Party with a Tee will make your party complete

Welcome back to another Spotlight Series with Sarah!
I started this series to get to know the city more personally by visiting, experiencing, and reviewing hidden gems in the City of Wayne, while my readers can get to know me better in the process.
In April 2017, I received my journalism degree from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, which is also where I met one of my best friends, Amber Ainsworth.
In order to complete my major, there were certain journalism classes I was required to take. My sophomore year of college, I signed up for a copy editing class. Ainsworth, a fellow journalism major, signed up for the same class as well.
The first day of my copy editing class in January 2015, I sat down at the large round-table in the classroom, a little too close to the student next to me. That student was Ainsworth. I laughed at the jokes she made to her friends sitting on the other side of her, and we quickly became close friends.

Sarah Shurge, Amber Ainsworth, Rachel Eikenberry, and Jessica Gavrilovski celebrate at Party with a Tee.

In April 2018, Ainsworth swore into the Army National Guard. In October 2018, I flew down to Fort Jackson in South Carolina with her parents to watch her graduate from basic training.
In June 2021, I dropped Ainsworth off at the Detroit Metro Airport so she could fly down to Camp Shelby in Mississippi, for BLC (Basic Leader Course) training with the National Guard.
At BLC training in Mississippi, Ainsworth met Rachel Eikenberry. Eikenberry was also in the Army National Guard from Michigan. During their three weeks of leadership training, Ainsworth and Eikenberry quickly formed a close bond and were inseparable.
After they both returned to Michigan, Ainsworth and Eikenberry started dating in July 2021. They got engaged in August 2022, and set their wedding date for April 2024.
Ainsworth asked me to be her maid of honor in June 2023, and of course I said yes.
In January 2024, Jessica Gavrilovski, Ainsworth’s friend and the wedding officiant, and I began planning the combined bachelorette party for Ainsworth and Eikenberry.
To accommodate Ainsworth and Eikenberry’s friends, Gavrilovski and I decided to plan the bachelorette party as a weekend full of different stops within the metro-Detroit area.
Gavrilovski’s aunt, Danijela Momirovski, Paul’s Bakery owner in Marine City, made a cake for the brides-to-be, we ordered decorations, and discussed getting matching t-shirts for everyone attending the event.
One of the perks of writing for the Wayne Dispatch is that I speak to a lot of business owners in the City of Wayne. When thinking about where to get our t-shirts made, my mind instantly went to a business I recently wrote about — Party with a Tee.
I called Renee Bey, Party with a Tee owner, on Saturday, March 16th to inquire about placing an order with her business. She took the time to answer any questions I had, gave me an estimate for the costs, and a timeline for how long the order would take.
I needed to confirm all the t-shirt sizes we needed and discuss with Gavrilovski what design/phrase we wanted on the shirts, so I asked Bey if I could contact her the next day with all my information. She was beyond understanding and told me that was not a problem.
Since Ainsworth and Eikenberry were both in the Army National Guard and met because of the Guard, Gavrilovski suggested the shirts be military related. I thought that would be hilarious, and immediately agreed.
We decided on 12 black shirts with white text on the front saying “Thank you for your service” and the back saying “Buy the brides a drink!” with Ainsworth and Eikenberry’s Venmos listed. The two brides’ shirts would be white with rainbow text saying “You’re welcome for my service” on the front.
On Sunday, March 17th, Bey emailed me a link and instructions with how to complete my customer apparel form/order. The process was easy and did not take long to complete.
Originally, Bey told me that orders usually take around two weeks. However, on Friday, March 22nd, I received a call from Bey letting me know my order was already finished.
I stopped by Party with a Tee on Saturday, March 23rd to pick up my order.
All 14 shirts were in individual bags, folded, and labeled by size (small – XL) for easy distribution. The text (both front and back) was crisp, clean, and a good size, making it easy to read from a distance.

The group shows off their Party with a Tee T-shirts.

I thought the shirts turned out great and I couldn’t wait to see how the brides would react to them.
The bachelorette party weekend was Saturday, April 6th through Sunday, April 7th.
Our first stop was at Garden Bowl at the Majestic Theatre, where we had all the decorations set up and everyone was waiting in our matching t-shirts for the brides to arrive.
Ainsworth and Eikenberry could not stop laughing when they saw our shirts and theirs.
Our next stop was at the Michigan Central Station, followed by a stop at Bobcat Bonnie’s, Batch Brewing Company, and ending with Drag Bingo at Five15.
The entire time Ainsworth could not stop talking about the shirts and how much she loved them. She posted photos of the t-shirts (both front and back of the friend’s shirt and hers) on social media and ended up getting a decent amount of Venmo donations.
The t-shirts really were the cherry on top of an amazing bachelorette party weekend, and I cannot thank Bey and Party with a Tee enough for the great job they did.
Party with a Tee has been in Wayne since November 2022.
Party with a Tee specializes in custom apparel (for bachelorette parties, family reunions, corporate events, small businesses, etc.), hosts t-shirt painting events for all occasions, and offers event space rentals for small gatherings (such as: baby or bridal showers, birthday parties, vendor events, book signings, workshops/meetings, and more).
“It’s something I always wanted to do and always felt like I was going to be doing,” said Bey. “It took a lot of preparation and preservation to create something unique.”
Party with a Tee also hosts several community events each year, such as: Black History Book Fair, Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway Event, and “Brushes and Wine Glass: Valentine’s Day Celebrated with Class.”
“I love being able to help others, between doing community events or having t-shirt events that leave people feeling satisfied and happy,” said Bey. “Our mission is to uplift everyone. We’re looking for more events to expand.”
Party with a Tee’s next event is “Paint and Pamper: A Mother’s Day with Artistry and Glamour” on Saturday, May 11th from 11 a.m – 6 p.m. Mothers and attendees will get to partake in a 30-minute facial, enjoy music, food and beverage, and t-shirt painting.
“Come celebrate yourself as a mother, or your mother, and walk away feeling beautiful,” said Bey. “You’ll be able to be creative, have fun, and enjoy a relaxing and fun vibe.”
Tickets for “Paint and Pamper” can be purchased on the website.
Bey is thinking about working on an event for Juneteenth, so be sure to check the website for updates and more information.
Party with a Tee is located at 3158 S Wayne Rd, and is open 12-5PM Friday-Saturday, t-shirt painting is 6-9PM Monday-Friday, and business hours for service Sunday-Thursday, as well as t-shirt painting on Saturday and Sunday, are available upon request.
For more information about Party with a Tee, call (734)589-0111. To purchase tickets, for online shopping, t-shirt painting events, and event space rental inquiries, visit partywithatee.com.
First Responders receive a 10% discount on all merchandise in store (customized orders, Event & Meeting space rentals, and t-shirt painting events are excluded).
If you’re interested in volunteering for any Party with a Tee events, email partywithatee@gmail.com.
Be sure to check out Party with a Tee, and be on the lookout for the next Spotlight Series with Sarah!