the final season at Shea Stadium or take a trip to the hallowed old Yankee Stadium to see the Yankees at bat before they move to a new home, too. If you're just looking for some feel-good fun to get the bridal party ready for the trip down the aisle, catch the "I do"-infused Mamma Mia! on stages worldwide. Check out Ticketmaster for all kinds of ideas in your area for music, arts & theater, and sports events.

Having dinner then going to a game, concert or show is not your typical way to make pre-wedding memories with your best girlfriends -- it sure is fun, though! A bachelorette party doesn't have to involve a stripper... but there's always The Full Monty...

(a special "thank you" for additional sports information goes to my best bud, Brian -- he's a member of the Church of The New York Yankees...)

I attended my first bridal market last weekend in New York city and it was quite exciting!

Check out the photo: I'm on the left standing beside Vatana Watters of Watters designer gowns. She was incredibly friendly. This shot was taken after her runway show at the WeddingChannel Couture Show Interntational Bridal Market. I waited after the show in the hopes of handing some information about BridesmaidEssentials.com to a member of Ms. Watters' staff. But she turned to me and I introduced myself -- we got the chance to chat a bit about the site and her latest Watters and Wtoo lines for bridesmaids. She was thoroughly charming.

I was even more stunned, though, when later in the day I ran into her again outside the suite where she was showing her lines to a small group of retailers.. Vatana greeted me with a "Hi, Kathy!" (she remembered my name) and invited me to take photos during a mini-runway show for the retailers.

I was already a fan of the Watters brand but after meeting its chief, I'm impressed with her depth as a businesswoman -- that she can direct a runway show, oversee the debut of dozens of dresses to retailers, and yet still take time to make a connection with someone she didn't know.

Stay tuned for images from the Watters runway show for the fall 2008 collections...