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What happens on Lower Broadway doesn’t stay on Lower Broadway.
Nashville bachelorette parties — known for their loud shrieks and coordinating jean shorts with cowboy boots — are taking center stage in new CMT reality series “Bachelorette Weekend” from the creator of “Jersey Shore.” The show premiers Aug. 2 at 10 p.m. CST.
The city is swarming with these groups on any given weekend and they’ve become an key segment of Music City’s booming tourism industry. They’re riding pedal taverns, drinking and singing on a tractor party wagon, shopping in 12South, taking shots on the rooftop of Tootsie’s and feeding their hangovers with brunch in the Gulch.
“You can’t go 10 feet without seeing one. It’s a booming business,” said “Bachelorette Weekend” producer SallyAnn Salsano of 495 Productions.
Salsano has hit reality TV gold with shows like “Jersey Shore,” “Party Down South” and “Floribama Shore.”
“I think any TV show that taps into something that’s already happening, that’s normally going on, already has a leg up because it’s not contrived,” Salsano said.
And bachelorette parties are already coming to Nashville in droves. By many accounts, Music City has become the most popular destination for pre-wedding festivities behind Las Vegas.
Lured by the city’s laid-back vibe, people travel from across the U.S. to enjoy the free live music scene and countless party-friendly activities, whether it’s karaoke on Broadway or a double-decker pontoon boat on Percy Priest Lake.
Salsano will take viewers into the bachelorette scene through the lens of Bach Weekend, a Nashville startup founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Robbie Goldsmith that creates once-in-a-lifetime experiences for bachelor and bachelorette parties.
“These guys, I would say, should be wearing capes and stuff. Everyone’s expectations coming into a bachelor and bachelorette party are always super high,” Salsano said about the Bach Weekend staff.
Goldsmith and his staff are accustomed to meeting those high expectations. Bach Weekend rolls out the red carpet for its clients via custom itineraries that take the hassle out of planning a bachelor/bachelorette party.
Goldsmith started the company after realizing friends and acquaintances were often coming to him for ideas on things to do in Nashville. He worked out of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center until 2015 as the business grew enough to warrant its own office and staff. Bach Weekend also operates in New Orleans and has done some trial runs in other cities.
For its clients, Bach Weekend throws VIP parties on Friday and Saturday nights on Lower Broadway with an open bar. Goldsmith said some of the most popular activities for these groups also include pedal taverns and other party bikes, a distillery tour in Marathon Village, pole dancing classes, ziplining and custom sushi classes.
“As of late, the trend we’re seeing is people are trying to get more unique,” Goldsmith said.
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“Bachelorette Weekend” filmed 10 bachelorette parties over a 10-week span. Salsano said sometimes they would film a group all night and straight into breakfast.
“It was great. It was literally insane. The music there, I know it’s so cliché, but the combination of the food, the music and the people is unbeatable,” Salsano said.
Of the show, Goldsmith said to expect drama, debauchery and a lot of fun.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of real emotions, a lot of awesome friendship memories and a lot of craziness as well. It will make for a great show,” he said.
Reach Lizzy Alfs at lalfs@tennessean.com or 615-726-5948 and on Twitter @lizzyalfs.
