And you thought your friend’s bachelorette was intense? Meet Brigette Pheloung — aka @acquired.style — whose bachelorette party makes those matching “Bride Tribe” tees look downright restrained. If you somehow missed the “bachelorette party that broke the internet,” let’s unpack. The four days of festivities took place in St. Barth’s, which she and 500 (sorry, 16) of her closest friends traveled to via a “full-blown plane” — a wildly inaccurate way to describe the mansion in the sky. Then there was the actual mansion, which Pheloung showed off in a Cribs-style tour that notably didn’t include a room with four bunk beds. As for the itinerary? Themed nights like “mermaids” (still unclear how Pheloung sat in that dress); Vegas-worthy clubbing (where she conveniently hit this milestone), and at least one yacht. That brings us to the real question: How could they all afford it? Cue Swan Beauty. The whole thing was essentially a big brand trip, sponsored by the $795 smart mirror company. And the sponcon didn’t stop there: the villa was stocked with phe phe apparel, the brand she co-founded; attendees were gifted spray tans and “very carefully curated” totes; and bachelorette guest Kit Keenan made lunch, naturally, using one of her cookbook recipes (Keenan’s fashion designer mom also made the bride-to-be a memorable dress). 

Obviously, the internet had…thoughts. Some bravely called the giant ad a genius marketing stunt, others found it very concerning (apologies, but “relatable” isn’t the word we’d use), and the chronically online did what they do best (see: the “Kate Moss Calvin Klein 1999” breakfast). Even the NFL got in on the fun. But one thing’s clear: We’ve officially reached Peak Bachelorette. Of course, this isn’t entirely new (never forget the SNL parody that felt more like a doc). But they’re longer, farther, and involve more balloon backdrops and branded merch than ever before. So much so that today’s average bachelorette now costs more than twice what it did in 2019. And it’s even worse for men (boo hoo). In fact, the phallic straw industrial complex has gotten so big it’s spawned companies dedicated to planning these things. Now, while some have pointed to rising costs to justify a sponsored bachelorette, others are dropping out entirely. Taylor Swift, hope you’re taking notes.